After a series of exercises at the TT Defence Force (TTDF) Military Academy in Corinth on Wednesday, as part of Continuing Promise 2023, TT-born military officer David Greene said it was an honor for him to be involved in the command’s continuing promise mission to help his native land.
“For me it’s not a pleasure. It’s actually an honour for me to be able to come back here, represent Southern Command and do something that is worthwhile and it’s going to benefit my country.”
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The US Southern Command officer is part of a mission involved the donation of field hospitals to the Government. He serves as deputy director of the Southern Command’s J7/9 exercises and coalition affairs directorate, and based in Florida.
US Ambassador Candace Bond observed and participated in some of the exercises at the academy.
A statement on the Southern Command’s website said, “By developing a well-trained workforce focused on innovative and cooperative solutions, the J7/9 establishes and enhances partnerships across the US government, international organisations, non-governmental organisations, the business sector, academia, and all aspects of civil society.”
Greene was born in San Fernando, and is a former student of Pleasantville Junior Secondary School. He left T&T for the US when he was 18, and has been working with the US Department of Defence for the last 30 years.
Green added that he was “born and raised right down the street here in San Fernando.”
He was pleased to be part of the Continuing Promise 2023, Medical Mission to Central America, South America and the Caribbean which involves the visit of the US Navy transport ship Burlington to T&T between September 2-10.
During that time, US military personnel from the Burlington will be engaged in a series of activities throughout the country.
Greene said, “The whole thing about Continuing Promise 2023 is really to build the capacity of nations such as TT and build your resiliency to better respond to humanitarian crises and health pandemics.”
Earlier in the day, Greene briefed Bond and TTDF Chief of Defence Staff, Vice Air Marshall Darryl Daniel about the two field hospitals donated by Southern Command to the Government.
He said, “Those two field hospitals were given in 2021 at a cost of approximately US$1.3 million and there is more.”
Greene added, “We will be working constantly with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) as well as TEMA (Tobago Emergency Management Agency) in Tobago.”
USNS Burlington (T-EPF 10) is deployed to Latin America and the Caribbean August – September 2023 as part of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet’s Continuing Promise 2023 mission. U.S. military medical teams will work alongside host nation medical personnel in Panama, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Grenada to provide care to citizens in community clinics. This deployment marks the 13th Continuing Promise mission to the region since 2007.
The Burlington will be in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago for eight days. During the ship’s time in port, the Continuing Promise 2023 team will work alongside Trinidad and Tobago’s medical experts and primary care providers to conduct medical engagements, reconstruction projects, humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) training, Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) symposiums, subject matter expert exchanges, and host several live performances by the U.S. Fleet Forces Band.
“The Continuing Promise 2023 mission allows us to learn from partner nations and collaborate in potential contingency operations,” said Master Chief Hospital Corpsman Ebenezer Atekwana, Senior Enlisted Leader for Continuing Promise 2023. “We’re thrilled to team up with medical experts from Trinidad and Tobago to enhance our partnership. Our time here is a valuable opportunity for mutual learning and improving the interoperability of our medical teams.”
