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Gunston Hall Visits Covenas, Colombia

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS110131-11
1/31/2011

From Amphibious Southern Partnership Station 2011 Public Affairs

COVENAS, Colombia (NNS) -- USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) arrived in Covenas, Colombia, as part of Amphibious-Southern Partnership Station 2011 (A-SPS 11), Jan. 29.

A-SPS 11 is an on-going naval mission to the Caribbean Basin and Latin America, that focuses on sharing professional expertise with partner nation militaries, civil and maritime services and providing opportunities for participating nations to learn from each other.

Embarked on board Gunston Hall is a United States Marine Corps Security Cooperation Task Force (SCTF) that, along with Sailors from Gunston Hall, will be conducting professional subject matter expert exchanges (SMEEs) with Colombian forces. The SMEEs will give both nations an opportunity to learn from each other and share best practices and methodologies in a number of subjects, to include Marine Corps martial arts; land navigation; live-fire events; visit, board, search, and seizure; and water survival.

"A-SPS11 and operations like it serve as an opportunity to strengthen cooperative maritime partnerships," said Capt. Brian Nickerson, A-SPS 11 mission commander. "Through multinational subject matter expert exchanges such as this one, participating countries are able to improve capability within specific mission areas as well as interoperability with partner nations."

The U.S. and Colombia have had a strong working relationship in recent years. The two countries often participate in bilateral and multilateral exercises, and provide humanitarian assistance throughout the region.

"We are looking forward to engaging our marine brothers-in-arms in Colombia," said Lt. Col. Paul Baker, SCTF commander. "They have a very impressive history in drug interdiction and counter-insurgency operations with one of the best riverine capabilities in the world. Our Marines and Sailors are very eager to learn from them and show them some of our capabilities."

Gunston Hall is homeported in Norfolk, Va., and is commanded by Capt. John F. Meier. The ship has a crew of approximately 300 naval officers and enlisted personnel, and the embarked SCTF for A-SPS 11 has approximately 300 Marine officers and enlisted personnel.

Amphibious-Southern Partnership Station 2011 is a United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM)-directed operation implemented by Commander, United States Naval Forces Southern Command (COMUSNAVSO), supported by United States Marine Corps Forces, South (MARFORSOUTH) and carried out by Commander, Destroyer Squadron Four Zero (CDS40), USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) and a Marine Corps SCTF.