Colombian translators aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) are serving a critical role in facilitating open communication between patients and medical personnel during the Continuing Promise 2015 (CP-15) mission stop in Colombia.

Volunteer translators include a U.S. embassy staff member, two host nation physicians, medical and dental professors and students from Universidad del Valle in Cali, Colombia, and Universidad de San Buenaventura in Bogota, Colombia.

"The translators who are embarked aboard the ship are intended to minimize the communication gaps between the patients and the medical staff," said Lt. Davi Mack, the Translation Services Program coordinator for Comfort's Medical Treatment Facility (MTF).

Mack explained that in accordance with the Joint Commission Hospital Accreditation Standards cultural and linguistics policy, the use of host-nation translators facilitates better communication between MTF providers, patients and their escorts, reducing errors and misunderstandings.

While the ship does have Spanish-speaking service members aboard, host-nation translators provide more knowledge on the local language and cultural differences between city residents and those living in the country, explained Lt. Cmdr. Jorge Martinez, the MTF's pre-operation ward division officer.

"Because they understand the cultural differences, they are better able to interpret nuances or understand local idioms better than someone who is just giving a verbatim translation," said Martinez.

Daniel Mejia, a second-year medical student at Universidad del Valle, said his time aboard Comfort has been a very unique experience.

"We are surrounded by people not only from different countries, but with different cultures - even the culture of people from the cities in Colombia and the countryside can be very different. I feel we are not only translating languages, but also cultures to the physicians. That is so great, and we are learning so much from each other."

Many of the translators view the opportunity to work alongside CP-15 medical personnel as a way to not only serve their country, but also as a unique learning opportunity for them.

"All of the doctors, nurses and techs didn't just want our translation services, but they also wanted to make sure that as medical students we were also learning. They always took time to teach us something, and I got so much out of this experience," said Mayra Rendn, also a second-year medical student at Universidad del Valle. "I know there was a lot of planning and logistics behind this opportunity. I appreciate the doctors, but I have to thank our escorts and those who put this all together."

Mack explained that the translators are assigned to the ship and continue to accompany personnel to the medical sites established at Coliseo del Centro, Himno Institucion Educativa Juanchaco, and to subject matter expert exchanges (SMEEs) in Buenaventura and Juanchaco.

"Coordination has been the key to success. We try to place the translators at locations ashore and in different departments aboard the ship where they are needed, but also afford them the opportunity to learn," Mack said.

Several of the medical students said this experience has reaffirmed their commitment to become physicians and served as an inspiration to many Colombians.

"As future physicians, I feel it is important for us to have a wider vision of what our role in society is and it goes beyond sitting behind a desk," said Whitney Crdobo Grueso, an intern in her final year of medical school at Universidad del Valle. "We have to learn how to work in teams, cooperating and scheduling. This mission shows what can happen when you unite efforts to help people. It is inspiring."

Grueso said if she could tell Comfort's crew one thing, it would be that she hopes they will not forget about the time they spent in Colombia and the importance of the Continuing Promise mission.

"This mission has been so important to the people here. We see every day how thankful the people are to have this mission stop here," she said. "When we arrive at the sites every day, the crowd will start clapping. One lady stopped me and asked that I please tell the nurses 'God bless you for doing this for my community.' I want the personnel from USNS Comfort to know how important the mission they are doing is, and that I am glad to have been part of it."

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 exchanges, medical, dental, veterinary and engineering support and disaster response to partner nations and to show the United States' continued support and commitment to Central and South America and the Caribbean.

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