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Hospital Ship Comfort

USNS Comfort Completes Humanitarian Work in Guatemala

The USNS Comfort set sail on Monday, July 2, en route to Panama to continue its humanitarian assistance mission throughout Latin America. While in Guatemala, USNS Comfort medical staff assisted 14,526 patients on shore and 1,600 at its facilities on board. They also imparted 224 classes to 6,927 alumni, and provided 668 veterinary services. An estimated $11,200 were used by technical personnel for equipment repairs in Guatemalan clinics.

One of the most moving stories for the ship's medical staff was that of Elvira Cab, a Guatemalan woman and her son-in-law who walked almost five miles, traveled nearly six hours by truck and spent four nights in a hotel on a trip to the National Hospital in Puerto Barrios so she could undergo surgery June 28 aboard the U.S. Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20). (see full story)

U.S. Navy ship unloads heavy equipment to be used in New Horizons Exercise 2007.

U.S. Navy ship unloads heavy equipment used in New Horizons Exercise 2007. (enlarge photo)

Model Clinic of the type to be built by New Horizons Exercise 2007.

Model Clinic of the type built by New Horizons Exercise 2007. (enlarge photo)

New Horizons Exercise San Marcos 2007

The goal of the New Horizons exercise is to bring assistance to those in need. In 2007, New Horizons took place in San Marcos in northwestern Guatemala from March to May.

The exercise constructed schools, clinics and wells and provided medical assistance. In order to do so, the U.S. Navy transported heavy equipment to Guatemala between the end of January and mid-March.

Read the Statement by Ambassador James Derham during the Press Conference about New Horizons 2007.

Read the Remarks by Ambassador James Derham during the Inauguration Ceremony of New Horizons 2007.

Fact Sheets about New Horizons San Marcos 2007:

Military Group

The mission of the United States Military Group in Guatemala is to support the Ambassador's goals and objectives working through the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Southern Command to the U.S. Department of Defense.

Objectives:

Support U.S. Embassy efforts to enhance host country military professionalism.
Support U.S. Embassy efforts to enhance regional cooperation, working with the region's militaries, non-governmental organizations, and multi-national agencies.
Reinforce the role of the military in a democracy with respect to the rule of law.
Develop, implement, and support programs that encourage leadership in and commitment to multilateral peacekeeping activities in concert with U.S. and United Nations goals.
Develop a base of interoperability between the Guatemalan Army and U.S. Armed Forces.
When authorized by the U.S. Congress, develop and implement Department of Defense security assistance programs.
Maintain an open, professional dialogue with the senior leadership of the Guatemalan Army.

The U.S. Military Group supports other agencies within the U.S. Embassy in counter-drug efforts; coordinates search and rescue support for U.S. military activities in the region; coordinates emergency disaster relief support; and conducts humanitarian and civic assistance exercises in different regions of Guatemala.

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