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**Contact: ENS Megan Shutka**

**Africa Partnership Station Public Affairs**

**Mobile +34-659-460-531**

**e-mail: <shutkam@lsd43.navy.mil>**

**web: [www.c6f.navy.mil/aps](http://www.c6f.navy.mil/aps)**

For Immediate Release 5 November 2007

**Africa Partnership Station Arrives in Dakar, Senegal**

***By Mass Communication Specialist 3^rd^ Class (AW/SW) RJ Stratchko,
Africa Partnership Station Public Affairs***

DAKAR, Senegal -- The Africa Partnership Station (APS) arrived at Dakar,
Senegal, the first port of its seven-month deployment, aboard the
Amphibious Dock Landing Ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43). APS is an
international effort aiming to enhance regional and maritime safety and
security in West and Central Africa. APS includes African, European and
American Sailors all on the same staff, working towards a common goal,
partnership in maritime safety and security, and is bringing an
international team of expert trainers in a variety of military
capacities, and a handful of civilian fields such as fisheries
management. ![](media/image2.png){width="1.5625in"
height="2.1041666666666665in"}

While the Navy has conducted training during routine deployments in West
Africa for years, the size and focus of the APS mission is new and
different.

"This \[APS\] is much more than you have ever brought here before," said
Jean Baptiste Faye, Chief of Operations for the Senegalese Navy, during
meetings with Capt. John Nowell, Commodore for APS. "Before, it was
always a few members of one visiting ship, offering a little training.
This time, you're coming with ship riders, with more training, and it is
much more elaborate."

With APS, training is conducted as requested by the partner countries.
In Senegal, that means traditional military training, such as
engineering and small boat handling, plus a handful of specialty areas.

"APS is deployed in Dakar to carry out military training, and civilian
events in the field of the environment, \[including\] National Oceanic
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). We also have organized a meeting with
Africa Center of Strategy Securities (ACSS). This is not only military,
but this mission has a larger view about the continent," said Lt. Cmdr.
Bertrand Daniel, a French Navy officer and member of the APS planning
team.

In addition to his planning duties, Daniel has also served as a
translator between English and French-speaking partners.

"As a French speaking officer aboard, I helped the relations between the
harbor pilot and the captain. I also know the area because I was the
commanding officer of the Hydrographic Survey Ship Laplace (A 791), when
we had a port visit to Dakar, Senegal," said Daniel.

But APS is more than training. APS will conduct large Community Relation
(COMREL) projects in each of the countries visited.

"We have a couple of community relation projects set up, one with an
elementary school in town where we are taking 25 Sailors to finish
painting the interior. Second is an orphanage that needs some concrete
construction about two hours away, where a crew of 20 Sailors, Seabees
and Beach Master personnel will be working," said Lt. Paul Wigginton,
Chaplain for Fort McHenry and the APS COMREL coordinator.

Africa Partnership Station 2007 is a U.S. Naval Forces Europe-led
initiative, executed by a multi-national staff aboard Fort McHenry and
High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2). Commander Task Group 60.4 and training
teams from various U.S. and European military commands, as well as
governmental and non-governmental organizations are embarked on board
Fort McHenry to enhance cooperative partnerships with regional maritime
services in West and Central Africa and the Gulf of Guinea on a
seven-month deployment.