USS Iwo Jima Marines, Sailors make splash in Miami

Photo By Gunnery Sgt. Alicia Leaders | (Right) Miami-Dade County Commissioner Dorrin Rolle introduces Navy Capt. Jeff Amick and Lt. Col. Chris S. Richie to the board of county commissioners, July 20, during a county commissioners meeting in Miami. At the meeting, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez presented Amick, commanding officer of USS Iwo Jima, and Richie, the Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Continuing Promise 2010 commanding officer, with a key to Miami-Dade County for the efforts of CP10’s upcoming humanitarian assistance to the Caribbean, Central and South America. Marines and Sailors aboard the USS Iwo Jima spent three days in Miami as their last stop in the United States.  

MIAMI, FL, UNITED STATES

07.23.2010

Story by Cpl. Alicia Leaders 

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South

MIAMI — Marines and Sailors currently deployed aboard USS Iwo Jima for Continuing Promise 2010 visited southern Florida and received special recognition from civic and military officials, July 19-21.

The Marines and Sailors hosted a reception and tour of the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship for distinguished visitors including members of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, Miami-Dade County officials, and the mayor of Port de Paix, Haiti, Guillet Salvador.

USS Iwo Jima’s commanding officer, Navy Capt. Jeff Amick, and the Continuing Promise 2010 Special-Purpose MAGTF commanding officer, Lt. Col. Chris S. Richie, each received a key to Miami-Dade County from county mayor Carlos Alvarez, as a show of support for the humanitarian and civic assistance the Marines and Sailors are scheduled to provide to nations in the Caribbean, Central and South America.

“This is just such a great start here in Miami,” said Capt. Thomas Negus, commodore of the USS Iwo Jima. “This is a mission where we gain our strength from the diversity of everyone involved.”

The USS Iwo Jima is scheduled to bring medical, dental and civic-action programs to eight nations in the Caribbean, Central and South America, including Haiti, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama and Suriname. This year marks the fifth annual Continuing Promise event.

For more information on the Continuing Promise 2010 Special-Purpose MAGTF, please visit the unit's official website at http://www.marines.mil/unit/2ndmaw/spmagtf.

• Date Taken: 07.23.2010
• Date Posted: 07.23.2010 15:05
• Story ID: 53285
• Location: MIAMI, FL, US