International Naval Leaders Gain Knowledge at PHNSY & IMF
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS101013-22
10/13/2010
By Katie Vanes, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard Public Affairs
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- Naval officers from 11 different countries began classes Sept. 27 for a six-week International Shipyard Management Course at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY & IMF).
Now in its 13th consecutive year, the program is sponsored by Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity (NETSAFA).
"The training is strategically important to the U.S. Navy in terms of humanitarian support and security assistance," said Bob Sonoda, PHNSY & IMF supervisory production controller.
Humanitarian support and security assistance are two pillars of the nation's maritime strategy. This strategy stresses an approach that integrates seapower with other elements of national power, as well as those of our friends and allies to protect and sustain the global inter-connected system.
Fifteen naval officers from Ireland, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bahrain, Dominican Republic, Bangladesh, Egypt, Philippines, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and the Republic of China are learning about environmental regulation, shipyard management and maintenance, and counterterrorism during their visit. Other key elements include shipyard organizational structure, planning and estimating, material ordering, and ship overhaul and repair.
Sonoda said the students benefit from the opportunity to see first-hand and understand how a U.S. Navy shipyard operates.
"Whether it's a big or small country, they all take part in ship maintenance and management of some kind," he said.
"NETSAFA has been facilitating this course in response to the on-going training, which coincides with the worldwide combatant commands' goals toward greater partner-nation capacity-building," said NETSAFA European Command-African Command Division Head Dave Babcock.
The international students are instructed to create an e-mail account specifically to keep in touch with each other after the class.
"These foreign naval officers come together as strangers and become true allies after spending six weeks together. Some graduates of the program still keep in touch by e-mail five years later," Sonoda said.
PHNSY & IMF is a full-service naval shipyard and regional maintenance center for the Navy's surface ships and submarines, and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command. Now in its 13th consecutive year, the program is sponsored by Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity (NETSAFA).
"The training is strategically important to the U.S. Navy in terms of humanitarian support and security assistance," said Bob Sonoda, PHNSY & IMF supervisory production controller.
Humanitarian support and security assistance are two pillars of the nation's maritime strategy. This strategy stresses an approach that integrates seapower with other elements of national power, as well as those of our friends and allies to protect and sustain the global inter-connected system.
Fifteen naval officers from Ireland, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bahrain, Dominican Republic, Bangladesh, Egypt, Philippines, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and the Republic of China are learning about environmental regulation, shipyard management and maintenance, and counterterrorism during their visit. Other key elements include shipyard organizational structure, planning and estimating, material ordering, and ship overhaul and repair.
Sonoda explained that the students benefit from the opportunity to see first-hand and understand how a U.S. Navy shipyard operates. "Whether it's a big or small country, they all take part in ship maintenance and management of some kind," he said.
"NETSAFA has been facilitating this course in response to the ongoing training, which coincides with the worldwide combatant commands' goals toward greater partner-nation capacity-building," said NETSAFA European Command-African Command Division Head Dave Babcock.
The international students are instructed to create an e-mail account specifically to keep in touch with each other after the class.
"These foreign naval officers come together as strangers and become true allies after spending six weeks together. Some graduates of the program still keep in touch by e-mail five years later," Sonoda said.
PHNSY & IMF is a full-service naval shipyard and regional maintenance center for the Navy's surface ships and submarines and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command.
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