More Navy ships take on humanitarian missions

NORFOLK

The amphibious assault ship Kearsarge arrived home Tuesday morning after four months of spreading goodwill.

Its crew of more than 1,000 toured the Caribbean, visiting South and Central American countries to bring medical care, engineering expertise and humanitarian assistance.

The team included service members from various military branches, as well as civilians from non governmental organizations. They operated on patients, built and renovated schools, delivered relief to hurricane victims and more.

The Kearsarge is just one of the Norfolk-based ships that has undertaken such a mission in recent months, and these deployments signal a shift in the military's role on the world stage. As these ships arrive on distant shores, their goal is to back up U.S. talk of friendship with action.

The hope, say the ships' commanders, is that these tours will pay off for everyone.

"It was a mission of compassion," said Capt. Frank Ponds, commander of Amphibious Squadron 8, who traveled aboard the Kearsarge. "It shows our commitment to the region and it improves the U.S.'s image throughout the world."

In the years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the military has rethought its role. The result was a plan, released jointly by the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard late last year, dubbed "A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower."

It calls for, among other things, an increased use of "soft power," with the maritime military going forth to spread goodwill by strengthening international partnerships and providing humanitarian assistance.

While the strategy's language is relatively straightforward, its concepts must be brought down to the tactical, personal level to be useful.

In the Kearsarge's case, its medical teams provided services to nearly 200,000 people and flew more than 200 people to the ship for surgery.

In Haiti, where the ship diverted in September after a series of storms, its air crews delivered more than 30 metric tons of relief supplies to otherwise unreachable parts of the island.

In the case of the cruiser San Jacinto, which spent seven months in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean and Black seas earlier this year, larger projects focused on search-and-rescue techniques and maritime security.

In Senegal, which had experienced a ferry accident several years before, the ship's sailors trained helicopter crews and rescue swimmers.

When Capt. Matthew Sharpe, the ship's commanding officer, learned that one of the country's primary power boats was ailing, he sent a mechanic ashore to tune it up, greatly increasing the boat's horsepower in the process.

This non traditional interaction is possible, Sharpe said, "once we have our combat readiness sorted out. We can approach in a non threatening manner, go to contested areas and work with new folks."

The non threatening approach can be used even in the tensest of situations. When some of Sharpe's crew boarded a ship to verify an arms shipment, they didn't come empty handed.

Once they saw everything was well on board, they offered the other crew a plate of warm cookies.

"The power of the freshly baked cookie has proven itself in several theaters," Sharpe said.

Both Americans and their allies have something to gain from this type of cooperation, he said. "This is not just about American interests, but world interests."

Cmdr. Daniel Shaw agrees. His dock landing ship Fort McHenry returned in May from a deployment to West Africa's Gulf of Guinea.

"Small gains are the seed corn for a long, productive relationship" he said, and they're driven by intensive, pre-trip planning with the host governments.

These plans, Shaw said, "don't take a big defense budget nor fancy hardware, but they're the meat of what we do in the military."

While on tour, Shaw's sailors trained crews off the coast of Sao Tome and Principe, helping them with their ship identification system and creating a safer environment that, he said, benefits everyone.

"Where security is enhanced, trade among nations, training opportunities and idea exchanges are formed in a very positive meaningful way," he said, adding that this only comes "through a consistent, persistent presence."

And when the ships head for home, the hope is that they leave something useful behind.

Shaw's crew developed a basic welding course that it then taught to several nations. The Kearsarge, meanwhile, helped Guyana develop a medical care delivery program that the country's health ministry will continue, said the ship's commanding officer, Capt. Walter Towns.

Shaw said the term "soft power" is inaccurate for these types of missions.

"The strongest bond you have is the trust you build with the people you work with," he said.

"If you can solve a problem today by showing a guy how to maintain fishing waters, showing him how to deal with piracy, you won't have to deal with all-out war.

"I think there's just nothing but good that's coming out of this."

Matthew Jones, (757) 446-2949, matthew.jones@pilotonline.com