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NMCB 28, Marines Team with Nicaraguan Service Members to Improve Local School

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS110330-09
3/30/2011

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jeffery Tilghman Williams, High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2) Public Affairs

CORINTO, Nicaragua (NNS) -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 28 and 2nd Marine Logistics Group (MLG) members completed a five-day construction project with the Nicaraguan military at a school in Corinto, Nicaragua, March 27, in support of Southern Partnership Station (SPS) 2011.

The 17 Sailors and five Marines, along with the Nicaraguan sailors and soldiers, built two Southeast Asia huts (SEA hut), 16-by-32-foot wood frame structures, at Instituto Parroquial Pbro. Emilio S. Chavarria, during a subject matter expert exchange (SMEE).

The SMEE was part of SPS 2011 and served to build and strengthen the relationship between the United States and Nicaraguan governments through effective information exchanges targeted at enhancing operational proficiency.

"During our engagement here we have focused on camaraderie and learning from one another, while helping out the staff and students at this school," said Chief Builder Estephan Garcia, NMCB 28 detail bravo leading chief petty officer.

The decision to build two SEA huts in five days was a challenge from the NMCB 28 detail bravo officer-in-charge, Lt. Rama Mutyala.

"It was just a motivational challenge for our team to build morale," said Mutyala. "Our team has performed at an exceptional level throughout this mission, and there was no doubt in my mind they would exceed all expectations and finish this project ahead of schedule."

The SEA huts will serve as a classroom and library for the 127 students at the school.

This project is just one of the projects the Seabees and Marines have completed in six South and Central America countries since SPS 2011 began in November 2010. They have also conducted SMEEs with foreign militaries in Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Peru.

SPS 11 is an annual deployment of U.S. ships to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility in the Caribbean and Latin America. The mission's primary goal is information-sharing with navies, coast guards and civilian services throughout the region.

Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (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.