US 5th Fleet kicks off first-ever Central Partnership Station exercise in Lebanon that pairs training, humanitarian aid (Megan Eckstein, Defense News)

The Military Sealift Command Expeditionary Fast Transport ship, USNS Choctaw County (T-EPF 2), arrives in Souda Bay for a scheduled port visit Dec. 30, 2015. Choctaw County is the second of 10 vessels designed for rapid intra-theater transportation of troops and military equipment. (Heather Judkins/US Navy)

U.S. 5th Fleet is beginning the inaugural Central Partnership Station exercise in Lebanon, meant to marry partner-building military training with humanitarian work in U.S. Central Command.

The exercise, which mirrors the partnership station series that have been conducted in U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, will grow the Lebanese Armed Forces’ ability to conduct missions like mine countermeasures, naval construction and disaster-related public health activities, as well as deliver goods like baby formula to the Middle East partner nation, 5th Fleet spokesman Cmdr. Tim Hawkins told Defense News.

US 5th Fleet kicks off first-ever Central Partnership Station exercise in Lebanon that pairs training, humanitarian aid (defensenews.com)