Stories

Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock-landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) is anchored in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Covenas, Sucre Colombia, Jan. 29. Gunston Hall is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area of responsibility supporting Amphibious Southern Partnership Station 2011 (A-SPS 11). A-SPS 11 will provide the opportunity for joint operations between partner nations while exercising vital lines of communication between regional security services. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Lauren G. Randall) - Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock-landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) is anchored in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Covenas, Sucre Colombia, Jan. 29. Gunston Hall is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area of responsibility supporting Amphibious Southern Partnership Station 2011 (A-SPS 11). A-SPS 11 will provide the opportunity for joint operations between partner nations while exercising vital lines of communication between regional security services. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Lauren G. Randall)

Guatemalan service members participate in a subject matter expert exchange on non-lethal weapons training as part of Southern Partnership Station 2011. SPS is an annual deployment of U.S. ships to the U.S. Southern Command's area of responsibility in the Caribbean and Latin America involving information sharing with navies, coast guards and civilian services throughout the region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ricardo J. Reyes/Released) - Guatemalan service members participate in a subject matter expert exchange on non-lethal weapons training as part of Southern Partnership Station 2011. SPS is an annual deployment of U.S. ships to the U.S. Southern Command's area of responsibility in the Caribbean and Latin America involving information sharing with navies, coast guards and civilian services throughout the region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ricardo J. Reyes/Released)

Marines attached to Security Cooperation Task Force (SCTF) conduct Marine Corps Martial Arts Program exercises on board Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock-landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44). Gunston Hall is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. Fourth Fleet AOR supporting Amphibious Southern Partnership Station 2011 (A-SPS 11). A-SPS 11 is structured to improve partner nation capabilities, interoperability and civil-military operations through joint, multinational and interagency exchanges and cooperation. - Marines attached to Security Cooperation Task Force (SCTF) conduct Marine Corps Martial Arts Program exercises on board Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock-landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44). Gunston Hall is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. Fourth Fleet AOR supporting Amphibious Southern Partnership Station 2011 (A-SPS 11). A-SPS 11 is structured to improve partner nation capabilities, interoperability and civil-military operations through joint, multinational and interagency exchanges and cooperation.

Marine Corps Lt. Col. Paul Baker, Security Cooperation Task Force (SCTF) commander, speaks with local media about Amphibious Southern Partnership Station 2011 (A-SPS 11). The role of SCTF within A-SPS 11 is to conduct subject matter expert exchanges (SMEE’s) with partner nation military and security forces that develop and test participating regional services’ capabilities to respond to a wide variety of maritime missions. - Marine Corps Lt. Col. Paul Baker, Security Cooperation Task Force (SCTF) commander, speaks with local media about Amphibious Southern Partnership Station 2011 (A-SPS 11). The role of SCTF within A-SPS 11 is to conduct subject matter expert exchanges (SMEE’s) with partner nation military and security forces that develop and test participating regional services’ capabilities to respond to a wide variety of maritime missions.

U.S. Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Continuing Promise 2010 (CP10) prepare to commence the Marine Corps 235th birthday celebration in the hangar bay of the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD7), Nov. 10, 2010. Service members and civilians are deployed in support of CP10 providing medical, dental, veterinary, engineering assistance and subject-matter exchanges to Caribbean, Central and South American nations. Service members and civilians are currently off the coast of Cuba. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Samuel R. Beyers/Released)::r::::n::::r::::n:: - U.S. Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Continuing Promise 2010 (CP10) prepare to commence the Marine Corps 235th birthday celebration in the hangar bay of the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD7), Nov. 10, 2010. Service members and civilians are deployed in support of CP10 providing medical, dental, veterinary, engineering assistance and subject-matter exchanges to Caribbean, Central and South American nations. Service members and civilians are currently off the coast of Cuba. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Samuel R. Beyers/Released)::r::::n::::r::::n::

A CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 774, embarked aboard the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), conducts aerial assessments of Haiti after Hurricane Tomas made landfall. Iwo Jima is preparing to support of the Government of Haiti, the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti and the U.S. Agency for International Relief.::r::::n:: - A CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 774, embarked aboard the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), conducts aerial assessments of Haiti after Hurricane Tomas made landfall. Iwo Jima is preparing to support of the Government of Haiti, the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti and the U.S. Agency for International Relief.::r::::n::

Petty Officer 3rd Class Phillip A. Poole measures wind readings with a hand-held anemometer on board the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima. Iwo Jima departed Paramaribo, Suriname, on Nov. 1 and is currently en-route to Haiti in preparation of the possibility of providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to the Government of Haiti in the wake of Hurricane Tomas. Tomas is forecasted to make landfall in Haiti late Nov. 5. - Petty Officer 3rd Class Phillip A. Poole measures wind readings with a hand-held anemometer on board the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima. Iwo Jima departed Paramaribo, Suriname, on Nov. 1 and is currently en-route to Haiti in preparation of the possibility of providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to the Government of Haiti in the wake of Hurricane Tomas. Tomas is forecasted to make landfall in Haiti late Nov. 5.

Navy Capt. Thomas M. Negus (right), commodore of Continuing Promise 2010, shakes hands with the mother of John R. Nay, U.S. ambassador to Suriname, before the opening ceremony of CP10 at Elsje Finck Sanichar College in Paramaribo, Suriname, Oct. 29, 2010. The college is being used as a medical site for CP10 personnel to provide aid to Surinamese citizens. Marines and sailors of CP10 are anchored off the coast of Paramaribo, Suriname, to conduct humanitarian operations for 10 days. CP10 is a humanitarian civic assistance mission that provides medical, dental, veterinary, engineering support and disaster relief efforts to the Caribbean, Central and South America. - Navy Capt. Thomas M. Negus (right), commodore of Continuing Promise 2010, shakes hands with the mother of John R. Nay, U.S. ambassador to Suriname, before the opening ceremony of CP10 at Elsje Finck Sanichar College in Paramaribo, Suriname, Oct. 29, 2010. The college is being used as a medical site for CP10 personnel to provide aid to Surinamese citizens. Marines and sailors of CP10 are anchored off the coast of Paramaribo, Suriname, to conduct humanitarian operations for 10 days. CP10 is a humanitarian civic assistance mission that provides medical, dental, veterinary, engineering support and disaster relief efforts to the Caribbean, Central and South America.

Lt. Col. Paul D. Baker, commanding officer of Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., puts on a cranial in preparation for his departure, Oct. 23, 2010, after visiting Marines and sailors of the Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Continuing Promise 2010. Baker embarked aboard USS Iwo Jima for two days to observe operations of the CP10 team. - Lt. Col. Paul D. Baker, commanding officer of Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., puts on a cranial in preparation for his departure, Oct. 23, 2010, after visiting Marines and sailors of the Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Continuing Promise 2010. Baker embarked aboard USS Iwo Jima for two days to observe operations of the CP10 team.

Cpl. John C. Eversley, a motor transportation operator with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Continuing Promise 2010, pours water into a lemonade solution from his field Meal Ready to Eat to share the beverage with his Guyanese uncle, Thomas Eversley in Rose Hall, Guyana, Oct. 22, 2010. Cpl. Eversley had the unique opportunity to visit with his Guyanese family for an entire day while the civic-humanitarian assistance mission Operation Continuing Promise 2010 that Eversley is currently serving on made a stopover in Guyana for 10 days. - Cpl. John C. Eversley, a motor transportation operator with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Continuing Promise 2010, pours water into a lemonade solution from his field Meal Ready to Eat to share the beverage with his Guyanese uncle, Thomas Eversley in Rose Hall, Guyana, Oct. 22, 2010. Cpl. Eversley had the unique opportunity to visit with his Guyanese family for an entire day while the civic-humanitarian assistance mission Operation Continuing Promise 2010 that Eversley is currently serving on made a stopover in Guyana for 10 days.