Southern Partnership Station 2011 Team, Guatemalan Service Members Celebrate Partnership

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jeffery Tilghman Williams

High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2) Public Affairs

PUERTO QUETZAL, Guatemala (NNS) -- The joint military crew aboard High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2) supporting Southern Partnership Station (SPS) 2011 and Guatemalan sailors and soldiers celebrated a two-week subject matter expert exchange with a closing ceremony at the naval base in Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, Feb. 4.

The ceremony included a traditional American style barbecue, a plaque exchange and volleyball.

"We just wanted to do something to show our appreciation for the opportunity to work with our American brothers," said Capitan de Navio Carlos Lainfiesta, commander of the Pacific Naval Base in Puerto Quetzal. "Today is just about celebrating our accomplishments and having a good time."

During the two-week exchange, the service members worked side by side, participating in information exchanges related to medical operations, practical self defense, construction, civil affairs and security.

"In our short time here, we have been able to do some incredible things and make tremendous strides in sustaining enduring relationships with the Guatemalan governments," said SPS 2011 Mission Commander Cmdr. Mark Becker. "And we look forward to future engagements, so we can continue to build and learn from each other.

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.

For more information, please contact COMUSNAVSO/C4F Public Affairs by email at comusnavso-c4f_mypt_pao@navy.mil, visit www.public.navy.mil/comusnavso-c4f, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NAVSOUS4THFLT, at

http://www.facebook.com/pages/browser.php#!/pages/Southern-Partnership-Station/116426301746856 or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NAVSOUS4THFLT.

For more news from U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command & U.S. 4th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/cusns/.

This article was sponsored by Military Books.