Military and civilian personnel embarked aboard Military Sealift Command (MSC) hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) participated in a community relations (COMREL) event at Roseau Public Library July 30 in support of Continuing Promise 2015 (CP-15).

The 28 volunteers set up three stations to teach children from outlying neighborhoods about dental hygiene, nutrition and general hygiene, supplemented by reading groups throughout the library and lawn.

"Along with the ministry of health, they [the library staff] are doing a general health initiative, which is working perfectly with our mission here," said Lt. Cmdr. Jay Kersten, a native of Detroit, Michigan, and Navy chaplain assigned to amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5). "If we can convey the importance of overall hygiene and good nutrition, the lasting impact is going to be their health, and that's what we're hoping for."

Roseau Public Library, formerly a private library, is one of the largest on the island, housed in a building more than 100 years old. It hosts programs for school-aged children throughout the year that highlight international days and historic events, and provides programs that enrich the community.

"This is the first time we're doing this with the [United States] military," said Davina Jones, the head librarian at Roseau Public Library. "Our theme for this program is health and nutrition, and what they're doing here today will strengthen what we want to do, and give the children a better understanding of health and hygiene."

COMRELs are designed to unite, strengthen and build partnerships with host nations, and give Sailors an opportunity to present themselves and the Navy on a more personal level to local residents. CP-15 COMRELs frequently host children and incorporate a playful dynamic into a message of good health and hygiene, which Comfort's crew spreads throughout the mission.

Information Systems Technician 1st Class Curtis Copeland, a native of LaGrange, Georgia, assigned to Naval Computer Telecommunication Center Jacksonville, Florida, entertained several children in the library, animatedly describing some of his favorite aspects of basketball.

"We talked about sports and their favorite songs," Copeland said. "After being on deployment with adults all day, being with kids brings me back to life."

After all the children in attendance cycled through the educational stations, volunteers with the Latter-day Saints Charities handed out 60 school kits donated to the children. Each kit contained notebooks, colored pencils and rulers. Comfort's chaplain's office also donated a box of children's books to the library.
The event wrapped up with a performance by the U.S. Fleet Forces Band, Uncharted Waters. Children danced with Sailors in a conga line and played with a large foam toothbrush used in the dental hygiene presentation. Afterward, the children gave high-fives to the COMREL participants from Comfort and waved goodbye to library staff.

"I'm just happy to have the personnel from the Comfort here today, because I knew the children would be happy and their knowledge would be expanded," Jones said.
CP-15 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/.