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KEY WEST, Fla. (NNS) -- USNS Spearhead (T-EPF 1) arrived at Naval Air Station Key West, July 3, for the first scheduled port call of Southern Partnership Station-Expeditionary Fast Transport 2017 (SPS-EPF 17).
The Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport and its embarked group of Sailors and civilian mariners are scheduled to travel to Central and South America for maritime security training and partner capacity building activities.
The ship's crew spent the Fourth of July holiday in the island municipality.
"We are excited to have the opportunity to visit Key West for Spearhead's first port visit of the SPS-EPF 17 mission. We couldn't ask for a better place to celebrate Independence Day than Key West with our local Navy family," said Capt. Steven Stacy, SPS-EPF 17 mission commander.
Upon departure from Key West, Spearhead will continue her southerly transit to begin interoperability and disaster preparedness training with regional military and civilian partners.
"We are looking forward to the chance to reinforce our partnerships in Central and South America and work with our military and civilian counterparts to strengthen regional security," said Stacy.
SPS-EPF 17 is a U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) directed operation planned by Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet (USNAVSO/FOURTHFLT) and carried out by deployed adaptive force packages (AFP) under the direction of the Destroyer Squadron 40 staff. The AFPs are comprised of military personnel from Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC), Expeditionary Combat Camera (ECC), Naval Construction Group (NCG) 2, Coastal Riverine Squadron (CRS) 1, Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 1, Commander Destroyer Squadron (CDS) 40, U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED), and U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC).
Making this deployment possible is Spearhead, the first of the Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport vessels, which are crewed and operated by civil service mariners, and serves as a platform for embarked military detachments to include AFPs.
AFPs are specialized teams of U.S. service members from the fields of engineering, force protection and medical. They will deploy aboard Spearhead in support of SPS-EPF 17 to collaborate with each participating host nation in Central and South America's partner nation military forces through naval-focused training exercises, military-to-military engagements, and community relations projects.
SPS-EPF 17 consists of deployments focused on enhancing cooperative partnerships with regional maritime services and improving operational readiness for all participants. In addition, the mission will provide the opportunity for U.S. and partner nation forces to operate in a multinational environment, refine coordination, improve interoperability, and demonstrate flexibility. This year's deployments will visit Guatemala, Honduras, Chile, and Colombia.
For the first time, the AFPs will conduct well drilling operations in remote locations in Guatemala and Honduras. These wells will provide drinking water for local populations coupled with preventative medicine subject matter expert exchanges (SMEEs) focused on preventative medicine, mosquito prevention and control, and safe water sanitation practices to improve quality of life for host nation citizens.
USNAVSO/FOURTHFLT supports USSOUTHCOM's joint and combined military operations by employing maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations to maintain access, enhance interoperability, and build enduring partnerships in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central, and South American regions.
| Date Taken: | 07.05.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 07.05.2017 20:11 |
| Story ID: | 240180 |
| Location: | KEY WEST, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 146 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, USNS Spearhead (T-EPF 1) Visits Key West, by LCDR Rick Moore, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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