Second Team of HHS U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Officers Arrives on Board the USNS Comfort in Central America

The first HHS U.S. Public Health Service team aboard the USNS Comfort, in the ship's Wardroom, before rotating out for home. Bottom row, left to right: CAPT Craig Shepherd, HHS Officer in Charge; CAPT Mary Jean Herden, Executive Officer of the Comfort; CAPT Bruce Boynton, Commanding Officer of the Comfort; LT Amy Dayhoff, and LTJG Lisa Begay. Back row, left to right: LCDR Lori Goodman, CAPT Chris Brady; LCDR Karen Lee; LCDR Jennifer Tredway; CAPT Arturo Bravo; CDR Ulana Bodnar; CDR Dan Singer; LT William Williamson; LCDR Catherine Rockwell; LT Joseph Shurina; CDR Sheryl O’Shea; LCDR Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner; CDT Steve Johnson; and LCDR Harry Ko.

July 19, 2007 – On July 17, 2007, the hospital ship USNS Comfort arrived in Corinto, Nicaragua, as it continued its four-month humanitarian mission through Latin America and the Caribbean.

A second team of HHS U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps officers has joined the ship, including seven physicians, two dentists, four dental hygienists, two nurses, two environmental health officers, one engineer, and one veterinarian.

On the ship's last stop, in Colón, Panamá, Comfort personnel treated nearly 5,000 patients during a four-day site visit at the Al Brown Arena. In addition, Comfort personnel treated approximately 20,000 patients at Juan Antonio Núñez Policentro and Amador Guerrero Hospital in Colón, for an overall total of nearly 25,000 Panamanian patients.

For more information:

• Mission to Latin America and Caribbean
• At Sea and on Shore with the USNS Comfort
• USNS Comfort Photo Gallery

Last revised: July 26, 2007