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Gunston Hall Completes Partnership Mission

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS110306-01
3/6/2011

From U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command & U.S. 4th Fleet Public Affairs

BELIZE CITY, Belize (NNS) -- USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) and embarked Security Cooperation Task Force (SCTF) completed their Amphibious Southern Partnership Station 2011 (A-SPS 11) deployment March 5, following stops in Central and South America.

"This has been a superb opportunity to exchange expertise and build a partnership with the Belize defense forces and coast guard," said Capt. John F. Meier, USS Gunston Hall Commanding Officer.

While in Belize, numerous subject matter expert exchanges (SMEE) were conducted including subjects on survivability, command and control and communication, and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) exchanges between U.S. Sailors and Marines and Belize forces.

They also hosted several distinguished visitors, to include the U.S. Ambassador to Belize, Belizean Minister of Defense, Commander of the Belize defense force, and Maj. Gen. John Croley, commander, U.S. Marine Forces South.

Gunston Hall Sailors and Marines and Belize personnel completed community relations work on the Ladyville Clinic and the Liberty Orphanage by painting, pouring concrete slabs, making a playground, repairing bicycles and repairing a school bus. Combat Engineers completed foundation work, roof renovations, and removal of electrical fixtures, painting and plumbing during an engineering mission at the Belizean support headquarters and the Militia Hall Cadet storage building.

"As A-SPS 11 comes to an end, we have learned a tremendous amount about our own capabilities," said Meier, "through a cooperative effort of Sailors and Marines across the entire spectrum of amphibious warfare, humanitarian assistance and contingency operations from our partner nations of Belize, Colombia and Guatemala, most especially the appreciation for the challenges of jungle warfare."

A-SPS 11 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 Security Cooperation Task Force.

COMUSNAVSO is the naval component command for U.S. Southern Command and is responsible for all naval personnel and assets in the area of responsibility. COMUSNAVSO conducts a variety of missions in support of the U.S. Maritime Strategy, including Theater Security Cooperation, relationship building, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, community relations, and counter-illicit trafficking operations.