USS Boone Begins Southern Seas 2011

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Stuart Phillips, USS Boone Public Affairs

MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- USS Boone (FFG 28) and Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 44 Det. 4, departed Naval Station Mayport, Fla., April 1, to conduct Southern Seas 2011.

Southern Seas is a U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM)-directed operation implemented by U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (COMUSNAVSO) and carried out by Combined Task Group 40.0 (CTG 40.0).

Southern Seas involves the deployment of CTG 40.0, USS Thach (FFG 43), USS Boone (FFG 28), and HSL 44 detachment 4, which will sail the waters from the East Coast of the United States to the Caribbean, Central and South America from April through September 2011.

"We're scheduled to visit countries like Brazil, which is hosting the Atlantic phase of UNITAS," said Cmdr. Roy Love, Boone's commanding officer. "Chile is hosting the Pacific phase of UNITAS and of course Panama is hosting PANAMAX."

UNITAS, which means "unity" in Latin, is the U.S. Navy`s longest-running annual multilateral exercise, building ties with partner nation navies since 1960.

Supporting USSOUTHCOM objectives for enhanced maritime security in its area of responsibility, Southern Seas 2011 concentrates on strengthening relationships with regional partner nations and improving operational readiness for all assigned units. In addition, Southern Seas provides the opportunity for U.S. and other forces to operate in the multinational environment, refine coordination, improve interoperability and demonstrate flexibility.

"It's extremely important for us to strengthen relationships in these regions," said Love. "Part of the mission for U.S. 4th Fleet is to conduct theatre security cooperation exercises. This will be important, not just to protect the U.S. from terrorists who may try to come up through South America, but also in terms of drug-interdiction and the prevention of human trafficking. What we're doing is working to solidify ties and build cooperation with South and Central American countries."

"This is about building a partnership of education between us and these countries we'll be visiting," said USS Boone Command Master Chief Charles David Slaton. "We'll teach them a lot and we hope to learn a lot from them."

Love anticipates Boone's crew will benefit from this deployment not only in terms of training, but culturally as well.

"For the crew this is going to be a great experience," said Love. "Many of them have never been outside of the U.S. This will be a great learning experience, and it's going to increase their cultural understanding of other nations."

COMUSNAVSO/C4F supports U.S. Southern Command joint and combined full-spectrum military operations by providing principally sea-based, forward presence to ensure freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain, to foster and sustain cooperative relationships with international partners and to fully exploit the sea as maneuver space in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions.