Sailor from Gainesville, Fla., Participates in humanitarian mission in South Pacific

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Tony Tolley | Petty Officer 3rd Class Zim Padgett shakes hands with Timorese students at Manleuana Primary School during a community service event for the Timor-Leste phase of Pacific Partnership 2011. Pacific Partnership is a five-month humanitarian assistance initiative that will make port visits to Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and the Federated States of Micronesia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Tony Tolley)  

USS CLEVELAND, USAFRICOM, AT SEA

06.20.2011

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Russell 

Pacific Partnership 2011

USS CLEVELAND, At Sea – Petty Officer 3rd Class, Zim Padgett from Gainesville, Fla. is currently serving aboard amphibious transport dock ship USS Cleveland in support of Pacific Partnership 2011.

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.

“Pacific Partnership is a good way to learn about the cultures around the Pacific,” said Padgett.

Cleveland will visit the Kingdom of Tonga, 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.

“The people in all of the countries we have visited have had open arms and it has been a humbling adventure,” said Padgett.

Pacific Partnership developed as a mission following the tsunami in 2004, which devastated Indonesia and much of the South Pacific. Since then, Pacific Partnership has treated 150,000 patients in 15 countries, and is supported by all U.S. uniformed services and partner nations including Australia, Japan, and New Zealand. Other nations providing teams include Canada, Spain, Malaysia, and France.

• Date Taken: 06.20.2011
• Date Posted: 06.27.2011 08:35
• Story ID: 72818
• Location: USS CLEVELAND, USAFRICOM, AT SEA