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Colombian Sailor Helps His Home Country During CP22

05 December 2022

From Petty Officer 2nd Class Ethan Soto

COLOMBIA - Hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) is currently conducting Continuing Promise 2022, a humanitarian and goodwill mission that is part of U.S. Southern Command’s Enduring Promise initiative.

Comfort houses a large workforce of Sailors and Non-Governmental Organizations with diverse backgrounds and skillsets for this mission. As the Comfort sails around Central America and the Caribbean, many find themselves temporarily returning to their home countries.

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Bryam Pulgarin, was born in Medellín, Colombia and then moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Now, he uses his training, passion, and determination as a surgical technician to give back to his home country.

“The fact that I’m able to come back and help—not only my fellow Latinos, but Colombia, my people, is a dream come true,” said Pulgarin. “It's inspiring to know that some of us have come from the same place and had the same adversities.”

Surgeries took place aboard the Comfort for five days in a row during its stay in Cartagena, Colombia. Pulgarin would schedule and assign personnel to work in the operating rooms for those surgeries. He also participated in Comfort’s previous visits to Guatemala and Honduras, and will continue to fulfill his duties in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

“It’s a blessing to be able to share this experience,” said Pulgarin. “I want to thank the Navy for putting me in this position, training me, and giving me the opportunity to help my home country.”

The purpose of Continuing Promise 2022 is to provide medical assistance, including medical, surgical, dental, and optometry services, as well as veterinary services, demonstrating U.S. support and commitment to our partners in Central and South America and the Caribbean. The mission further strengthens U.S. partnerships with partner nations, improve our collective capacity to respond in support of medical assistance and disaster relief in the region, and provide an invaluable opportunity to learn from partner nations.

  
 

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