In the News: Translated article from Panorma Diario (Santo Domingo)

This reads a bit rough, but it is a translated (Spanish to English) front page article from the Panorama Diario of Santo Domingo:

9 March 2009
Santo Domingo. The Staff Directorate of Navy military informs us that they concluded successful military exercises onboard the Catamaran HSV-2 Swift of the United States Navy on Friday 6 of March, in which they participated a group of listed officials and of Navy military.

The training exercises were made from 22 February to March 7, with one active and outstanding participation of listed officials and of Navy military. The event closing took place in the Don port Diego, with a speech of order pronounced by Rear Admiral Luis R. Lee Ballester, in representation of the Chief of Staff of Navy military, Homero Vice-admiral Luis Single Lajara.

In his brief speech, Rear Admiral Lee Ballester, Assistant Manager of General Staff of Navy military, emphasized the skill, capacity and professionalism observed by the members of the naval institution that participated. He also had words of praise for the instructors and the personnel onboard the ship, especially for the gentlemen Rolland Bullen, Michael Shimez and the Lieutenant Colonel Jerharld Burgoa, Ordered of Businesses, General Consul of the United States and Comandante of the Consultative Group of Asistencia Militar (USMAA), in the country, respectively.

Rear Admiral Lee Ballester said that these periodic trainings the Dominican military are put under, especially those of Navy military on the part of North American instructors, “they will serve so that the personnel of our military institutions obtain the necessary capacity and knowledge, to be able to also face the threats that not only set a trap to us as a country, our region”.

Also present was the Vice-admiral Julio Caesar Ventura Bayonet, Undersecretary of State of the Armed Forces, Navy military, in representation of the Secretary of State the Armed Forces, General Lieutenant Piloto Pedro Rafael Rock Antonio, F.A.D., (DEM). Also in attendance in the closing of the training on board of the HSV-2 Swift were Lieutenant Colonel Fred Fagan, Military attache' of the United States and the Commander Christopher Barnes, Commander of the mission.