The Mercy-class hospital ship USNS Comfort departed from Port of Spain, Trinidad, Aug. 11, 2025, the last mission stop of Continuing Promise 2025. During the seven-day visit, the team worked alongside locals to provide medical care and construction project support, community relations events and side-by-side training.
"We came to Trinidad to share our skills and resources, but we leave with a far greater understanding of their culture, their resilience and their community," said Navy Capt. Ryan Kendall, commodore of Destroyer Squadron 40 and CP25 mission commander. "The experience has been transformative for our team, reinforcing the importance of cultural exchange and the power of working together to address common challenges. This engagement has identified new avenues for partnership and further solidified our interoperability, paving the way for even more impactful collaborations in the future, not just with Trinidad and Tobago, but throughout the region."
At the medical site, located in the National Academy for the Performing Arts in Port of Spain, 1,583 patients received general medical attention and 377 received dental care. Optometry services included 509 eye examinations with 650 pairs of glasses and 503 sunglasses issued.
The dental team performed 212 extractions, 126 fillings and 39 cleanings, while the pharmacy filled 2,825 prescriptions. Aboard the Comfort, surgeons conducted 46 procedures, including critical surgeries for two young boys — a laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair and a cleft lip repair.
"The Trinbagonian patients who came through were really grateful and kind when we treated them. They are the kind of people who only ask for what they need and [these were] some of the best interactions I've had in my nine-year naval career," said Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Paula Haefner, a hospital corpsman assigned to the Comfort. "We took care of the patients before and after surgery, administering medication [and] keeping them fed and comfortable while they waited for procedures."
Beyond direct patient care, the mission facilitated valuable knowledge exchange. Subject matter expert exchanges engaged 458 participants and included tactical combat casualty care training for Trinidad's emergency response canine teams, equine care workshops and preventative medicine focused on insect-borne diseases.
Furthermore, Comfort team members shadowed caregivers at Port of Spain General Hospital, gaining insight into their operations and observing their capabilities to better prepare for future missions.
While medical care remained the core objective, service members also embraced opportunities to connect with the local community. A soccer game brought together U.S. service members and the Trinidad Air Guard in friendly competition.
The U.S. Fleet Forces Band "Uncharted Waters" fostered cultural understanding through music. Before their joint performance, the band took time to learn about the unique musical instruments of the Trinidad and Tobago National Steel Symphony Orchestra. Then they shared the stage, delighting a combined audience of citizens and U.S. service members. In total, the band performed at five events, reaching an audience of 1,070 people.
"This is my first time in Trinidad, and on the last night we played with the Phase II [Pan Groove] steelpan group," said Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Brendon Emerson, a trumpet player assigned to "Uncharted Waters." "It was my first time hearing steelpans live, and it was one of the most amazing concerts I've ever been to. Before that, we had a subject matter exchange with the National Steel [Symphony Orchestra], where we performed for each other several times before experimenting with each other's instruments and learning about their unique playing techniques. I'm definitely looking forward to returning to Trinidad."
Beyond medical care and training, the CP25 team also focused on community infrastructure. Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11 carried out much-needed repairs at Lochmaben R.C. Primary School. Their work included patching stairs, adding a concrete pillar for structural support, installing three electrical panels and replacing the water pump with both a main and backup system, as well as addressing general plumbing repairs.
While CP25 operations were underway, Comfort team members also provided opportunities for locals to tour the ship and learn about its capabilities. Visitors walked through the operating rooms, the intensive care unit, patient recovery areas and the "Blue Mile," a hallway highlighting the ship's achievements and history. Mementos and gifts from the stop in Port of Spain, Trinidad, will soon be added to the "Blue Mile," serving as a lasting reminder of this mission for service members, civilian mariners and all who pass through.
CP25 marks the 16th mission to the region since 2007 and the eighth aboard USNS Comfort. The operation fosters goodwill, strengthens existing partnerships with partner nations and encourages the establishment of new partnerships among countries, nonfederal entities and international organizations.