Service members and non-governmental organization (NGO) volunteers embarked aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) participated in four community relations (COMREL) events during the Continuing Promise 2015 (CP-15) mission stop in Kingston, Jamaica, May 6-13.

The COMREL's held in Kingston included beautification projects, performances by the U.S. Fleet Forces Band "Uncharted Waters", as well as donations of stuffed animals, soccer balls, coloring books and school supplies to children.

Several NGOs, including Latter-day Saint Charities, Operation Blessing and Loving Hugs Inc., donated more than 3,000 items to the Religious Ministries department, to hand out at the COMRELS on behalf of their organizations.

"I would like to thank our U.S. friends for taking the time to come out here to participate with us in this social visit," said Noel Osbourne, Hope Valley Experimental School Chairman of the Board of Management. "The band played beautifully and I really enjoyed watching everyone interact with each other, integrating our culture and traditions with yours."

COMREL sites included Hope Valley Experimental School, Rennock Lodge All Ages School, Ozanam Senior Citizen Home and Mustard Seed Communities Jerusalem Orphanage.

At each location, the crew's goal was to put a smile on faces, work together to complete projects and create new friendships, said Religious Program Specialist 1st Class Jonathan Coreson, who helped coordinate the events.

"Everyone has been able to learn from each other," said Coreson. "COMREL's give us the chance to work alongside communities, schools and organizations, providing the opportunity to share our services, customs and the chance to embrace new cultures."

COMREL events allow crew members an opportunity to interact with the citizens and witness the impact the mission has on the host nation and on the CP-15 participants.

"I love getting involved with COMRELS, because I am able to make new friends and help the Navy build partnerships as well," said Culinary Specialist Seaman Apprentice Chantel Woods. "This is the second time I've participated in a COMREL, and I think they are great opportunities to make a real difference in the communities, whether it is coming together as a team to beautify a senior home or just taking the time to make someone smile."

Since deployed, CP-15 members have participated in more than a dozen COMREL events in Belize and Guatemala. Additional COMRELs are scheduled for each of the remaining mission stops in Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador, Dominica, Dominican Republic and Haiti, allowing for more partnerships and friendships to be formed.

"The CP-15 partnerships we have built, allow for us to work together to benefit the local children and the community as a whole during these engagements," said Capt. George Adams, a Navy chaplain embarked aboard Comfort. "It is always great to see how well we work alongside one another, continuing to build lasting relationships."

Continuing Promise is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored and U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet-conducted deployment to conduct civil-military operations including humanitarian-civil assistance, subject matter expert exchanges, medical, dental, veterinary and engineering support and disaster response to partner nations and to show U.S. support and commitment to Central and South America and the Caribbean.

For more news from Continuing Promise, visit www.navy.mil/.