USS Robert G. Bradley (FFG 49) pulled into Sao Tome February 28, 2011, to begin maritime training with African Partners as part of the Africa Partnership Station (APS) West initiative.

During the port visit, the APS international staff and Robert G. Bradley crew will hold classes in small boat maintenance and retention and recruitment.

“We are looking forward to the opportunity to provide training in regional maritime domain awareness and boat coxswain and maintenance,” said Lieutenant William Pollak, Robert G. Bradley operations officer.

The training will focus on strengthening maritime capabilities in Sao Tome and build upon partnership capabilities in the region.

Robert G. Bradley is scheduled to visit Angola, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone in the next four months. During these visits, the ship will embark African students in order to conduct professional exchanges in many areas including seamanship, maritime law enforcement, medical readiness, oil spill management, non-commissioned officer development and navigation. The ship also carries, at the request of several non-government agencies, a large quantity of relief goods for the African coastal countries to include educational, humanitarian and goodwill material.

APS is an international security cooperation initiative, facilitated by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, the maritime component of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), aimed at strengthening global maritime partnerships through training and collaborative activities in order to improve maritime safety and security in Africa.