International Training Division News

Senior Central American and U.S. Coast Guard officials met in Panama Thursday to discuss the outcome of the first-ever 82-ft. Patrol Boat Round-Up that had been taking place at the old Rodman Naval Base near Panama City. U.S. Coast Guard Vice Adm. James D. Hull, Commander Atlantic Area, Portsmouth, Va., as well as the coast guard commandants from Panama, Venezuela, Columbia, and Costa Rica discussed the maintenance, repairs and training that each patrol boat and its crew received during the PBRU, as well as the strong alliance and partnerships developed between the countries throughout the event. “Although this (event) is primarily directed at maintenance…

U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard training teams concluded the first visit to Colon, Panama, during the pilot Global Fleet Station (GFS) on May 11 aboard High Speed Vessel (HSV 2) Swift. Training teams from Navy Expeditionary Training Command in Little Creek, Va., along with U.S. Coast Guard training teams from International Training Division, based in Yorktown, Va., facilitated five training sessions in areas requested by the nation of Panama. These courses included a coxswain course, two sessions of the port security and vulnerability course, as well as two leadership seminars. “The past two weeks in Panama have been very productive,” said Capt. Douglas Wied, commander, Task Group (TG) 40.9.

U.S. Navy and Coast Guard training teams began their portion of the pilot Global Fleet Station (GFS) on May 1, aboard High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2), while in port here. Global Fleet Station is designed to validate the GFS concept for the Navy and support U.S. Southern Command objectives for its area of responsibility by enhancing cooperative partnerships with regional maritime services and improving operational readiness for the participating partner nations. Training teams from Navy Expeditionary Combat Command and Expeditionary Training Command in Little Creek, Va., along with U.S. Coast Guard training teams from International Training Division, based in Yorktown, Va., are facilitating three training sessions requested by the nation of Panama.

High Speed Vessel (HSV) 2 Swift, along with Commander Task Group 40.9, is deploying as part of the Global Fleet Station (GFS) pilot to the Caribbean Basin and Central America. This deployment is designed to analyze the GFS concept for the Navy, by enhancing cooperative partnerships with regional maritime services and improving operational readiness for the participating partner nations. U.S. The pilot Global Fleet Station (GFS) deployment began April 25, with the departure of High Speed Vessel (HSV) 2 Swift and the embarked Task Group (TG) 40.9, from Naval Station Mayport. “After much anticipation and preparation it feels great to get underway,” said Capt. Douglas Wied, commander Task Group 40.9. Global Fleet Station pilot 2007 is a U.S.