WASP Receives Distinguished Visitors from Belize

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Amie Gonzales | Rainbow sideboys render honors to the Ambassador to the U.S. Embassy in Belize, Vinai K. Thummalapally as he comes aboard the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, Dec. 12. Wasp is currently deployed on Southern Partnership Station-Amphib with Destroyer Squadron 40 and embarked Security Cooperation Marine Air-Ground Task Force. Southern Partnership Station is part of the Partnership of the Americas Maritime Strategy that focuses on building interoperability and cooperation in the region to meet common challenges.  

USCENTCOM, AT SEA

12.14.2009

Story by Chief Petty Officer Johnny Michael 

USS WASP (LHD 1)   

CARIBBEAN SEA — Sailors and Marines of Task Group 40.7 welcomed the Ambassador for the U.S. Embassy in Belize, Vinai K. Thummalapally, and a group of distinguished visitors from Belize to demonstrate the ship's role in Southern Partnership Station and to continue building a strong relationship with the Caribbean nation.

Thummalapally arrived onboard multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp via a CH-53E Super Stallion at approximately 11:30 a.m. to observe Wasp's SPS interoperability concept, and to discuss recent community relations events and training evolutions conducted by Marines transported to Belize via Wasp in November.

"Ambassador Thummalapally has been instrumental in ensuring the success of our various community relations and military-to-military cooperative events and we are grateful to have this opportunity to thank him, his wife, and his staff during their visit to Wasp," said Wasp Commanding Officer, Capt. Lowell D. Crow. "Our Sailors and Marines have demonstrated their pride and professionalism on the ground in Belize, and now we are able to give Mr. Thummalapally a first-hand look at the number one ship and crew in the fleet."

The distinguished visitors were given a tour of Wasp and treated to lunch. The two parties exchanged gifts and promised to continue to foster the strong bond between the two nations before the Belize delegation flew back.

According to the U.S. State Department, Belize is 8,867 square miles, slightly larger than Massachusetts, and is home to 322,100 Belizeans. The United States and Belize traditionally have had close and cordial relations. The United States is Belize's principal trading partner and major source of investment funds. It is also home to the largest Belizean community outside Belize, estimated to be 70,000 strong.

Wasp and the embarked Security Cooperation Marine Air-Ground Task Force are working alongside Mayport-based Destroyer Squadron 40 during a three-month deployment to build interoperability and cooperation between U.S. and partner nation naval forces through a variety of exercises as part of SPS.

• Date Taken: 12.14.2009
• Date Posted: 12.14.2009 11:33
• Story ID: 42738
• Location: USCENTCOM, AT SEA