NOVEMBER 8, 2022 – Hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) moored in Puerto Cortes, Honduras, following the passage of Hurricane Lisa, in support of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet’s Continuing Promise 2022 (CP22) mission, Nov. 3.
Due to Hurricane Lisa, a group of Continuing Promise personnel debarked the Comfort on Oct. 31 for travel to Honduras to continue scheduled subject matter expert exchanges (SMEEs) at local hospitals, the Red Cross, and a Women, Peace, Security (WPS) Initiative gender-based violence workshop and veterinarian related events.
This visit marks the second of five mission stops as part of CP22 and the sixth visit to Honduras as part of Continuing Promise since 2007.
“I’m extremely excited that Continuing Promise is returning to my home country of Honduras,” said Capt. Juan De Jesus of the Honduran Navy, deputy commander for Continuing Promise 2022. “I look forward to the training and subject matter expert exchanges that will enable participants to learn from each other and develop the capacity to work together in possible contingency operations. Strengthening relationships with our partner nations is key to building capacity and capabilities that will lead to regional solutions for regional problems.”
During the second stop of CP22, Comfort will provide medical surgeries aboard the ship, medical services at Instituto Oficial Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Puerto Cortes and the town of Omoa.
Personnel from Joint Task Force-Bravo, based in Honduras, will lead the expeditionary medical site in Omoa. Services at these two sites will include adult care, pediatric care, dental, optometry, women’s health, and various ancillary support services.
When the Comfort arrives, the Fleet Forces Band will perform with civilian and military bands and conduct musical exchanges with local youth organizations.
CP22 crewmembers will take time to paint a school as part of a restoration project, visit an orphanage with the bank, and attend Catholic mass with residents of the area.
The crew of the Comfort also includes military personnel from other partner nations including Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Netherlands the United Kingdom and more than a dozen non-governmental organizations.
Since its inaugural mission in 2007, Continuing Promise missions have treated more than 582,000 patients and conducted over 7,000 surgeries in the region. Comfort’s current mission will be the 12th Continuing Promise mission conducted in the Caribbean, Central and South America.
U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet supports U.S. Southern Command’s joint and combined military operations by employing maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations to maintain access, enhance interoperability, and build enduring partnerships in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American region.
From Chief Petty Officer Lewis Hunsaker, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command / U.S. 4th Fleet