USNS Comfort to deploy for three-month humanitarian mission in Latin America
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The Norfolk-based USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) is set to begin a three-month deployment on Friday morning as part of the U.S. Navy's Continuing Promise 2025.
The Mercy-class hospital ship will provide humanitarian and medical aid in mission visits to Grenada, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica and the Dominion Republic.
This marks the U.S. Navy's 16th mission to the region since 2007 and the eight aboard the USNS Comfort.
The medical units that will be on board for this mission will have various skillsets, including dental, family medicine, internal medicine, optometry, nursing, pharmacy, biomedical repair, lab, radiology, X-ray, veterinary medicine and global health engagement.
The USNS Comfort has one of the largest trauma facilities in the world and when activated, can transition to full operating status in five days. Full operating status includes the crew of civil service mariners and Navy medical personnel.
The USNS Comfort has additionally provided relief after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Maria.
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