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SEKONDI, Ghana — Forty-six Sailors from six West African countries recently completed maritime safety and security training aboard the Africa Partnership Station platform HSV-2 Swift.
APS is a multinational initiative developed by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-and U.S. Naval Forces Africa which aims to work cooperatively with U.S. and international partners to enhance maritime safety and security on the African continent.
"These Sailors worked together to create theater security for the Gulf of Guinea and develop the relationships that will help them work together in the future," said Chief Petty Officer Mate Willie J. Donald, embarked training team supervisor. "They were a great, well-prepared group of students, and the fact they came from six different countries and worked so well together is one of the things I found most impressive."
During six-weeks of intensive training, Sailors from Benin, Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo honed their skills in visit, board, search and seizure tactics and small boat instruction with an emphasis on coxswain and navigation training.
"Our trainers, our students, our crew and our partner countries have worked together in this continuing effort to build maritime domain awareness," said APS Swift's mission commander, Cmdr. John D. Tolg.
"Placing the importance of the training in a larger context, the success of this six-week mission is a maritime professional pillar in meeting the [commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa 2009] commander's operational objective to build maritime safety and security throughout the region. I couldn't be happier with the results. "
For the students and the countries they represent, the results of the training will have an immediate impact.
"In our Navy, any of us can be called on to be a boarding officer," said Sub-Lt. Joseph Gura, a navigational officer in the Ghana Navy. "With the recent discovery and exploitation of oil in the waters just off the coast, there is an increase in the maritime traffic. This training really equipped me to be able to enhance my ship's ability to board and search other vessels as needed. "
Swift, home ported in Norfolk, Va., is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility in support of APS. To learn more about APS visit www.c6f.navy.mil/apshome.html.
| Date Taken: | 08.12.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 08.12.2009 12:15 |
| Story ID: | 37421 |
| Location: | SEKONDI, GH |
| Web Views: | 281 |
| Downloads: | 219 |
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