U.S. Navy Diver and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician training teams completed their third stop of the Southern Partnership Station-Joint High Speed Vessel (SPS-JHSV) 15 mission Sept. 14.
The training took place in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala as part of the Adaptive Force Package (AFP) onboard USNS Spearhead (EPF 1), operated by the Military Sealift Command.
While ashore in Guatemala, Navy Divers from Mobile Diving and Salvage Company 31 from EODMU3 and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians from Platoon 642, EODMU6 provided training and conducted Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEE) with their counterparts to build partner nation’s capabilities to counter illicit trafficking.
The first few days of training were spent assessing the capabilities of the Guatemalan divers. In Guatemala, diving is a secondary job that is done only when the situation arises. This gives them very little opportunity to practice the basics of diving and remaining proficient.
The AFP traveled to Honduras, Belize, and Guatemala and is heading to their last stop in Colombia. The deployment mission ends in mid-October.
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Image: US Navy