Southern Partnership Station Begins Aboard Swift

MORGAN CITY, La. --- Military Sealift Command-chartered high speed vessel HSV-2 Swift (HSV 2) along with various embarked Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force units departed Louisiana Nov. 25 for a five-month deployment in support of Southern Partnership Station (SPS).>> Southern Partnership Station is an annual deployment of various specialty platforms to the U.S. Southern Command area of focus in the Caribbean and Latin America. The mission's primary goal is information sharing with navies, coast guards and civilian services throughout the region.>> "Southern Partnership Station provides an excellent opportunity to facilitate cooperation, interaction and communication between regional partners' civil and maritime services," said Rear Adm. Joseph D. Kernan, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet. "Working together alongside our partner nations, sharing knowledge and experiences through joint, multinational and interagency exchanges will help to build strong relationships, improve interoperability and enhance regional maritime security.">> Military training teams and subject matter experts embarked on Swift will provide partner nations with classroom and hands-on training in a variety of subjects.>> "SPS provides us an opportunity to work with our friends, build partnerships and train together," said Cmdr. Christopher K. Barnes, SPS mission commander.>> The ship is scheduled to visit El Salvador, Panama, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Barbados and Colombia.>> The mission is coordinated through U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. Fourth Fleet (NAVSO/ 4th Fleet) with partner nations to meet their specific training requests. Swift embarked elements of the Navy Expeditionary Training Command from Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va., Marine Corps Training and Advisory Group from Fort Story, Va., and Naval Criminal Investigative Service Security Training Assistance and Assessment Team.