Chesapeake Beach, Maryland, resident participates in Caribbean exercise Tradewinds

Photo By Chief Warrant Officer Melissa Leake | Lt. j.g. Devonte Weems, the executive officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Winslow Griesser, holds discussions with participating nations of Tradewinds on the bridge of the Coast Guard Cutter Winslow Griesser in Bridgetown, Barbados, June 7, 2017. Tradewinds 2017 is a joint, combined exercise conducted in conjunction with partner nations to enhance the collective abilities of defense forces and constabularies to counter transnational organized crime, and to conduct humanitarian/disaster relief operations. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Melissa Leake/Released  

CHESAPEAKE BEACH, MD, UNITED STATES

06.08.2017

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam Stanton  

U.S. Coast Guard District 11

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS – United States Coast Guard Lt. jg. Devonte Weems, a Chesapeake Beach, Maryland, native is participating in Tradewinds 2017, an annual, multi-national exercise in the Caribbean Sea.

Weems, who has been in the Coast Guard for 3 years, joined 2,500 other servicemembers from 20 countries, in Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago from June 6-17, 2017.

Tradewinds, sponsored by United States Southern Command, headquartered in Miami, Fla., is a joint, combined exercise conducted in conjunction with partner nations to enhance the collective abilities of defense forces and constabularies to counter transnational organized crime and terrorism, and to conduct humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

During the Caribbean-focused exercise, Weems, a 2010 graduate of Huntingtown High School, helped ensure a seamless partnership, cross trained with other service members to ensure a better response to natural disasters, and land and maritime threats, including illicit trafficking in the critical region.

“It’s great to be here and it’s great to work with other countries so we can learn from each other,” said Weems. “When we come together for exercises like Tradewinds we form a bond which will ultimately help us better combat illicit trafficking and maritime threats in the Caribbean and United States.”

Partner nations participating in the exercise include Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago as well as military personnel from the United States, Canada, France, Mexico, Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

• Date Taken: 06.08.2017
• Date Posted: 06.08.2017 15:56
• Story ID: 236920
• Location: CHESAPEAKE BEACH, MD, US