Navy personnel from Kenya, Qatar, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) and U.S. Naval Forces Africa participated in skilled exchanges and group engagement occasions throughout the coastal metropolis in southeastern Kenya. Medical professionals from Israel’s Sheba Medical Heart additionally participated in medical-related workshops and drills.
“It was thrilling to see so many consultants from a number of nations come collectively to debate a variety of subjects,” mentioned Lt. Col. Harry Consaul, NAVCENT’s lead planner for the occasion. “Collaborating throughout this mission has constructed lasting relationships, strengthened partnerships and allowed us to study a lot from each other.”
U.S., Kenyan and Qatari forces performed exchanges on dive operations, mass casualty response, tactical fight casualty care and small boat engine restore. Throughout the engine restore workshop, U.S. Sailors from Maritime Expeditionary Safety Squadron 4 labored alongside their Kenyan counterparts to restore 4 engines and tune up 4 others, leading to two small boats returning to full operation.
“It was superior working side-by-side with the Kenyans and fixing engines collectively,” mentioned Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate David Chisholm. “All of us gained useful expertise and the arduous work paid off.”
Exchanges on medical-related subjects have been a serious focus throughout Central Partnership Station. Medical professionals met to share concepts and greatest practices in treating sufferers in mass casualty, tactical fight and public well being conditions.
“We leveraged the data, abilities and skills of all individuals to boost {our relationships} and construct interoperability,” mentioned Lt. Freddie Mawanay, NAVCENT’s world well being engagement officer.
U.S. Navy Seabees from Naval Cellular Development Battalion (NMCB) 27 labored with their Kenya Navy counterparts to restore services and playground tools on the Affiliation for the Bodily Disabled of Kenya, an area advocacy group for disabled youngsters and adults.
Members of NAVCENT’s spiritual ministries group additionally volunteered with beautification tasks on the facility, earlier than taking part in a soccer sport with youngsters and employees, in addition to different interactive applications with members of the group.
“This was a singular and humbling expertise for our group to present again to people who find themselves actually appreciative of it,” mentioned Chief Culinary Specialist Holly Anderson, operations chief for NMCB 27. “Individuals listed below are genuinely good and welcoming; it means loads to work with our Kenyan counterparts to make a optimistic affect of their group.”
Throughout the mission’s opening day, NAVCENT hosted a Girls, Peace and Safety Symposium that included a panel dialogue with individuals from Bahrain, Jordan, Kenya, Qatar and america. The dialog centered on the prevention of battle and promotion of peace by way of the empowerment of girls.
“We got here right here with the intent to do one thing good for somebody,” mentioned Cmdr. Anthony Baker, a NAVCENT chaplain. “However we really come away from the expertise modified for the higher.”
NAVCENT is headquartered in Manama, Bahrain and contains maritime forces working within the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Purple Sea, elements of the Indian Ocean and three important choke factors on the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal and Bab al-Mandeb.
