Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Burlington (T-EPF 10) arrived in Jamaica’s Kingston Harbour on Tuesday (July 9) as part of US Naval Forces Southern Command’s ‘Continuing Promise 2024’.

In the wake of Hurricane Beryl, the USNS Burlington added additional emergency supplies that will be delivered to the Government of Jamaica during the visit to assist in its recovery and as part of the United States’ enduring commitment to the ‘Land of Wood and Water’ and its people.  

“Continuing Promise is an important symbol of our ongoing commitment to the people of Latin America and the Caribbean, and we truly value this opportunity to support our Jamaican partners in this time of great need”, said Lieutenant Commander Zachary Smith, mission commander for Continuing Promise 2024.

Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Colonel General Staff Dameon Creary, noted that the deployment demonstrates the shared values and dedication to humanitarian assistance, disaster response and community development between the JDF and US Naval Forces Southern Command.

“We look forward to working alongside our US counterparts to make a positive impact in Jamaica, not only in efforts following Hurricane Beryl, but also in medical activities to benefit our veterans and community members, as well as Women, Peace, and Security initiatives,” Creary stated. “Undeniably, the Continuing Promise Mission 2024 will also further enhance our HA/DR capabilities as we prepare to deploy locally and regionally to support restoration activities.”

Approximately 20 mission personnel will work alongside partner nation medical personnel to provide direct patient care and technical expertise in community clinics to improve medical readiness, strengthen partnerships, and enhance the combined capabilities of the US Navy and partner nations to respond to public health disasters and humanitarian crises.

“We are ready to collaborate with our Jamaican partners and learn from each other at this difficult time,” said Lieutenant Paul Bastianelli, a pharmacist from Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. “I’m excited for the back and forth with everyone that’s there. Hopefully, we can give some good recommendations to them and they can give us good recommendations as well.”

Continuing Promise 2024 is also partnering with several non-federal entities (NFEs) to provide training and supplies while in Jamaica, including Food for the Poor, University of Miami, Pacific Disaster Center, and the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Services, and Mobile Security Deployment, which marks the first foreign military assistance for the island since Hurricane Beryl’s landfall on July 3.

Continuing Promise 2024 is the 14th iteration of the mission, which has visited the Caribbean, Central and South America, since 2007. The mission aims to foster goodwill, strengthen existing partnerships with partner nations, and encourage the establishment of new partnerships among countries, non-government organizations, and international organisations.

According to Smith, this deployment improves the US Navy’s ability to work together with partners by participating in partner-led medical, veterinary, engineering, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, and Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) engagement events. 

Burlington carries a medical engagement team, a veterinary element, an engineering element (US Navy Seabees), and a military detachment to each of the five mission stops to carry out the mission.

Continuing Promise 2024 will feature joint disaster preparedness training exercises and exchanges between US Navy personnel and members of the Jamaican Defence Force (JDF), demonstrating the nearly 62-year partnership between the two nations’ militaries and preparing the island for future disasters.

After the Jamaica stop, Continuing Promise will continue with visits to Costa Rica, Honduras, Colombia, and Panama.