Task Force Forager celebrates completion of Pacific Partnership

VIETNAM

08.24.2015

Story by Sgt. James Gulliver 

Navy Public Affairs Support Element West

WESTERN PACIFIC - Task Force Forager celebrated the successful completion of Pacific Partnership 2015 following a port visit to Vietnam, Aug. 24.

TFF visited five different countries including Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, Philippines and Vietnam over the course of three months providing medical, engineering, dental and veterinary support.

Pacific Partnership events and engagements were designed to strengthen U.S., partner nation and host nation capacity and capability to respond to natural disasters.

TFF service members worked closely with local community leaders to build knowledge and skills, and improve plans and procedures in the event of crisis.

TFF civil affairs team coordinated hundreds of hours of subject matter expert exchanges with host nation maritime security staff to discuss plans for future operations at all levels of government and facilitated a variety of mass casualty exercises with local police, fire, ambulance drivers, taxi drivers and local government leaders. These engagements provided interaction with the local people that resulted in building and strengthening relationships for future operations in the Pacific region.

"Pacific Partnership isn't just about the work accomplished, it is also about the relationships built, partnerships developed, and our increased ability to work together as global neighbors, especially during times of crisis," said Commodore, Task Force Forager, Capt. James Meyer.

The TFF medical team comprised of Army and Navy professionals from 20 different disciplines worked alongside host nation medical professionals. Over 8,400 host nation personnel were seen and approximately 1,900 animals were assisted during the mission. Service members organized workshops, taught seminars and instructed courses like "Helping Babies Breathe" and "Advanced Life Support", which advanced the proficiency of host nation key community health workers and first responders.

"Unlike previous Pacific Partnership missions that conducted mostly medical care, PP15 focused on knowledge exchange and shoulder-to-shoulder care with medical professionals," said Meyer. "Our intent was to impart knowledge and skills that will last well after the mission is over."

The engineering team, including a 12-person element from TFF comprised of service members from Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) One, ACB-2, and the 7th Engineering Support Battalion combined with Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Five, renovated eight different schools to provide an improved learning environment for thousands of students.

"Pacific Partnership is about friends helping friends. These schools now stand as a powerful symbol of the strong partnership we share," said Meyer.

Meyer added, "I believe I speak for all of our team in that we are not just leaving behind renovated schools, enhanced medical skills, and improved programs but we are leaving behind a part of hearts. Part of our hearts because of the friendships we have developed and hospitality we have received has really touched all of us."

Task Force Forager is led by an expeditionary command element from the Navy's 30th Naval Construction Regiment (30 NCR) from Port Hueneme, Calif. Millinocket is currently serving as the secondary platform for Pacific Partnership 2015. The primary platform for the mission is the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19).

Now in its 10th iteration, Pacific Partnership is the largest annual multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Asia-Pacific Region. While training for crisis conditions, Pacific Partnership missions have provided medical care to approximately 270,000 patients and veterinary services to mor than 38,000 animals. Additionally, the mission has provided critical infrastructure developments to host nations through the completion of more than 180 engineering projects.

Additional information on the Pacific Partnership mission is available on the U.S. Pacific fleet Pacific Partnership website at www.cpf.navy.mil/pacific-partnership/2015/.

• Date Taken: 08.24.2015
• Date Posted: 09.04.2015 03:02
• Story ID: 175240
• Location: VN