USS New Orleans Arrives in Mexico in Support of Southern Partnership Station

By Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Robert Winkler, Southern Partnership Station Public Affairs

June 14, 2010 - USS NEW ORLEANS, At Sea (NNS) -- USS New Orleans, along with Amphibious Squadron 5 (PHIBRON 5), 24th Marines and other embarked units will arrive in the port city of Manzanillo, Mexico, June 15, as the ship's first stop in support of this year's annual Southern Partnership Station (SPS).

SPS is a deployment of various specialty platforms to the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility in Latin America. The mission's primary goal is information sharing with navies, coast guards, and civilian services throughout the region. SPS provides the opportunity for joint operations between partner nations, which develops and tests participating regional civil and maritime services' capabilities to respond to a wide variety of maritime missions while keeping vital lines of communication open between regional services.

"It's an honor to be involved in such an important endeavor," said PHIBRON 5 commodore, Capt. Peter J. Brennan, SPS mission commander. "Global maritime partnership missions, such as Southern Partnership Station, help provide a foundation for security and prosperity throughout the world through the exchange of ideas, and interaction between partner nations."

Subject matter experts from the U.S. and partner nations will participate in cooperative training exercises, and information exchanges in a variety of subjects such as refueling at sea, boarding team operations, and damage control. While in Manzanillo, community outreach projects are scheduled, which will include Sailors and Marines helping to paint a local school.

Ensign Carlos Garcia of Mexico's Marine Infantry; and Ensigns Arturo Lendeche and Braulio Martinez of Mexico's Navy, flew from Mexico City to San Diego June 9, to deploy with New Orleans. This was Garcia's first visit to the United States, and both Lendeche and Martinez visited the U.S. while training as midshipmen in Mexico's naval academy.

"I have enjoyed this experience and would like to see more interactive training between our countries at all levels," said Martinez. "I think the land forces could also benefit from these exchanges. I really appreciate the opportunity to be invited to participate in this program."

Lendeche said he has also benefited from the exchange. "I think there would be value in sending Americans to Mexico to participate in the same type of program. It would give us an opportunity to show them how we operate as well," he said.

"I would like to see cultural and military exchanges like this at the troop level," said Garcia. "I think more hands-on, interactive training of this type would be valuable to the troops who work at the work at the deckplate level."

Officers from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Uruguay also deployed with New Orleans in order to enhance the interaction between those partner nations and the U.S. Navy.

New Orleans, under the command of Cmdr. Jeffrey L. Oakey, with CPR-5 and other embarked units, are also scheduled to visit Callao, Peru; Bahia Malaga, Colombia; and Balboa, Panama during the three-month deployment.