Stephen W. Groves Continues APS Mission

From Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa/ Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

PORT LOUIS, Mauritius (NNS) -- USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG 29) Sailors, U.S. Naval Forces Africa personnel, Africa Partnership Station (APS) East international staff members and students from Kenya, Mauritius, Seychelles and Tanzania, continued training during the second "Hub" as part of APS East, March 24.

Participants received instruction on visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS); combat lifesaver skills; physical security; law enforcement; human rights, and more.

"The best part of APS is the relationships you make," said Kenyan navy Maj. E. Keter, APS East deputy commander. "The training is important but the partnership learned is what makes the most difference."

"The capacity of the students from Mauritius is equal to what we teach in the U.S.," said Chief Master-at-Arms Jeffrey Elwood. "We are glad for this exchange of ideas and techniques to see how we can potentially improve our own policies, with how we teach our own Sailors."

Stephen W. Groves Sailors and U.S. Naval Forces Africa staff members also participated in a community relations (COMREL) project that involved painting and landscaping the La Briquetterie Government School, March 23.

This was the third and final COMREL of Stephen W. Groves' APS deployment, which has included more than 40 crewmembers' participation and more than 700 combined man hours of community service.

"Our guys always show up," said Lt. j.g. Brett Lincoln, Stephen W. Groves COMREL organizer. "It doesn't matter what we throw at them. They want to be there, and they want to help. I am amazed at the response I get every time we do one of these projects, and here at La Briquette they stepped up again."

La Briquetterie Government School is a pre-primary and primary school serving 218 students, ages 5-11. The school, which was founded in 1960, is in one of the poorest districts of Port Louis.

"The children love to play football in the field behind our school, but the grass had grown very quickly after the rain," said Antoine Sauterelle, La Briquetterie Government School headmaster. "This can be a dangerous area for mosquitoes if it isn't taken care of. It is a blessing to have these Sailors come here today."

APS is an international security cooperation initiative, facilitated by Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa; and is aimed at strengthening global maritime partnerships through training and collaborative activities to improve maritime safety and security in Africa.