DVIDS – News – Defensa y Yo Professors Visit Naval Station Rota, Spain

NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (Jan. 14, 2025) – Professors from public universities across Spain visit U.S. Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota, Spain as part of the Defensa y Yo program, Jan. 14.

Spanish professors hailing from 16 different universities, and academic experts in the fields of international relations, political science, law, history and the like, participated in a series of engagements across the installation for a base tour.

In collaboration with the Spanish Armada and European Union Naval Force Operation (EUNAVFOR) Atalanta, the installation visit included tours from various departments and units across NAVSTA Rota, including the fire department, Air Traffic Control Tower, Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 79, and USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51). Operational briefs from Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 60 and EUNAVFOR Atalanta were key highlights of the visit.

The professors enjoyed lunch at NAVSTA Rota’s Gateway Galley and had the chance to “meet and greet” senior leadership from both U.S. Navy and Spanish Armada.

“The opportunity to provide a view into the daily operations of our installation, and to share the mission of our combined U.S. and Spanish efforts to support our warfighters and the fleet is something I will always value,” said Capt. Teague Suarez, NAVSTA Rota’s commanding officer. “We are happy to partner with programs such as Defensa y Yo, created by the U.S. Embassy and Consulate General in Spain to develop a deeper understanding of our current defense and security environments in this incredibly dynamic time and theater.”

Defensa y Yo is a program created by the U.S. Embassy and Consulate General in Spain as an initiative to raise awareness among Spanish university students about international security and defense topics, implemented by the support of non-governmental organizations, such as Helsinki España, and a network of Spanish public universities.

Coordinated with the help of the community relations program at NAVSTA Rota, the Defensa y Yo professor visit is one of the many ways the installation accomplishes its objective to educate and enhance cross-cultural exchanges that underpin the long-standing relationship between the U.S. Navy and allied Joint Forces in support of mutual national objectives.

As the “Gateway to the Mediterranean,” NAVSTA Rota provides U.S., NATO and allied forces a strategic hub for operations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. NAVSTA Rota is a force multiplier, capable of promptly deploying and supporting combat-ready forces through land, air and sea, enabling warfighters and their families, sustaining the fleet and fostering the U.S. and Spanish partnership.