PUERTO CORTES, Honduras (Aug. 2, 2024) – The Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Burlington (T-EPF 10) departed from Puerto Cortes, Honduras, Aug. 2, after completing its third scheduled mission stop as part of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet’s Continuing Promise 2024.

“I think we made just as much impact on the people of Honduras as we did in previous mission stops,” said Lt. Cmdr. Zachary Smith, mission commander for Continuing Promise 2024.

During their visit, U.S. Navy biomedical equipment technicians serviced and repaired over 30 pieces of equipment valued at over $260,000, surpassing the initial plan. The mission’s medical professionals, who visited four different sites and worked alongside Honduran medical professionals from the Honduran Ministry of Health, treated more than 550 Honduran patients and filled over 2,000 prescriptions.

“My favorite experience in Honduras was being able to participate in the outpatient visits at Mario Catarino Rivas Hospital,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Meaghan Allen. “It was rewarding to be able to provide services to the people there.”

Additionally, a team of veterinarians from the U.S. Army’s 248th Medical Detachment Veterinary Service Support worked with U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Task Force-Bravo to train over 100 Honduran veterinary students in animal care and surgery. Together, they conducted spay and neuter surgeries and provided medical care to over 200 pets.

Meanwhile, ten U.S. Navy construction professionals, known as Seabees, spent more than 270 man-hours completing two building projects at Ciudad Mujer in San Pedro Sula. They extended a concrete pad for ambulances, installed outdoor roller shades in waiting areas, and put up an awning over a children’s playground.

Ciudad Mujer was also the focus for two other lines of effort during this mission stop. Women, Peace and Security (WPS) seminars, held at Ciudad Mujer, attracted over 100 participants from a variety of local and national human rights and gender violence non-government organizations, as well as local government leadership, across two multi-day workshops. Continuing Promise also partnered with the Honduran Navy to hold a military-to-military roundtable discussion on WPS and the importance of gender-based violence issues. WPS is a critical part of Continuing Promise 2024 mission, focusing on addressing and preventing gender-based violence in local communities at each mission stop.

The U.S. Fleet Forces Band “Uncharted Waters,” performed six concerts at various locations in Puerto Cortes and San Pedro Sula. Additionally, the band gave talks and musical demos to an audience of about 600 children from public schools and a local orphanage, young Special Olympics athletes, and youth from USG-supported Outreach Centers in and around San Pedro Sula. The band also offered a free concert for an enthusiastic crowd of about 330 people who filled Centro Cultural Sampedrano’s large auditorium.

“We brought our two nations closer by playing our music for each other,” said Musician 2nd Class Daniel Honeycutt, a member of “Uncharted Waters,” “I learned a lot about Honduran culture through listening to these very talented students. Our final show at the San Pedro Sula Cultural Center is an experience that I will never forget. The energy and enthusiasm in the audience was special for that performance.”

Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training was conducted over three days, involving U.S Department of Defense civilian and U.S. Navy active-duty personnel training members of the Honduran Permanent Contingency Commission on post-disaster emergency on the water.

Cultural exchange was a key component of the mission, highlighted by three community relation projects (COMRELs) in Honduras. These included a sports day between the U.S. Army and Navy with the Honduran Navy, an event at the Central Park Greenhouse in Puerto Cortés, and planting shrubbery in Central Park in Puerto Cortés. “I participated in a COMREL where we interacted with the Honduran military,” said Allen. “Even though there was language barrier, the passion and fun in the exchange were evident.”

USNS Burlington moves on to its next mission stop of Continuing Promise 2024 in Cartagena, Columbia, followed by the final stop in Panama.

USNAVSOUTH/FOURTHFLT is the trusted maritime partner for Caribbean, Central and South American maritime forces leading to greater unity, security and stability. Learn more about USNAVSOUTH/4th Fleet at https://www.fourthfleet.navy.mil, https://www.facebook.com/NAVSOUS4THFLT, and @NAVSOUS4THFLT.