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Comfort Completes First CP-15 Mission Stop in Belize

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS150420-27
Release Date: 4/20/2015 4:21:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Amy Kirk, Navy Public Affairs Support Element, East

BELIZE CITY, Belize (NNS) -- The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) departed Belize City April 19. This marks the completion of the first mission stop for Continuing Promise 2015 (CP-15).

Continuing Promise is a collaborative effort with partner nations to conduct civil-military operations including humanitarian-civil assistance, subject matter expert exchanges, medical, dental, veterinary and engineering support and disaster response within the region, demonstrating the U.S. support and commitment to Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

At the closing ceremony for the mission stop, the U.S. Ambassador to Belize, Belizean government officials and CP-15 leadership and crew commemorated the accomplishments and success that was produced from the overall mission stop between the people of Belize, the Belizean government and the CP-15 crew.

'The scope and success of this mission is far too great for me to mention each accomplishment,' said Carlos Moreno, the U.S. Ambassador to Belize. 'Over this past week, the Comfort saw more than 6,500 patients and conducted 101 surgeries aboard the Comfort. All of those without any cost to the patient,'

In addition, the CP-15 mission crew and staff covered more than 65 topics through various subject matter expert exchanges with Belizean counterparts. Topics covered areas such as pediatric advanced life support, personal hygiene, basic animal first aid and water sanitation.

'These exchanges were a way for experts to share information with each other about best practices and new techniques - Americans learning from Belizeans, and Belizeans learning from Americans,' said Moreno.

During the nine-day operation in Belize, CP-15 personnel worked alongside Belizean medical, veterinary, engineering and civilian professionals to provide care and collaboration for their respective fields of expertise.

The embarked non-governmental organization volunteers from the Registered Nurse Response Network, University of California San Diego Pre-Dental Society, Latter Day Saints Charities and Project Hope also partnered with medical professionals at each medical site and aboard Comfort to complete a wide range of medical care in each of their specialty fields.

'The sites ashore were a great representation of the partnership efforts that our Belizean counterparts and CP-15 crew members demonstrated during our first mission stop,' said Capt. Sam Hancock, CP-15 mission commander. 'The coordination, effort and dedication that was consistent throughout our time in Belize was a true testament to the outstanding professionalism and team work that provided the best possible medical, dental, veterinary and engineering services to our Belizean partners and friends.'

CP-15 members worked together with Belizean medical professionals to conduct more than 400 dental exams and procedures, more than 1,200 optometry exams and 101 surgeries aboard Comfort. In total, the CP-15 team provided primary care to more than 6,500 patients.

Engineers assigned to Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 202 completed several projects at the Hattieville Seventh Day Adventist School and the Independence Polyclinic. The work included minor reconstruction projects, electrical upgrades, roofing repairs and replacement, painting and installing new appliances and flooring.

The Comfort crew engaged the local community by participating in community relations projects at the Immaculate Conception RC School in Bullet Tree Falls and the King's Children's Home in Belmopan, offering extra hands to help with landscaping and painting renovations, while members from the U.S. Fleet Forces Band performed concerts. Additionally, the band held a subject matter expert exchange with music students at Wesley College in Belize City.

The crew also competed in a softball game against the Belize National Sports Council. The Comfort team held their own against the country's championship team, staying tied 3-3 until last two innings when the host nation team scored two more runs and ended the game with a 5-3 victory.

In addition, the Comfort also welcomed several distinguished visitors aboard including Vice Adm. Matthew Nathan, U.S. Navy Surgeon General, Carlos Moreno, U.S. Ambassador to Belize, the Honorable Patrick Faber, Belize Minister of Education, Youth
and Sports, Dr. Peter Allen, the chief executive officer (CEO) for the Belize Ministry of Health and retired Lt. George Lovell, CEO for the Belize Ministry of National Security and other government officials.

'Your achievements here over this past week are a testament to the vitality of the bilateral relationship between the U.S. and Belize,' said Moreno at the closing ceremony, recognizing the partnerships and collaboration between the CP-15 team and the government of Belize.

The Comfort's next mission stop is in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala. The CP-15 crew will have sites at Casa Social del Maestro and Complejo Deportivo to provide no-cost medical and dental services to citizens, and CMBU 202 has planned civic-assistance projects at two area schools.

Continuing Promise is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored and U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet-conducted deployment to conduct civil-military operations including humanitarian-civil assistance, subject matter expert exchanges, medical, dental, veterinary and engineering support and disaster response to partner nations and to show the United States' continued support and commitment to Central and South America and the Caribbean.