June 15, 2019

Hospital Ship USNS Comfort Departs Norfolk for Medical Mission

The U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) left from Naval Station Norfolk, June 14, to begin its deployment to South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. During its deployment, Comfort will provide medical assistance in support of regional partners and in response to the regional impacts of the Venezuela political and economic crisis.

June 10, 2019

Hospital Ship to Depart Norfolk for Medical Mission

The U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) deploys from Naval Station Norfolk on Friday, June 14 at 8 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. During its five-month deployment, Comfort will provide medical assistance in support of regional partners and in response to the regional impacts of the Venezuela political and economic crisis.  While deployed, Comfort will conduct mission stops in Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago.

May 15, 2019

Southern Partnership Station 2019 Begins

The U.S. Navy has deployed adaptive force packages (AFPs) in support of Southern Partnership Station (SPS) 2019 to the Caribbean, Central and South America to conduct subject matter expert exchanges from May to October 2019.

May 8, 2019

Navy Hospital Ship Deploying to Help Venezuelan Refugees

The U.S. is sending a hospital ship to aid in the refugee crisis resulting from instability in Venezuela. At the annual Washington Conference on the Americas at the State Department, Vice President Mike Pence announced the Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort will deploy to the U.S. Southern Command area of operations next month.

April 24, 2019

State Dept. Blog: Enhancing U.S. Cooperation with the Caribbean

On April 12, I had the honor of leading an interagency team of United States senior officials and experts to U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) headquarters in Miami, Florida, where I hosted ministers and disaster management officials from 18 Caribbean countries, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, and the Regional Security System to launch the new “U.S.-Caribbean Resilience Partnership.

Dec. 21, 2018

Technicians Assisting Caribbean Receive Secretary of Defense Maintenance Award

The Department of Defense presented the U.S. Southern Command-based Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Technical Assistance Field Team (CBSI-TAFT) with the 2018 Secretary of Defense Award for Excellence in Maintenance Training, Advice, and Assistance of Foreign Security Forces Operational during a ceremony in Tampa, Fla. Dec. 18.

Sept. 1, 2018

Colombia Takes the Lead in UNITAS LIX, Hosts Multinational Exercise

Colombian naval forces are taking the helm for UNITAS LIX, hosting 11 countries’ naval maritime forces during the annual exercise from Aug. 31 – Sept. 11.

July 26, 2018

Spearhead Deploys, Marking the Start of Southern Partnership Station

The U.S. Navy deployed USNS Spearhead (T-EPF 1) in support of Southern Partnership Station (SPS) 2018 to the Caribbean, Central and South America to conduct subject matter expert exchanges and water well construction projects from July to October 2018.

June 21, 2018

RI National Guard Advances State Partnership with Royal Bahamas Defence Force

NASSAU, Bahamas – Forty members of the Rhode Island National Guard (RING) participated in a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored joint, multinational and interagency training exercise in the Caribbean, June 4-21, in support of the state’s long-standing partnership with the Bahamas.

June 11, 2018

Tradewinds 2018 helps prepare St. Kitts and Nevis Emergency Services

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts and Nevis – St. Kitts and Nevis emergency agencies were challenged to respond to a simulated airplane crash with mass casualties scattered for approximately 200 yards June 9, 2018.