Photos: Gold Crew in Jamaica, Nicaragua

I found these photos on a Navy PR site and thought you all might enjoy them:

BLUEFIELDS, Nicaragua (April 2, 2009) Lt. j.g. Gus Bennett, left, Electronics Technician 2nd Class Jason Hatton and Operations Specialist 2nd Class Mike McMurry, assigned to the Gold Crew of high-speed vessel Swift (HSV-2), repaint the lines on a basketball court during a Southern Partnership Station community relations project in Bluefileds, Nicaragua. Southern Partnership Station is a training mission to Central America, South America and the Caribbean Basin. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Matthew Olay/Released)

DRAPERS, Jamaica (April 16, 2009) U.S. military service members assigned to high speed vessel Swift (HSV 2), Southern Partnership Station, and Beyond the Horizon 2009 clean and paint a schoolhouse during a community service project. Southern Partnership Station is a military to military training mission to Central America, South America and the Caribbean Basin. Beyond the Horizon is a humanitarian and civic assistance mission hosted by U.S. Southern Command. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Daniel Ball/Released)

Photo: Blue Crew Sailors in Gabon

GABON (Aug. 20, 2009) Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Howard T. LeRoy, foreground, and Ensign Michael P. Deasey, both assigned to the High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2) carry medical supplies ashore to resupply Ngola village, a small, remote settlement on the Ogooue River in Gabon. The Project Handclasp delivery is part of an Africa Partnership Station Swift mission in the Gulf of Guinea. Africa Partnership Station is an international initiative under Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa to work with U.S., European and African partners to enhance maritime safety and security on the African continent. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Dan Meaney/Released)

APS Arrives in Monrovia

Date: 09.02.2009
Posted: 09.02.2009 11:26

MONROVIA, Liberia – High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2) arrived at the port of Monrovia, Sept. 2, to conduct training and assistance programs as part of Africa Partnership Station.

Through Sept. 15, APS will conduct primary care/health screenings, maternal and child services education, dental extraction, dental health services, dental education, eye examination and distribution of prescribed eyeglasses, veterinary services and education, biomedical repair education and services and advance lab education at several Liberian medical facilities, including the John F. Kennedy Medical Center and Redemption Hospital.

During this deployment, APS will also construct two medical wards at the Redemption Hospital and begin working on the Liberian coast guard pier.

HSV 2 is carrying 144,000 meals provided by Kids Against Hunger International and basic medical supplies, which will be handed over at a Sept. 4 ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Sinkor. Veterinary care and immunization will be provided at the Gibson School in Monrovia.

Project Hope volunteers, along with U.S. military medical professionals, will engage in peer-to-peer training with local national care practitioners while providing care to local Liberians.

Utilizing HSV 2, the APS staff will provide medical and training visits for African nations as part of U.S. Africa Command outreach. Trainers will include both civilians and military from the U.S., European and African nations, including nongovernmental organizations and other agencies of the U.S. government. APS is a multinational initiative developed by Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa which aims to work cooperatively with U.S. and international partners to enhance maritime safety and security on the African continent.

APS provides a unique venue to align maritime engagements by utilizing an international team of expert trainers in a variety of military capacities and civilian fields.

Swift, homeported in Norfolk, Va., is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility. To learn more about Africa Partnership Station visit the APS website at www.c6f.navy.mil/apshome.html.

APS Swift Sailors Paint Togo Clinic

Africa Partnership Station Public Affairs

LOME, Togolese Republic, Aug 31, 2009 — Eight Sailors from Africa Partnership Station (APS) Swift and 18 local Togolese helped paint a clinic in Lome, August 26, 2009.

High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2), which arrived August 24, is in port for a four-day visit in support of APS. The clinic was one of two community relations projects carried out by the crew while in Lome.

"We believe the crew was sent by God," said Kodjo Hessou, senior pastor at the Djidjole, Lome Assembly of God (AOG) church and clinic. "We've been praying for the rehabilitation of the clinic, and the arrival of the crew with the supplies seems like the answer to those prayers."

The clinic is one of six operated throughout the country by AOG and one of three in Lome. The clinics provide free or low-cost health care and medicine for more than 10,000 Togolese annually, regardless of religious affiliation. "The role of the church in the community is social as well as spiritual," said Hessou. "These clinics help the community and help us fulfill the social aspect of our mission. We cannot thank the crew of Swift enough. Their arrival here today has given us a boost in our energy which will help us to move forward and continue this work."

Lieutenant Commander Ronald L. Walker, officer-in-charge of Swift's military detachment, said projects like these are about meeting people and building relationships. "Our Sailors care about people and want to get out into the community," said Walker. "Whatever trust and goodwill we build today will help us achieve our operational objective of creating maritime safety and security in the region. And that is a great added benefit to something we want to do anyway."

APS is a multinational initiative developed by Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa which aims to work cooperatively with U.S. and international partners to enhance maritime safety and security on the African continent.

APS provides a unique venue to align maritime engagements by utilizing an international team of expert trainers in a variety of military capacities and civilian fields.

Swift, homeported in Norfolk, Va., is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility.

Photo: Blue Crew Sailors in Gabon

NGOLA, Gabon (August 20, 2009) — Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Howard T. LeRoy (left), Joseph C. Sohlberg, Master of HSV Swift (center) and Ensign Michael P. Deasey (right) of High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2) prepare two rigid hull inflatable boats to leave Ngola village, a remote settlement on the Ogooue river. The Sailors are from Africa Partnership Station Swift which made a Project Handclasp delivery to the village.

APS, Swift Deliver Medical Supplies to Remote Village in Gabon

Africa Partnership Station Public Affairs Print
NGOLA VILLAGE, Gabon, Aug 27, 2009 — Sailors from Africa Partnership Station (APS) Swift made a unique, 45-mile, up-river trip from Port Gentil, Gabon aboard two rigid hull inflatable boats to deliver medical supplies to Ngola Village, August 20, 2009.

The two pallets of medical supplies replenished the three-cot medical clinic in the village with needed necessities to treat patients. Ngola, a settlement for workers of plantations which line the rivers banks, is without running water or electricity. Ngola village is lit only by fire.

There are no cars or motorcycles, as the wide and twisting Ogooue River is the only way in or out.

"We've been able to deliver medical, hygiene and other needed supplies to our partner countries throughout this deployment, but the trip to Ngola is unique," said Commander John D. Tolg, mission commander for APS Swift.

"The people here are truly isolated. They've carved a village out of the jungle along the riverbank, and with the exception of a few poured concrete buildings, I don't think life has changed much here in the past several hundred years."

APS is an international initiative under Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa which aims to work cooperatively with U.S., European, and African partners to enhance maritime safety and security on the African continent. APS provides a unique venue to align maritime engagements by utilizing an international team of expert trainers in a variety of military capacities and civilian fields.

During this deployment, High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2) embarked over 40 Sailors from Benin, Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo for underway training in visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) tactics and small boat handling. Swift, home ported in Norfolk, Virginia, is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility in support of APS.

Source: Africa Partnership Station

HSV-2 Swift Completes Training With Sailors From Six West African Countries

SEKONDI, Ghana – Forty-six Sailors from six West African countries recently completed maritime safety and security training aboard the Africa Partnership Station platform HSV-2 Swift.

APS is a multinational initiative developed by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-and U.S. Naval Forces Africa which aims to work cooperatively with U.S. and international partners to enhance maritime safety and security on the African continent.

"These Sailors worked together to create theater security for the Gulf of Guinea and develop the relationships that will help them work together in the future," said Chief Petty Officer Mate Willie J. Donald, embarked training team supervisor. "They were a great, well-prepared group of students, and the fact they came from six different countries and worked so well together is one of the things I found most impressive."

During six-weeks of intensive training, Sailors from Benin, Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo honed their skills in visit, board, search and seizure tactics and small boat instruction with an emphasis on coxswain and navigation training.

"Our trainers, our students, our crew and our partner countries have worked together in this continuing effort to build maritime domain awareness," said APS Swift's mission commander, Cmdr. John D. Tolg. "Placing the importance of the training in a larger context, the success of this six-week mission is a maritime professional pillar in meeting the [commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa 2009] commander's operational objective to build maritime safety and security throughout the region. I couldn't be happier with the results. "

For the students and the countries they represent, the results of the training will have an immediate impact."In our Navy, any of us can be called on to be a boarding officer," said Sub-Lt. Joseph Gura, a navigational officer in the Ghana Navy. "With the recent discovery and exploitation of oil in the waters just off the coast, there is an increase in the maritime traffic. This training really equipped me to be able to enhance my ship's ability to board and search other vessels as needed. "

Swift, home ported in Norfolk, Va., is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility in support of APS. To learn more about APS visit www.c6f.navy.mil/apshome.html.