USS Kearsarge Plays Ball With Nicaraguan Veterans
Story Number: NNS080826-04
Release Date: 8/26/2008 3:15:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Ernest Scott, USS Kearsarge Public Affairs
PUERTO CABEZAS, Nicaragua (NNS) -- Sailors and Marines embarked aboard USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) squared off against the Puerto Cabezas Veteranos in a friendly game of softball Aug. 18 during Continuing Promise (CP) 2008.
CP 2008 is a collaborative effort between the United States and partner militaries, non-governmental organizations and partner-nation support organizations to build strong partnerships that can be called upon in the event of a regional situation requiring cooperative solutions.
The game served as a community relations event to further strengthen ties of friendship between the crew and citizens of Puerto Cabezas.
"This interaction with our friends from Nicaragua is important," said Cmdr. Donald Fix, Kearsarge command chaplain. "We've completed many projects together, but this gives us the opportunity to interact on a personal level."
Both teams played a great game, but in the end it was the Veteranos who came out on top, defeating the Kearsage team 12-11.
During CP 2008, Kearsarge will conduct joint civil-military operations including humanitarian and civic assistance, as well as veterinary, medical, dental and civil engineering support to six partner nations. The ship's participation in CP aims to send a strong message of United States compassion, support and commitment to Central and South America and the Caribbean.
The ship is scheduled to visit Nicaragua, Colombia, Panama, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana.
Kearsarge is under the operational control of U.S. 4th Fleet.
U.S. 4th Fleet directs United States naval forces operating in the Caribbean and Central and South American regions and interacts with partner nation navies to shape the maritime environment.
The Continuing Promise Caribbean Phase is the second of two humanitarian civil assistance deployments to the Southern Command area of focus for 2008. The first Continuing Promise deployment was conducted by USS Boxer (LHD 4) in the Pacific.
