Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Burlington (T-EPF 10) arrived in Puerto Cortes, Honduras, July 27, as part of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet’s Continuing Promise 2024.
U.S. medical professionals visited four different sites including a joint medical brigade with the Honduran Armed Forces at Franklin Delano Roosevelt School and subject matter expert exchanges at Puerto Cortes Hospital. Along with those events, U.S. Navy biomedical technicians worked with Honduran practitioners to assess and repair medical equipment.
“We’re excited to work with the military of Honduras, their medical professionals, their veterinary professionals, and see in what ways we can help the Honduran people,” said U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Zachary Smith, mission commander for Continuing Promise 2024.
Continuing Promise 2024 came equipped to provide treatment not only to human patients, but to their animal companions as well. A U.S. Army veterinary team worked with Honduran veterinary professionals to share knowledge and experience on providing treatment and vaccinations.
“The things that we’ve been learning thus far on the Continuing Promise mission are two-fold,” said U.S. Army Major Crystal Lindaberry, a veterinary clinical specialist and Continuing Promise 2024 veterinary officer-in-charge from the 248th Medical Detachment Veterinary Service Support. “It’s given us a chance to hone the skills that we need on our military medical side. It’s also been learning about the tropical diseases they have here and how the doctors here approach and cure them, because we don’t see a lot of these diseases at home.”
Being able to provide medical care in emergency situations is an important part of the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) initiative of Continuing Promise 2024, as U.S. Department of Defense personnel trained and exchange knowledge alongside personnel from the Permanent Contingency Commission of Honduras (COPECO) and nongovernmental organization partners such as Pacific Disaster Group and Pacific Response Group.
Women, Peace, and Security is a major UN initiative aimed at promoting and understanding the disproportionate amount of violence women face globally. Continuing Promise was committed to supporting the initiative in Honduras with two multi-day seminars at Ciudad Mujer, bringing together decision-makers and representatives of organizations to provide the community with the information and tools to combat gender-based violence and inequality.
U.S. Navy construction personnel, known as “Seabees,” provided construction and engineering support at Ciudad Mujer, where they extended a concrete pad for ambulance offload and repaired an awning to provide shade for children at the site’s playground.
The U.S. Fleet Forces Band, Uncharted Waters, had multiple performances at schools around the Cortes Department.
Continuing Promise 2024 was in Puerto Cortes and San Pedro Sula from July 27-August 4.
