Photo By Douglas Stutz | Shared Smiles…Local youngsters of the South Pacific Island nation of Fiji join...... read more read more
The South Pacific Island nation of Fiji might seem a world away for a U.S. Navy hospital corpsman from Queens, New York.
Pacific Partnership 2025 made such a unique opportunity possible.
Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Shane Durand recently took part in the Pacific Partnership mission stop which focused on such collaborative efforts as humanitarian assistance, disaster response preparedness, community outreach, and subject matter expert exchange, June 6-18, 2025.
“A core aspect of my work involved standard operating procedures. The SOP creations and revisions emphasized critical aspects such as proper personal protective equipment, detailed Gram staining procedures, and effective waste disposal methods, all essential for accuracy, reproducibility, and safety,” said Durand, Naval Hospital Bremerton medical laboratory technician who immersed himself working at the Fiji Veterinary Pathology Laboratory.
“I collaborated closely with lab workers for about two weeks, dedicating eight hours each day to ensure practicality and relevance. I focused on building relationships with Fiji government workers and engaged children at Waiqanake District School, contributing to community well-being beyond the laboratory's professional sphere. My overall goal was to demonstrate a lasting dedication to even beyond the advancement of veterinary pathology in Fiji,” Durand explained.
A typical day for Durand began with teaming up with Fijian lab techs and sharing his expertise to help develop, edit and detail numerous lab SOPs. Yet there was also time for the New York native to learn much from and about his hospitable island nation hosts.
“From speaking about their culture to their work, they are very passionate and outgoing. Whether if I was sitting side-by-side with the lab techs or alone, I’d wholeheartedly write or rewrite SOPs and review quality management system.”
“Some days for lunch, the workers would bring us Fijian food like Rourou [a dish made from taro leaves and stewed in coconut milk] and Vakasekera [cassava plant],” continued Durand. “They’d even climb coconut trees and get coconuts to keep us hydrated after the tasty meals. On Wednesdays, they’d have a wellness day. At 3 p.m., they’d dedicate time to cleaning or playing volleyball. Playing volleyball was great. They’d play music, drink coconut water and have a great time. Seeing everyone smile and have a great time was one of the best parts of the mission.”
Those shared smiles were a reflection of the commitment by Durand and others in bringing the Pacific Partnership mission back for a return visit to Fiji.
“A mission like this is significantly important because our work in Fiji contributes to regional stability and demonstrates sustained U.S. commitment to Pacific allies.”
The main challenge for Durand, who directly worked under Navy Lt. Ha Na Choe, a microbiologist - and “great mentor!” affirmed Durand - was only having a few weeks to help make a positive difference.
“Knowing that Lt. Choe and I had two short weeks to make an impact as the sole lab tech and microbiologist, we were very dedicated in ensuring the Fiji Vet Lab had enough resources and knowledge to become accredited,” stated Durand, adding that it was gratifying to work alongside their hosts to augment existing efforts with their own.
“The hard work by Lt Choe’s and myself gave them a boost in their process to accreditation,” said Durand, noting that the best part of the mission was directly being part of the collective effort with his hosts.
“I learned a lot about work, culture and history being alongside the Fijians. These are things that will stick with me for the rest of my life,” exclaimed Durand, adding that although his time on Fiji was relatively short, the memories made will linger long after.
“I think about my time in Fiji every day. The time I played rugby at the Waiqanake District School with children, U.S. Navy Sailors and New Zealand soldiers. The kids had the time of their lives. Being able to motivate and inspire the youth was a great opportunity. The kids would have us sign their T-shirts,” related Durand.
Durand suggests for those who also get assigned on a similar mission to follow the path of discovery.
“Learn about the culture, make connections and explore. Fijians are very passionate about their culture. Trying their food, speaking their language and visiting known areas showed them that we genuinely appreciated their beautiful island. When a country and visitors get along, it makes the mission flow smoothly,” said Durand.
Durand began his career in Navy Medicine a year and a half ago with an interest to expand and explore the unknown.
“[I] didn’t know what to expect,” said Durand, a Hillside Arts and Letters Academy 2021 graduate. After recruit training he attended the Navy school for hospital corpsman at the Medical Education and Training Campus, San Antonio, Texas, further augmenting his education with Navy Medical Laboratory Technician school, which provides in-depth specialty training on such skills as chemistry, hematology, microbiology and phlebotomy. His interest was sparked at the prospects such knowledge made available to him. “The opportunities, the benefits, the people and most importantly the chance to impact lives as a medical laboratory technician.
“I never expected to be a part of the military,” Durand continued. “In middle school and high school, I loved playing sports, specifically basketball. During 2020, the pandemic hit New York City hard, forcing a lot of students to do school remotely, no in-person socializing or sports. My junior and senior years of high school were done online. Once I graduated, I didn’t feel the motivation to go to college. I didn’t know what to do next. My parents saw the potential in me, which was how I ended up at the recruiting office. I am grateful for the opportunity to obtain my Medical Laboratory Technician American Society [for] Clinical Pathology certification, associate degree and [currently] pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree. The military has helped me accomplish many dreams.”
Added to his promising career is taking part in a singular deployment. When asked to sum up his Pacific Partnership experience in one sentence, Durand replied, “I consider my time in Fiji to have been a great blessing, creating memories that will endure.”
Smaller Pacific Partnership mission stops were also held last month in the Philippines and Tonga. This year’s PP 2025 mission – now in its 21 year as the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific – will have the amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) visit Papua New Guinea, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Samoa and Vanuatu.
| Date Taken: | 07.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.28.2025 09:47 |
| Story ID: | 543981 |
| Location: | SUVA, FJ |
| Web Views: | 161 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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