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MAYPORT, Fla. (August 29, 2024) – U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet’s Continuing Promise 2024 mission concluded with the return of Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Burlington (T-EPF 10) from the U.S. Southern Command area of operations to Naval Station Mayport, Florida, Aug. 29.
Continuing Promise 2024 marked the fourteenth mission to the region since 2007 and the second aboard USNS Burlington. The mission’s primary goals were to foster goodwill, strengthen existing partnerships with partner nations, and encourage the establishment of new partnerships among countries, non-government organizations, and international organizations. The mission, which departed Naval Station Mayport on July 3, visited Kingston, Jamaica; Limón, Costa Rica; Puerto Cortés, Honduras; Cartagena, Colombia; and Colón, Panama to carry out its four mission lines of effort: medical care, humanitarian assistance/disaster response preparedness, Women, Peace, and Security (WPS), and community relations efforts.
"Once again, Continuing Promise has successfully supported and partnered with communities across the Caribbean and Latin America," said Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet. "This mission is a testament to both the individual human spirit to provide goodwill support to others and the collective strength of regional partnerships being ready to react swiftly when disaster or crisis strikes."
During Continuing Promise 2024, thirty U.S. Navy medical professionals treated 4857 patients, including 2569 traditional, 1147 dental, and 1141 optometry patients, while pharmacy professionals filled 15460 prescriptions. Medical professionals didn’t just treat patients, as experts in tactical combat casualty care, odontology, radiology, and primary care provided training and subject matter expert exchange opportunities to over one thousand host nation medical students and professionals at 45 events. Biomedical technicians attached to the mission assessed and repaired more than $1.6 million worth of critical medical equipment at hospitals and clinics throughout the mission. They even provided unscheduled assistance in repairing security scanners at the port in Limón, Costa Rica.
While the Continuing Promise mission is usually Navy-centric, one U.S. Army veterinarian and three veterinary technicians from the 248th Medical Detachment Veterinary Service Support provided animal care and training during this year’s mission. The team hosted veterinary care events with host nation animal health experts and non-government organizations, which provided care to more than two thousand animals. These events were the perfect opportunity for subject matter expert exchange, as 449 veterinary students and military personnel from five nations received training on proper animal handling and care.
The Continuing Promise 2024 Women, Peace and Security team held seminars at every mission stop to educate more than 750 local military and civilian leaders on gender-based violence and ways to prevent it. WPS is a United Nations (UN) initiative that started with UNSCR 1325 signed in 2000. The UN resolution is a public acknowledgement that women are more adversely impacted by conflict and crisis, and including women in security planning will lead to a more peaceful world.
Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief experts from U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Department of State, and multiple non-government organizations led eight classroom and field training exercises with disaster relief and military personnel in five nations, covering topics such as swift water recovery, afloat search and rescue, collapsed structure response, and mass casualty events. USNS Burlington also transported more than $80 thousand of donated medical and hurricane relief supplies to Jamaica on behalf of several non-government organizations through the U.S. Department of Defense’s Denton Program. These supplies were delivered three days after the July 6 landfall of Hurricane Beryl in Jamaica and came during the ship’s first scheduled mission stop in Jamaica.
U.S. Navy engineering and construction experts, known as Seabees, from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion One assisted host nation construction professionals with 1638 man-hours at small-scale construction projects, which provided valuable infrastructure to many communities. USNS Burlington military detachment and Continuing Promise mission personnel provided an additional 548 hours of community service work during the mission.
The mission also featured multiple community engagement events, including 34 concerts and music clinics from U.S. Fleet Forces Band “Uncharted Waters.” The band partnered multiple times throughout the mission with community bands, choirs, and youth orchestras, which provided valuable learning opportunities for both sides.
“I know every single life this mission touched has been improved,” said Lt. Cmdr. Zachary Smith, Continuing Promise 2024 mission commander. “Every moment we worked together with our partners ensured that we have kept our enduring promise to the region.”
USNAVSOUTH/FOURTHFLT is the trusted maritime partner for Caribbean, Central and South America maritime forces leading to improved unity, security and stability. Learn more about USNAVSOUTH/4th Fleet at https://www.fourthfleet.navy.mil, https://www.facebook.com/NAVSOUS4THFLT and @NAVSOUS4THFLT.
| Date Taken: | 08.29.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.29.2024 16:17 |
| Story ID: | 479815 |
| Location: | MAYPORT, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 90 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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