U.S. Navy story by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Dan Meaney
CARIBBEAN SEA – Jamaica Defense Forces (JDF) Coast Guard officer Lt. Cmdr. Aceion Prescott has been on every ship and participated with all partner nations during the maritime phase II of the Tradewinds 2015 exercise.
And the 35-year-old Sailor isn’t done yet. Embarked aboard British Royal Navy ship HMS Severn, he still has stops planned for San Pedro Island, Royal Canadian Navy ship HMCS Glace Bay and Belize City.
“It’s been a very successful exercise so far and I believe we will continue to learn from each other,” said the 12-year military veteran. “It’s been successful because the lessons we’ve learned will make Tradewinds 2016 even better and because the adaptability of each of the participants was impressive. It’s an important quality in an exercise and in real life.”
Prescott was part of the planning phase for this annual, multinational exercise. Since then he’s been aboard each ship in the exercise and spent several hours board small boats going from base to boat and back again, across the choppy waters of the Caribbean Sea.
“It’s a good thing I brought more than one uniform,” he said, laughing. “This way one can dry while I’m getting another one wet.”
While 14 nations are participating in the exercise, no one else has spent as much time interacting with all the partner nations forces.
It’s the relationships we’ve formed that will have the biggest benefit,” said Prescott. “Relationships are always one of the most important outcomes because it gives you an insight into the mindset of the other forces. It helps you understand their nuances making it easier to operate with them in the future.”
The countries of Jamaica and Grenada will host Tradewinds 2016.
Tradewinds is a combined, joint U.S Southern Command-sponsored exercise and an opportunity for the participating partner nations to come together to enhance regional maritime security.
Date Taken: | 06.21.2015 |
Date Posted: | 06.22.2015 17:32 |
Story ID: | 167700 |
Location: | BZ |
Web Views: | 1,117 |
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