USNS Burlington (T-EPF 10), an expeditionary fast transport ship, arrived in Limon, Costa Rica, July 16, 2024 as part of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet’s Continuing Promise 2024.
Continuing Promise 2024, now in its 14th year, visits the Caribbean, Central and South America to build goodwill, strengthen existing partnerships with partner nations, and encourage the establishment of new partnerships among countries, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), and international organizations.
“We will continue to work with our partners to share knowledge and training as well as provide aid and care at every mission stop,” said U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Zachary Smith, mission commander for Continuing Promise 2024.
This year marks the fifth visit to Costa Rica since 2007, and the first for Burlington. In previous visits, U.S. military medical professionals worked with their local counterparts eto provide care to over 18,000 Costa Ricans, as well as fill over 10,000 prescriptions.
This year, more than 25 U.S. Navy medical professionals worked with local practitioners in Limón, offering dental screenings and treatment, repairing equipment, and giving basic medical evaluations.
“Our goal is to provide the local community with the opportunity to receive treatment from a variety of health care services,” said U.S. Navy Lieutenant Jeremy Lucas, Continuing Promise 2024 assistant medical officer-in-charge.
A veterinary team from the U.S. Army helped at five clinics across Limón Province. Ten U.S. Navy engineering professionals, known as Seabees, helped repair a roof at Colegio de Limón Diurno.
“While helping the community around us, we are able to represent the United States as a whole and make our relations with other countries closer,” says U.S. Navy Builder Second Class Chase Park, assigned to U.S. Navy Mobile Construction Battalion One.
U.S. Fleet Forces’ band performed five concerts for the community during the visit.
Continuing Promise 2024 also included Women, Peace, and Security seminars to discuss gender-based violence and share experiences. There were also training events on humanitarian assistance and disaster response provided by U.S. Department of Defense professionals.
The mission began in Kingston, Jamaica, where the ship delivered over $80,000 in medical and hurricane relief supplies on behalf of several NGOs.
USNS Burlington departed Limón on July 24 to proceed to the mission’s upcoming scheduled visits in Honduras, Colombia, and Panama.
