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Southern Partnership Station 2014 Kicks Off in Belize

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS140604-18
Release Date: 6/4/2014 1:39:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Andrew Schneider, Southern Partnership Station Public Affairs

BIG CREEK, Belize (NNS) -- Although the Military Sealift Command joint high-speed vessel USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1) returned to homeport nearly a month ago, Spearhead is already moored to the pier in Big Creek, Belize.

Sailors, Marines, Soldiers and Airmen disembarked Spearhead here, June 1, to begin Southern Partnership Station 2014 (SPS-JHSV 14). SPS-JHSV 14 is a U.S. 4th Fleet deployment designed to strengthen civil and maritime capabilities with regional partner nations in the Central, South American, and Caribbean areas of responsibility.

'We are going to work with each of the countries' expertise and specialties and we will try to match it so we can both get mutual beneficial training,' said Capt. Sam Hancock, mission commander for Southern Partnership Station 2014.

This is the first time Spearhead is dropping off its near capacity of adaptive force packages (AFPs) and military equipment.

The adaptive force packages are comprised of Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 2, Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 202, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3, Mobile Diving Salvage Unit 2, Naval Criminal Investigation Service agents, Engineering engagement teams, medical and dental teams and various Marine components.

Medical and dental teams are scheduled to conduct Subject Matter Expert exchanges with health officials in ministerial and regional hospitals in areas of humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, women's health, community health and preventative medicine.

'We are very fortunate that we are getting the privilege to go into these hospitals and work side-by-side with our host nation counterparts; I am really looking forward to working together,' said Lt. Cmdr. Suzanne Maldarelli, medical officer in charge. 'Our functional role in the hospitals is not to be in the lead position. We are there as the subject matter experts, helping lay the infrastructure, capabilities, and the education, if needed.'

U.S. Navy Seabees, Belize Defense Force, and Light Engineer Company are scheduled to work together to repair and reconstruct two schools and make improvements to existing structures.

Each unit will spend time working with host-nation partners to strengthen relationships and fortify joint interoperability.

'Let's also ensure our host nation personnel admire us for the courtesy, dignity and respect we afford them,' said Rear Adm. George Ballance, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, at an all hands call prior to leaving Naval Station Mayport. 'There's much we can teach and train, but there's also much we can learn.'

After transporting troops and military equipment, Spearhead is scheduled to depart Belize to conduct counter illicit trafficking operations and to conduct experimentation to explore the capability and capacity of JHSV to support innovative missions.

The AFPs are scheduled to remain in Belize working with the Belize Defense Force until later this year when Spearhead will return to reload and transport service members to Guatemala to continue the SPS-JHSV 14 mission.

SPS-JHSV 14 is a U.S. Navy deployment focused on subject matter expert exchanges with partner nation militaries and security forces. U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet employ maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations in order to maintain access, enhance interoperability, and build enduring partnerships that foster regional security in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility.