(photo by Air Force Airman 1st Class Danielle Grannan) Navy Cmdr. Shawn Safford, a surgeon onboard Comfort, operates on a 15 year old El Salvadorian boy June 29. Safford performed a torticollis release on the patient, relieving muscle tension in his neck to extend his range of motion.

CP09 Mission Commander Capt. Tom Negus expressed the sentiments of Comfort staff and crew during his speech at the closing ceremonies for El Salvador.

‘‘Though we arrived 11 days ago as neighbors,” Negus said, ‘‘I am proud to say that we depart as friends.”

The hard work of Comfort’s crew was evident in both the number of patients treated and the quality of care they received. The medical and dental staff triaged more than 19,000 patients and performed 185 surgeries. The veterinary staff treated 3,270 animals and the pharmacy filled 32,644 prescriptions. The optometry department dispensed 5,367 pairs of glasses and 2,062 pairs of sunglasses.

During the medical portion of the mission, Comfort medical staff treated patients at El Carmen School, Loma Largo School, Ramon Mendoza School, Jose Pantoja School, San Alejo School and on the island of Perico.

Another important part of the mission was the education and training exchanges between Comfort crew members and host nation personnel through both ‘‘hands on” sessions and classroom lectures. More than 2,000 students across all disciplines were given classes on topics ranging from tropical diseases in the area, dental health, and more. El Salvadorian instructors were also on board for two days to help instruct the students and Comfort staff.

Veterinarians and preventive medicine physicians from Comfort provided ‘‘roving” services throughout the region, ensuring that the needs of the animal population on the island were not forgotten. Teams did everything from vaccinate household pets to deworm cattle on area farms.

The mission also provided a means to soothe the soul through the universal language of music provided by the Air Force South Band.

The band appeared in several different concerts at official ceremonies and medical sites. It also played with the El Salvadorian military band and a local Salvadoran group.

In addition, the band shared musical instruction with local music students.

Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 202 Seabees also played a large part in the success of the mission through several community relations projects. The Seabees arrived in El Salvador with two main missions. The first was to work at the Caserio Havillal to replace walls, repair the roof, put in a new electrical system and construct a kitchen area.

The second mission was at the local Lions Club where they installed a chain link fence, completed electrical upgrades, repaired a bathroom and ceiling tiles, replaced a leaking roof and painted the facilities.

Comfort crews also enjoyed playing both soccer and baseball with members of the El Salvadorian military, gaining many new friends in the process.

CP09 combines U.S. military and interagency personnel, non-governmental organizations, academic and partner nations to provide medical, dental, and engineering services afloat and ashore alongside host nation personnel.

Non-governmental organizations also contributed greatly to this mission through volunteer work with the medical and dental staff and by giving donations.

Comfort is currently in Nicaragua for the seventh and final stop of its deployment.

Among the medical personnel onboard the hospital ship, roughly 200 are from the National Naval Medical Center.