Husband of Honolulu Resident Participates in Humanitarian Mission In South Pacific

Courtesy Photo | Petty Officer 3rd Class Dwight Moffitt, musician, helps the local children with their muscial instruments during a community relations project in Luganville, Vanuatu. Pacific Partnership is a five-month humanitarian assistance initive that will make port visits to Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and the Federate States of Micronesia. (Photo: Judith Watts)  

ABOARD USS CLEVELAND, AT SEA

05.09.2011

Courtesy Story

Pacific Partnership 2011

By Petty Officer 1st Class Phillip Dale James Jr.

ABOARD USS CLEVELAND, AT SEA – Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Dwight A. Moffitt, the Husband of Amanda C. Moffitt a resident of Honolulu, Hawaii is in the Pacific Fleet Navy Band serving on board amphibious transport dock ship USS Cleveland in support of Pacific Partnership 2011. Moffitt also graduated Moanalua High School in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Cleveland is the lead vessel for Pacific Partnership 2011. Pacific Partnership is the Pacific Fleet’s annual mission to Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands to engage in partnerships with host nations by improving dialogue, effecting a lasting, positive change, and employing subject matter expert exchanges in order to improve the capabilities and interoperability of the U.S. and partner nations when dealing with natural and man-made disasters.

“Meeting the Tongan people was an experience worth having,” said Moffitt. “The people are loving, caring and most of all they are real. You can see the sincerity in their eyes.”

Cleveland completed its mission in Tonga and will continue in Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and the Federated States of Micronesia, and the military group will be accompanied by non-government organizations like Project HOPE, Vets Without Borders, and the University of California, San Diego Pre-Dental Society.

“My contributions include providing musical entertainment,” said Moffit. “Every moment that we play for children, I light up. The sincerity of the children is very heart warming.”

Pacific Partnership developed as a mission following the tsunami in 2004 which devastated Indonesia and much of the South Pacific. Since 2006, Pacific Partnership has treated 210,000 patients in 15 countries, and is supported by all U.S. uniformed services and partner nations that include Australia, Japan, and New Zealand. Other nations providing teams include Canada, Spain, Malaysia, and France.

• Date Taken: 05.09.2011
• Date Posted: 05.09.2011 12:02
• Story ID: 70116
• Location: ABOARD USS CLEVELAND, AT SEA