ABOARD USS IWO JIMA, Atlantic Ocean -- The U.S. ambassador to Haiti and distinguished visitors toured the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima off the coast of Port-de-Paix, Haiti, July 30.
Distinguished visitors flew from shore to ship via H-60 Sea Hawk helicopter.
The distinguished visitors include Kenneth Merten, U.S. ambassador to Haiti; Shayne Gilbert, Chief of Joint Operations and Tasking Center; Marine Lt. Col. Charles S. Royer, the deputy chief of military operations for United Nations stability in Haiti, Uruguay Navy Capt. Gonzalo Cunarro, Chief Maritime Operations MINUSTAH and Lefrancois Pascale, Special Advisor on Humanitarian Affairs to the Deputy of the Special Representative of the Secretary of the UN.
Navy Capt. Michael T. Hopkins, the senior medical officer of the USS Iwo Jima, escorted the group throughout the ship’s medical facility to include the triage, surgery room, ward room, sick call area, dental and optometry department.
Hopkins explained what the ship’s medical compartments consist of, how many people can be treated within the compartment and how the medical team on board is supporting Continuing Promise 2010 in Port-de-Paix, Haiti.
“My corpsman, nurses and doctors work hard at what they do,” said Hopkins. “They put the same amount of care and effort into Haitians as they would to their Marines and Sailors.”
Continuing Promise personnel are currently visiting Port-de-Paix, Haiti conducting engineering missions, medical, dental, and veterinary services to the local community. Haiti is one of eight countries to be visited in the Caribbean, Central and South America.