General Keen's Blog: The Power of Partnerships

By Army Lt. Gen. Ken Keen
Commander, Joint Task Force(Haiti) 
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti : My time spent here in Haiti has been a journey to say the least. I have been fortunate to be part of a mission that carries with it a level of importance that I could never begin to describe with words. I've also been fortunate to have a number of teammates with me at every step of the way. I am a firm believer that having strong partnerships in any operation, but particularly in a humanitarian one like Operation Unified Response, is the difference between success and failure.

In October 1984, I was a battalion operations officer with the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment. I was participating in a one-month airborne exchange program with the Brazil Airborne Brigade in Rio de Janeiro. During my stay, I had the opportunity to meet then-Army Capt. Floriano Peixoto, an infantry pathfinder instructor in the Brazilian brigade. Little did I know that 26 years later he and I would be commanding troops in Haiti. Over the years, we kept in touch and our paths occasionally crossed. The partnership we formed nearly three decades ago was rooted in our understanding of each other's culture, language and operability. And the fact that we are soldiers, paratroopers and brothers-in-arms made the bond between us even stronger. Soon after the Jan. 12, 7.0-magnitude earthquake, I sought out the United Nations' military forces. And knowing Maj. Gen. Peixoto was the commander, I knew I had a friend, ally and partner to assist us in delivering humanitarian relief to the people of Haiti. Since we had known each other for years, we didn't have to go through the standard protocols and introductions that usually occur when military leaders of two nations meet for the first time. He and I both agreed that saving lives and mitigating the suffering of the Haitian people was the goal. We wasted no time and immediately went to work, drafting up a plan to provide immediate relief. From the start, it was clear Joint Task Force Haiti would operate within the envelope of a safe and secure environment. Maj. Gen. Peixoto's force of roughly 4,000 soldiers in Port-au-Prince would provide the necessary security so U.S. forces could support the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission. Having been in command for nearly a year and possessing extensive previous experience in Haiti, Maj. Gen. Peixoto and his staff had the situational awareness and clear understanding of the atmospherics on the ground. Bringing the U.S. and U.N. staffs together on such short notice gave us a common operating picture and assisted us in supporting the delivery of food, water and emergency medical care. This would not have been possible if it wasn't for the trust and partnership we shared. The result was a classic case study in international partnering and how to coordinate and collaborate in a humanitarian crisis. As Operation Unified Response approaches the three-month mark, looking back I can list a number of lessons learned. But one that stands out above the others is that the power of partnerships can never be underestimated. The friendship Maj. Gen. Peixoto and I established 26 years ago is proof that partnerships play an essential role in international operations. It not only strengthened our collective approach to accomplishing the mission here in Haiti, but it ensured success in a very complex and dynamic environment.

Biographies: Army Lt. Gen. P.K. "Ken" Keen  Related Sites: Haiti Earthquake Relief

U.S. and Afghan National Army soldiers

 U.S. and Afghan National Army soldiers conduct a key leader engagement near Makhtum, Afghanistan, March 10, 2010. The U.S. Soldiers are from 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. (DoD photo by 2nd Lt. Jeff Hall, U.S. Army/Released)

Gates, Mullen Extend Military Support to Mexico

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, right, and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, back right, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, exchange greetings with U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Carlos Pascual and Mexican officials after arriving in Mexico City, March 22, 2010. DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison 

A harbor security boat escorts the Los Angeles

A harbor security boat escorts the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Annapolis (SSN 760) as the ship departs Souda Bay, Crete, March 20, 2010, following a routine port visit. (DoD photo by Paul Farley, U.S. Navy/Released)

Explaining to Bangladeshi sailors a new skill

U.S. Navy Mineman 3rd Class Joshua Halbrooks, second from right, explains to Bangladeshi sailors how the "candy cane" he holds is used to direct bomb disposal experts to the location of underwater mines March 18, 2010, during a subject matter exchange aboard the mine countermeasures ship USS Patriot (MCM 7) in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The visual communication device involves no electronic transmission, which could detonate a mine. Patriot is visiting Chittagong to train alongside the Bangladeshi navy. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Richard Doolin, U.S. Navy/Released)

Afghan Highway Police

An Afghan Highway Police officer stands watch during a joint reconnaissance mission with U.S. Soldiers from 8th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment in Robat, Afghanistan, March 17, 2010. (DoD photo by Master Sgt. Juan Valdes, U.S. Air Force/Released)

Haitians transfer wood and other supplies from trucks to boats

Haitians transfer wood and other supplies from trucks to boats in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, March 16, 2010, to transport the goods across water. Department of Defense elements and nongovernmental organizations are in the area in support of Operation Unified Response, a multinational effort to assist Haitians affected by the 7.0-magintude earthquake that struck the region Jan. 12, 2010. (DoD photo by Pvt. Cody Barber, U.S. Army/Released)

A U N peacekeeper with children during a patrol in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

A United Nations peacekeeper from Brazil walks alongside children during a patrol in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, March 16, 2010. Service members and nongovernmental organizations are deployed to Haiti in support of Operation Unified Response, a multinational effort to assist Haitians affected by the 7.0-magintude earthquake that struck the region Jan. 12, 2010. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David A Frech, U.S. Navy/Released)

Live-fire exercise

U.S. Navy Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Recruit Chanda Axton fires a salute battery during a live-fire exercise aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) while under way in the Pacific Ocean March 12, 2010. Nimitz and embarked Carrier Air Wing 11 are en route to the United States after an eight-month deployment to the Arabian Sea in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John Philip Wagner Jr., U.S. Navy/Released)

Jessica Wood box of supplies

U.S. Navy Ensign Jessica Wood hands Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Muhammad Aadam a box of supplies during a Project Handclasp delivery at the Essikadu Hospital in Sekondi, Ghana, March 12, 2010. The service members are both assigned to the Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44), which is on a scheduled deployment in West Africa in support of Africa Partnership Station (APS) West. APS-West is an international initiative developed by U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Africa that is aimed at improving maritime safety and security on the African continent. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John Stratton, U.S. Navy/Released)

Steam through the South China Sea

From forward, Philippine navy ship BRP Dagupan City (LC 551), amphibious transport dock USS Denver (LPD 9) and the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) steam through the South China Sea March 14, 2010, in formation during a photo exercise as a part of exercise Balikatan 2010. Balikatan 2010 is an annual, bilateral exercise designed to improve interoperability between the United States and the Philippines. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark R. Alvarez, U.S. Navy/Released)

Combat information center aboard

U.S. Navy Operations Specialist 3rd Class Eric Tan stands watch in the combat information center aboard the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) while under way in the South China Sea March 12, 2010, during a detect-to-engage drill. Essex is participating in exercise Balikatan 2010, an annual, bilateral exercise designed to improve interoperability between the United States and the Philippines. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Greg Johnson, U.S. Navy/Released)

Afghan women

Afghan women present Ching Eikenberry, wife of the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry, a handmade shawl and necklace during her visit to Ghazni City, Afghanistan, March 7, 2010. Eikenberry’s trip highlighted the achievements and progress of Afghan women on International Women’s Day. (DoD photo  by 2nd Lt. Katherine Roling, U.S. Air Force/Released.

An abandon ship drill in the Caribbean Sea

U.S. Sailors from USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) conduct an abandon ship drill March 8, 2010, while in the Caribbean Sea. More than 900 Sailors participated in the drill, which was designed to educate crewmembers on the safest means to disembark the ship in the event of an emergency. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew Jackson, U.S. Navy/Released)

How to communicate

U.S. Navy Ensign Emily Pena, an engineering officer aboard the guided-missile frigate USS Nicholas (FFG 47), instructs an Africa Partnership Station East student on how to communicate ship coordinates with the bridge during a man overboard drill in the Indian Ocean Feb. 26, 2010. Nicholas is deployed with high-speed vessel Swift (HSV 2) as part of Africa Partnership Station East, an international initiative developed by Naval Forces Europe and Naval Forces Africa to improve maritime safety and security on the African continent. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Tracey L. Whitley, U.S. Navy/Released)

A tugboat

A tugboat pulls alongside USS Houston (SSN 713) during the vessel’s arrival in Subic Bay, Philippines, Feb. 26, 2010, for a port visit. (DoD photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy/Released)