NAVAL BASE WELISARA, Sri Lanka -- Members of the U.S. and Sri Lanka Navy came together for the opening ceremony of Sri Lanka Health Engagement 17 here, Sept. 11, 2017.

Since 2014, the Sri Lanka Health Engagement has been conducted annually and is meant to help improve the medical capabilities of the Sri Lanka Navy as well as the regional interoperability between the U.S. and Sri Lankan medical forces.

“It is important for us as Sailors to realize that the training we do is to enhance the relationship between Sri Lanka and the United States,” said Cmdr. Adolfo Granados, the Group Surgeon of 3d Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force.

In this year’s iteration of the health engagement, U.S. Navy Corpsmen will train members of the Sri Lanka Navy to conduct their own Combat Life Saver classes in order further develop their medical capabilities. Their newly learned skills will be assessed during the second week of the exercise.