Stephen W. Groves Continues APS Mission in Port Louis

Courtesy Photo | Ensign Matthew Hipple and Navy Counselor 1st Class David Ferguson, attached to USS Stephen W. Groves, dance with pre-primary students during a community relations project at La Briquetterie Government School in Port Louis, Mauritius, as a part of Africa Partnership Station East, March 23. APS is an international security cooperation initiative, facilitated by Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, aimed at strengthening global maritime partnerships through training and collaborative activities in order to improve maritime safety and security in Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class William Jamieson)  

PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS

03.23.2011

Courtesy Story

U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet

By Capt. Jennifer Pearson

PORT LOUIS, Mauritius – Sailors from USS Stephen W. Groves, U.S. Naval Forces Africa staff members, Africa Partnership Station East international staff members and students from Kenya, Mauritius, Seychelles and Tanzania continued training during the second “Hub” as part of APS East, March 24.

“The best part of APS is the relationships you make,” said Kenyan navy Maj E. Keter, deputy commander of APS East. “The training is important but the partnership learned is what makes the most difference.”

Participants received instruction on maritime and land security issues to include visit, board, search, and seizure; combat lifesaver skills; physical security; law enforcement; human rights and many others.

“The capacity of the students from Mauritius is equal to what we teach in the U.S.,” said Jeffrey Elwood, chief master-at-arms. “We are glad for this exchange of ideas and techniques to see how we can potentially improve our own policies with how we teach our own sailors.”

In addition to training, sailors from Stephen W. Groves and U.S. Naval Forces Africa staff members participated in a community relations project to paint and landscape La Briquetterie Government School, March 23.

This was the third and final COMREL of Stephen W. Groves’ APS deployment, which has included more than 40 crewmembers’ participation and more than 700 combined man hours of community service.

“Our guys always show up,” said Lt. j.g. Brett Lincoln, Stephen W. Groves’s COMREL organizer. “It doesn’t matter what we throw at them. They want to be there and they want to help. I am amazed at the response I get every time we do one of these projects, and here at La Briquette they stepped up again.”

La Briquetterie Government School is a pre-primary and primary school serving 218 students, ages 5-11. The school, which was founded in 1960, is in one of poorest districts of Port Louis.

“The children love to play football in the field behind our school, but the grass had grown very quickly after the rain,” said Antoine Sauterelle, headmaster of La Briquetterie Government School. “This can be a dangerous area for mosquitoes if it isn’t taken care of. It is a blessing to have these sailors come here today.”

APS is an international security cooperation initiative, facilitated by Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, aimed at strengthening global maritime partnerships through training and collaborative activities in order to improve maritime safety and security in Africa.

• Date Taken: 03.23.2011
• Date Posted: 03.24.2011 12:48
• Story ID: 67674
• Location: PORT LOUIS, MU