Congo: High Speed Vessel Swift Conducts TSC Visit

Congolese navy sailors greeted the crew of High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2) after they arrived in Pointe Noire to conduct a theater security cooperation (TSC) visit as part of Africa Partnership Station (APS) 2012, May 15.

During the visit, members of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force Africa (SPMAGTF) 12-2, Security Cooperation Team Six, will conduct classroom engagements aboard Swift to share knowledge and skills with the Congolese military.

“We want to see their capabilities with everything from infantry skills to the gear they use,” said Marine Sgt. Oscar G. Crespo Gallegos, a SPMAGTF 12-2 instructor. “This is an area that deals with a lot of different situations, so we can adjust our classes based on what they’ve already seen before.”

As part of the training, members of the Congolese military will share basic infantry skills, hand-signal communication, non-lethal weapons tactics, and leadership lessons.

Sailors and Marines will also have time to interact with the local military, experience the local culture and build friendships.

“I’m looking forward to learning about the culture,” said Seaman Krystopher Weir. “But the most interesting part will be seeing the arts and crafts, and listening to the music.”

During the visit, Swift will offload water filtration units as part of Project Handclasp. Project Handclasp founded in 1962, is a non-profit humanitarian organization that works in partnership with the U.S. Navy. It accepts donations from individuals and organizations across the United States and the donations are then transported worldwide using available space on U.S. Navy ships.

Swift will continue to visit ports-of-call in Africa as it begins support of Africa Partnership Station. APS is an international security cooperation initiative, facilitated by Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, aimed at strengthening global maritime partnerships through training and collaborative activities in order to improve maritime safety and security in Africa.

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Naval Today Staff , May 17, 2012; Image: navy