Capstone Class Visits CSL Comalapa, VP-8

By Gunners Mate 2nd Class (SW) Camille Perez, Cooperative Security Location Comalapa Public Affairs

COMALAPA, El Salvador (NNS) -- General and flag officers attending the CAPSTONE Curriculum from the National Defense University toured the Cooperative Security Location (CSL) and Patrol Squadron 8 (VP-8) at Comalapa, El Salvador, May 1.

National Defense University (NDU) students, led by retired Marine general and former Deputy Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps Thomas R. Morgan, visited CSL Comalapa for briefings and a tour of the compound. The CAPSTONE program is a five-week course for newly selected general and flag officers with a focus on making attendees more effective in planning and employing U.S. forces in joint and combined operations.

The tour began with a brief from CSL's Commanding Officer, Commander Odin Klug, where he discussed the commands mission, readiness, and priorities. Klug highlighted the challenges facing the command and explained plans to overcome them to improve efficiencies and quality of life for the Sailors and other aviation assets deployed to El Salvador. After the brief, Klug led the group throughout the installation pointing out items introduced in the brief.

"The opportunity to inform such distinguished officers of the significant role CSL Comalapa plays within the U.S. Southern Command AOR, but also how it directly supports U.S. and host nation national security aspects was invaluable," says Klug.

During the tour, VP-8's Officer in Charge, Lieutenant Commander Charles Dennison and his VP-8 team took the group aboard a P-3C Orion aircraft. The crew briefed the visitors on mission capabilities, readiness and shared a few stories from encounters while flying as part of the VP-8 Fighting Tigers.

"It was truly an honor to share our mission set and downrange perspective with these individuals, and it is vitally important to discuss what the P-3 brings to the fight with such prominent officers," said Dennison. "This visit will help shape the comprehensive understanding of what and how CSL Comalapa provides and contributes to the broader counter-illicit trafficking mission."

Cooperative Security Location Comalapa provides critical logistics, infrastructure, and operational support to forward deployed U.S. and partner nation aviation units participating in Joint Interagency Task Force South assigned counter-illicit trafficking operations, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command-directed humanitarian missions, and search-and-rescue efforts.