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SEKONDI, Ghana – The Africa Partnership Station Nashville team, consisting of the USS Nashville crew along with a staff of Destroyer Squadron 60 and international maritime professionals, departed Sekondi, Ghana, March 10, after an extended port visit in support of the APS mission.
The Norfolk-based amphibious transport dock ship is deployed as part of APS, an international initiative developed by Naval Forces Europe and Africa, which aims to work cooperatively with U.S. and international partners to enhance maritime safety and security on the Africa continent. Nashville's APS mission is focused on collaborative efforts in West and Central Africa.
During the 18-day visit, APS Nashville focused on traditional mariner training in areas such as engineering and small boat handling, plus a handful of specialty skills and events centered on civil sector maritime issues. The training offered fit into the mission's goal of enhancing maritime safety and security throughout the Gulf of Guinea region, said Africa Partnership Station Nashville Commander Capt. Cindy Thebaud.
"This initiative has been built at the request of African partners and we execute it side-by-side with an embarked team of officers and civilian specialists from 20 different countries. This fact should send a clear message: This breadth of participation really highlights that maritime security and safety is truly a global effort," Thebaud said. "Solidifying friendships and building new ones to ensure safer ports and waterways for Africa and the world's commerce that travels them is our unified goal."
In Ghana, the mission was robust, with more than 160 military and civilians trainees from Cape Verde, Ghana and Mozambique coming aboard for instruction on search and rescue procedures, maritime law, small boat maintenance and intelligence procedures. The training included portions aboard Nashville, several Ghanaian navy ships and at Naval Base Sekondi.
"The classes offered here are tailored toward the specific needs and requests made by our hosts," said Lt. Olukemi Elebute, APS training officer. "They have identified key areas... to improve the overall level of effectiveness their navy and government agency have in improving maritime safety and security."
Away from the classroom environment, the APS team showed support for local citizens through a series of community outreach programs. Key outreach initiatives included delivery of donated education, health and medical items to various schools, hospitals and clinics; medical outreach by both a U.S. Department of Defense medical team and a group of volunteers from Project Hope; and renovation work at Effia Nkwanta and the Naval Base Basic School led by a team from the U.S. Navy's Military Civil Affairs Group out of Hampton Roads, Va.
Participants in the renovation project included international APS staff, craftsmen from the Ghana navy, Nashville crew members and Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11. Volunteers commented not only on the projects they completed, but particularly the new friendships they forged along the way.
"To me, helping the people here with whatever they need is the most important thing about the mission," said Aviation Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Jody Reed. "Along the way, we were able to make some new friends and gain a new understanding of a culture that is different from ours. It makes me appreciate the APS mission even more."
When asked to comment about the community initiatives, Thebaud reiterated that the projects are a prime example of what APS can bring to a country in addition to the main mission.
"Africa Partnership Station affords our participants the opportunities to do some great humanitarian work in the countries we visit," she said. "While maritime security is our main focus, these community outreach activities highlight for many people who live along the coastline that we are indeed concerned about their well-being, and it also highlights the versatility of the APS platform."
Overall, the mission in Ghana has to be seen as a success, Thebaud added.
"The most frequent question I received was, 'You are coming back again next year, aren't you?'"
APS is an international initiative under the auspices of Naval Forces Africa which aims to work cooperatively with U. S., European and African partners to enhance maritime safety and security on the African continent. APS provides a unique venue to align maritime engagements by utilizing an international team of expert trainers in a variety of military capacities and civilian fields such as fisheries management, port security and meteorology.
With their departure, APS Nashville now prepares for its March 17 arrival in Lagos, Nigeria, for what will be the third African port of its five-month deployment.
| Date Taken: | 03.12.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 03.12.2009 19:30 |
| Story ID: | 31058 |
| Location: | SEKONDI, GH |
| Web Views: | 385 |
| Downloads: | 366 |
This work, Africa Partnership Station Nashville wraps up 18 days of training in Ghana, by CPO Charles Ludwig, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
