Aboard the Africa Partnership Station (APS) East platform high speed vessel Swift (HSV-2), it is a common occurrence to hear sailors call for the "sport officer." They are affectionately referring to APS East international staff officer Captain Philip Mulumba, of the Kenya navy.

APS East 2010 marks the first time an international staff was selected to execute this mission, which focuses on strengthening maritime safety and security in Africa. Staff officers from Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, Brazil and the United States manage everything from APS East operations, to in-port and at-sea training, public affairs, and community relations projects.

Mulumba is the assistant training officer as well as plans and assessment officer for the 2010 APS East mission. As the youngest member of the APS East staff, Mulumba has often been pinned with responsibility for extra duties such as organizing military-to-military scrimmages, hence "sport officer," and has lightheartedly been called "blood guy" for having managed a very successful APS East blood drive to support a local hospital in Maputo, Mozambique.

While colleagues may jest about his extra titles, Mulumba"s enthusiastic personality, interest in travel and international cultures, love of sports and commitment to the APS mission make him a popular shipmate aboard the Swift and well-suited for the APS East training mission.

"When it comes to choosing a utility team player," notes Lieutenant Travis Powell, Swift shipmate and Task Force 363 Operations Officer, "Philip Mulumba is the go-to guy. He"s very competent and does everything with a smile."

Selected to serve his country in 2002, Mulumba completed his basic military training at Kenya Military Academy and leadership training at Outward Bound Mountaineering School, which included an expedition up Mt. Kilimanjaro. Early in his career, Mulumba was chosen to attend the Young Officers Course at Brittania Royal Naval College, Dartmouth in the United Kingdom. In addition to serving as a communications officer, principal warfare officer, and an aide-de-camp to a Navy Commander, Mulumba is trained in counterterrorism, maritime operations, and host nation coordination.

Spend some time with Mulumba and you are likely to pick up that he is a joker himself. Among the APS international staff, Mulumba is known for his comic relief.

"I enjoy the moments when it is just the international APS staff gathered around," smiles Mulumba. "We"re telling jokes among each other and it is a great interlude from the busy schedule."

Mulumba says that even during the most serious moments, someone from the APS staff will crack a joke, usually him, and lighten the mood. "I"ve found out by telling jokes, that there are similarities among us no matter where we are from," admits Mulumba.

At the core of his responsibilities, Mulumba helps prepare logistics for in port and at sea APS training courses. The ships bring teams of maritime experts from the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps to provide training and participate in exercises with their African counterparts. Combat lifesaving; damage control; law of war; visit, board, search and seizure; small boat operations/maintenance and physical security are just a few of the capabilities onboard.

In addition to in port instruction, almost 60 international shipboard riders have participated in at-sea training aboard the Nicholas. Riders from Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Mauritius have been underway for extended periods of time and spent their days not only learning basic watch-standing principles, leadership skills, damage control and engineering, but also building relationships with sailors from the other APS partner nations.

Asked about what he will carry back to his own navy after the APS experience, Mulumba discussed the use of visual aids to teach.

"We have used visual aids at home, but not as much as I see in APS," said Mulumba, "the benefit is that what you see never disappears, while what you hear may not last forever."

APS East is an international cooperative initiative aimed at strengthening global maritime safety and security through collaborative training and activities.

Swift and Nicholas have visited ports in Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, and Seychelles.

APS East has been conducting missions along the east coast of Africa for a few years; however, APS East 2010 marks the first year that the mission includes an international staff of partnering-nations. Staff officers aboard the HSV-2 Swift from Kenya, Mozambique, Mauritius, Tanzania, Brazil and the U.S., work directly with the Commander to plan and execute the APS East mission, offering a deeper level of experience and exchange of ideas about maritime safety and security in Africa.

Swift and Nicholas are on regular scheduled deployments within the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility. APS East is being conducted in cooperation with Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).