The countries of Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti are all on Comfort’s itinerary. To improve medical preparedness, strengthen partnerships, and increase the combined capabilities of the U.S. Navy and partner nations to respond to public health disasters and humanitarian crises, Continuing Promise medical teams will focus on working alongside partner nation medical personnel to provide care aboard and at land-based medical sites during these mission stops.
The USNS Comfort’s captain, Kathryn Elliott, is thrilled to work with such a dedicated and competent medical staff. Now on its sixth deployment in support of Continuing Promise, the USS Comfort is “very pleased” to collaborate with ally countries, share expertise, and aid the less fortunate in order to leave a lasting legacy.
U.S. Naval Station Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, the sole Main Operating Base in the USSOUTHCOM AOR and the oldest overseas U.S. Naval Base, will also be visited by Comfort on a resupply mission.
Capt. Bryan Carmichael, commander, Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) Four, will serve as the mission commander for CP 2022 during its deployment to the USSOUTHCOM AOR, while Rear Adm. Jim Aiken, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet (USNAVSO/FOURTHFLT), will have operational control.
As we build our ties and provide relief to individuals in need throughout the Caribbean, Central, and South American areas, it is a privilege to work with the Comfort team and the staff of our partner governments, added Carmichael. Although providing medical aid is a primary goal, the team is also working to foster long-lasting connections with the local communities and the people of the countries they visit.
More than 582,000 patients and over 7,000 procedures have been provided through Continuing Promise missions since their inception in 2007. This will be the 12th Continuing Promise operation carried out by the United States Southern Command and the United States Fourth Fleet, where the Comfort is currently deployed.
Supporting U.S. Southern Command’s joint and combined military operations, the U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet employs maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations to preserve access, improve interoperability, and establish long-lasting partnerships in order to strengthen regional security and advance peace, stability, and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.