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Medical Personnel Begin Work in Nicaragua for Continuing Promise 2008
Story Number: NNS080814-05
Release Date: 8/14/2008 11:43:00 AM
By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Joshua Adam Nuzzo, USS Kearsarge Public Affairs
PUERTO CABEZAS, Nicaragua (NNS) -- Medical and dental personnel embarked aboard USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) began work at Juan Amos Comenius High School, Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, Aug. 12, as part of the first stop in the Caribbean Phase of Continuing Promise (CP) 2008.
The medical and dental personnel at the site saw patients for everything from tape worms, tooth extractions to routine exams and eye glass prescriptions. The site is expected to help care for an average of 200 people a day.
"Working with other nations is one of the most exciting parts of this mission," said Cmdr. Angelica Almonte, a nurse researcher from Navy Medical Center San Diego and assistant officer-in-charge at the medical and dental site. "The thing we all have in common though is that we all want to help."
CP is a collaborative effort between the United States and partner militaries, NGOs and partner-nation support organizations to build strong partnerships that can be called upon in the event of a regional situation requiring cooperative solutions. After Nicaragua, Kearsarge will visit Colombia, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Tobago and Guyana.
It's good to know the United States, Canada and other partnered nations are coming together to take an active role in improving the welfare and living standards in countries less fortunate than our own," said Pvt. John Stewart, a medical augmentee from Canadian Force Base, Petawawa, Ontario, embarked aboard Kearsarge.
CP will provide support by conducting medical, dental and engineering assistance programs ashore in response to host nation requests and requirements. The deployment's goal is to improve health, prolong life, promote training, and enhance prosperity in the region.
USS Kearsarge is under the operational control of U.S. 4th Fleet. U.S. 4th Fleet's mission is to direct United States naval forces operating in the Caribbean, and Central and South American regions and interact with partner navies to shape the maritime environment.
The CP Caribbean Phase is the second of two HCA deployments to the Southern Command area of focus for 2008. The first CP deployment was conducted by USS Boxer (LHD 4) in the Pacific.
Embarked units and organizations aboard Kearsarge for CP include Commander, Amphibious Squadron 8, Fleet Surgical Team 4; Navy Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 202; Air Force Civil Engineering Squadron 5's Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force; contingents of medical personnel from the armed forces of Canada, The Netherlands, Spain, France and Brazil; Navy Assault Craft Unit 2; Naval Beach Group 2; non-governmental organizations Operation Smile and Project Hope; U.S. Navy Maritime Civil Affairs Squadron 2; Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28 and Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 464.
For more news on Continuing Promise, visit U.S. Southern Command's Website at www.southcom.mil.>
For more news from USS Kearsarge, visit www.navy.mil/local/lhd3/.
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