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New Orleans Returns From A-SPS 2010

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100902-25
9/2/2010

From Surface Forces Pacific Public Affairs

USS NEW ORLEANS, At Sea (NNS) -- USS New Orleans, along with Amphibious Squadron 5, and other embarked units, will return to their homeport San Diego Sept. 2, after completing a three-month independent deployment in support of Amphibious-Southern Partnership Station (A-SPS) 2010.

A-SPS is an amphibious portion of Southern Partnership Station, which is a deployment of various specialty platforms to the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility in Latin America and the Caribbean. The mission's primary goal is information sharing with navies, coast guards, and civilian services throughout the region in order to enhance regional maritime capabilities and security.

Throughout the deployment, New Orleans conducted exercises and multinational exchanges with Mexico, Peru, and Colombia to build on relationships built through previous SPS deployments. In addition to subject matter exchanges, the ship conducted humanitarian and civic assistance through community relations projects and Project Handclasp deliveries throughout the region.

"This has been an outstanding deployment and mission," said New Orleans Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Jeff Oakey.

"The interaction we've had with Mexico, and Central and South America, has really helped us to understand and appreciate one another. Whether we were trading professional information, working on a community relations project together, or just experiencing the culture of each other's countries, we were strengthening the relationships we have with each other. I really think that the relationships we're creating with Southern Partnership Station will make the region stronger and more stable," he said.

Service members from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay deployed with New Orleans in order to facilitate interaction between their navies and the U.S. Navy through subject matter exchanges and interaction. This has been accomplished through presentations, personal interaction, and hands-on, joint exercises. They boarded the ship in San Diego June 10, with most departing in Peru. The Colombian officers remained aboard until the ship visited Bahia Malaga, Colombia.

"I think this is one of the best ideas our commanders have had," said Colombian navy Lt. Cmdr. Luis Pulgarin. "It is so important that the U.S. and South American navies work together because it is one region and we need to be able to share experiences and work together, because it will help us all to stay secure. At this moment, the United States and Colombia are both combating terrorism, and we need to work together. It is very important."

Subject matter exchanges, including damage control, firefighting, engineering, and medical processes, took place aboard New Orleans and on shore in each country. In addition, New Orleans, along with partner nations and Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force 24 participated in both Partnership of the Americas 2010 and Southern Exchange 2010 in support of A-SPS, conducting joint amphibious operations in Salinas and Ancon, Peru.