Lt. Eder Suclla, a Peruvian naval officer, received the Surface Warfare Officer qualification by Lt. Cmdr. Grant Greenwell, commanding officer of USS Zephyr (PC 8), Nov. 13.

As part of the Personnel Exchange Program, Suclla is currently assigned to Destroyer Squadron Four Zero. Earlier in the year, he volunteered to assist Zephyr with their recent patrol to the Caribbean. Their patrol lasted 76 days and included a high-profile interception and seizure of 750kg of cocaine, along with the detention of three drug smugglers.

Suclla played a key role in the ship's patrol as Officer of the Deck during several major evolutions, to include getting Zephyr underway from Willemstad, Curacao. As part of the process, he qualified on all of the ship's crew served weapons, several watch stations, and completed standard ship evolutions.

"I've greatly enjoyed having you (Lt. Suclla) aboard Zephyr," Greenwell said in front of a crowd of thirty people from the two nations. "You integrated yourself well with my team, and we are all better for having served with you. I trust you with my ship and my crew."

"This was one of my goals when I first arrived to the United States," said Suclla. "I wanted to get underway and qualify as a Surface Warfare Officer here. I could not have done it without the support of so many people here, and I thank you all."

In attendance of the ceremony included Peruvian Vice Adm. Fernando Raul Cerdan, commander-general of Pacific Operations Command, as well as Rear Adm. Sean Buck, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet.

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