U.S. and Peruvian Forces Conduct Bilateral Exercise

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Joshua DuFrane

USS George Washington Public Affairs

PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), Carrier Strike Group (CSG) Nine, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) Two and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) Two Three conducted a bilateral exercise with the Peruvian Navy and Air Force Sept. 30 through Oct. 3 as part of Southern Seas 2015.

The bilateral exercise helps regional forces work together to address shared maritime security priorities during a series of cooperative training events and subject matter exchanges.

"The opportunity for our two navies to train together is important," said Rear Adm. Lisa Franchetti, commander, CSG-9. "During this exercise, our strike group trained with Peruvian Navy and Air Force partners across the full spectrum of maritime operations to include anti-submarine warfare, air defense and maritime interdiction. Through this type of focused training, we develop the capability to respond to all types of threats."

Their integration aims to improve joint interoperability, carrier strike group operations and to practice war fighting against various threats.

"In a bilateral exercise you have the opportunity to plan, conduct and debrief," said Franchetti. "We can tailor the exercise to achieve objectives for both nations. We work together to ensure we are trained to handle all types of situations."

During Southern Seas 2015, U.S. forces will also conduct two multilateral exercises with participants from Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico.

"Anytime you have a language barrier or an opportunity to work with a foreign country it benefits our training," said Capt. Fernando Garcia, CSG-9 operations officer. "It gives us a better cultural understanding of their country. It also benefits their training because they see our tactics, procedures and techniques which help them to gain experience."

This is the first time in several years an aircraft carrier with an embarked air wing and destroyer squadron is transiting around South America.

Washington, embarked CSG-9, CVW-2 and DESRON-23 are deployed as part of Southern Seas 2015 which seeks to enhance interoperability, increase regional stability and build and maintain relationships with countries throughout the region through joint, multinational and interagency exchanges and cooperation.

Underwood Sailors Play Soccer with Partner Nation Sailors

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Frank J. Pikul, Southern Seas 2012 Public Affairs

CALLAO, Peru (NNS) -- Sailors from Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate USS Underwood participated in a soccer match and barbecue with sailors from foreign navies during UNITAS Pacific (PAC) at Callao Naval Base, May 14.

The event was organized to bring sailors from the different navies together to interact with each other to build friendships and foster good will between them.

"We were here today to see what sailors from other navies are like and to develop a better relationship with these other navies through sports and food," said Fire Controlman 3rd Class Kevin Wilson, assigned to Underwood.

Sailors from the United States, Peru, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico participated in the event.

"I like to hear about different places and where fellow sailors are from," said Armory Mate 2nd Class Allen Angulo, a Peruvian sailor. "I like the atmosphere surrounding this event. It gives us a chance to relax and get to know each other."

The day concluded with an awards ceremony with medals presented to the top two teams. The team representing Underwood won first place and received gold medals.

"It felt good to win, but more importantly I believe that soccer is a world sport that brings everyone together, no matter what kind of differences people have in other countries," said Wilson.

After the awards ceremony, the sailors enjoyed a barbecue of roast pig and had the opportunity to get to know one another.

"I felt like I made a difference in other sailors' lives by participating in this event, and it was an opportunity to exchange cultures with each other," said Electrician's Mate 3rd Class Stephen McGiverin. "I really think it helps relations with these countries."

Underwood is participating in UNITAS Pacific as part of Southern Seas 2012, an annual deployment to Central and South America and the Caribbean.

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet (COMUSNAVSO/C4F) supports USSOUTHCOM 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.

Continuing Promise 2011 Arrives in Peru

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eric Tretter, Continuing Promise 2011 Public Affairs

PAITA, Peru (NNS) -- Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) arrived in Paita, Peru, for her second stop of Continuing Promise 2011 (CP11) April 30.

Following Comfort's initial humanitarian assistance visit in Kingston, Jamaica, the ship's crew of military and non-governmental organization doctors and nurses now face more diverse conditions and a language barrier in a different country, continent and hemisphere.

"One of the things we need to be aware of is every country we go to, you want to look at life from the perspective of patients that we're seeing," said Capt. William Todd, director for surgical services. "We need to take the time out from the job that we're doing here to try and enjoy their life from their perspective; and it only takes a couple of minutes per patient to do that."

Comfort's deployment to the region exemplifies the U.S. commitment to cooperative partnerships in the Caribbean, Central and South America.

Comfort's hospital, the Medical Treatment Facility (MTF), is configured with specialized medical teams of military and civilian health care providers. These caregivers provide a range of services ashore, as well as on board the ship for approximately 250 patients.

Combined with the overall medical screenings comes regional and area-specific ailments that team Comfort can expect to encounter while in Peru.

"It's really the diseases of poverty that we see here; like everywhere else," said Capt. Gregory Martin, who spent three years stationed at a Navy lab in Lima, Peru. "There's a lot of chronic skin disease, mild malnutrition, infection diseases, respiratory ailments … it's also so hot and sunny here that a lot of people develop pterygium, an eye condition common among peoples living near the equator."

Helping to bridge the language barrier between CP11 staff and patients is a team of 12 U.S. Air Force and Navy linguists, who are serving as interpreters for the final eight countries of the mission.

Along with providing translators for the variety of medical and civil service teams, the linguists have translated medical documents and command information packets, and have welcomed Peruvian dignitaries, doctors and media.

"Translating a document takes time, it's not just five or ten minutes, it takes hours," said Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Manuel Guzman.

Aside from medical capabilities, U.S. Navy Seabees and Marines from Navy Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 26 will continue CP11's work during civic engineering projects where they will revamp and repair schools throughout the community.

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.

Navy Medical Research Unit Commissioned

By Larry Coffey, Naval Medical Support Command Public Affairs

LIMA, Peru (NNS) -- Navy Medicine's Medical Research Det. in Lima, Peru, conducted a commissioning ceremony, Feb. 10, transitioning the Naval Medical Research Center Detachment (NMRCD) Lima to a command – the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6).

"This is a pivotal day for Navy Medicine Research in Peru and for our partnership with the Peruvian people," said Rear Adm. Eleanor Valentin, commander, Navy Medicine Support Command (NMSC). "We are here to honor the historic, life-saving accomplishments of the American and Peruvian team that was Naval Medical Research Institute Det. Lima, celebrate the beginning of Naval Medical Research Unit 6, and mark what I believe will be an unprecedented future of equally significant accomplishments."

Naval Medical Research Institute Detachment (NAMRID) was established in Lima, Jan. 20, 1983, to study infectious diseases. Since then, the research operations have expanded from a limited number of research projects in Peru to more than 130 research, surveillance and response, and public health capacity building programs in 11 countries in South and Central America.

"Over the last 28 years, the research partnership between our two countries has been a tremendous success," said Valentin. "Our team has had a direct impact on research and patient care for diseases like malaria and Yellow Fever."

The results of Navy medical research in Peru directly impacts the health and well-being of Navy, Marine Corps and civilian personnel who work in this part of the world. The research also benefits the civilian population of U.S. partners in the region.

Valentin compared the life of NAMRID and now NAMRU-6 Lima, to the life of a Navy ship.

"There are four key ceremonies for a Navy ship," she said. "The first is the keel laying ceremony. On that day, the people building the ship celebrate its strong structure and dedicate themselves to build a capable vessel, worthy to join the fleet. The keel laying ceremony for us was Jan. 20, 1983, at the founding of NAMRID."

The second ceremony, Valentin said, is the christening ceremony. That is the ceremony in which the ship is given its name. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus christened NAMRU-6, Jan 13, 2011, giving the command its official Navy name, Valentin said.

"The third ceremony is the most important," Valentin said. "The commissioning ceremony is the day that a ship joins the fleet. Today, I congratulate our crew – the staff, family and friends of NAMRU-6 – as today you officially join our fleet of Navy Medicine Research Units. This ceremony indicates that we, the leaders of the U.S. and Peruvian navies, consider that your vessel and your crew are sea worthy."

MCAT Partners with Peru Navy

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Jeffery Tilghman Williams, High Speed Vessel (HSV) 2 Swift Public Affairs

CALLAO, Peru (NNS) -- Maritime Civil Affairs Team (MCAT) 207 completed a two-week subject matter expert exchange with Peruvian naval officers on the topic of civil military operations in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief environments in Callao and Lima, Peru, Dec. 17.

The five-man team, assigned to Maritime Civil Affairs and Security Training Command (MCAST), exchanged information and reference material with 15 Peruvian civil affairs officers on doctrine and the organizational value of civil affairs using five main pillars: populace and resources control, foreign humanitarian assistance, civil information management, nation assistance and support to civil administration.

The officer in charge of the subject matter expert exchange said that his Peruvian counterparts are just beginning to conduct civil affairs, and that they were eager to learn and exchange information for their program.

"It was a mutually beneficial exchange on a tactical level between two nations committed to building enduring relationships. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing my team's experiences in Haiti as well as understanding the Peruvian navy's role in future disaster response situations," said Lt. Jason Schechter, MCAT 207 officer in charge.

During the joint service information sharing venture, the Peruvian sailors shared their new disaster relief task-force organization, which incorporates the aviation, physical security, operations and public works force of Naval Base Callao into an immediate response group able to deploy and respond to earthquakes, floods or tsunamis in the Callao region.

The MCAT team also discussed tactics and procedures used by the U.S. government in response to recent efforts throughout the world including Haiti.

"Getting to know our counterparts in foreign navies allows my team to gain a broader understanding of how other countries view civil military operations," said Schechter. "It promotes interoperability and partnerships at a time when our countries share common security concerns."

MCAST staffs, trains, equips and deploys Sailors to facilitate and enable a Navy component or joint task force commander to establish and enhance relations between military forces, governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and the civilian populace.

Accomplished in a collaborative manner across the spectrum of operations in the maritime environment, MCAST executes civilian to military operations and military to military training, as directed, in support of security cooperation and security assistance requirements.

SPS 2011 is an annual deployment of U.S. ships to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility in the Caribbean and Latin America involving 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, contact COMUSNAVSO/C4F Public Affairs by e-mail at comusnavso-c4f_mypt_pao@navy.mil, visit www.public.navy.mil/comusnavso-c4f, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NAVSOUS4THFLT or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NAVSOUS4THFLT.