Photo By Staff Sgt. Mason Tran | Papua New Guinea Defense Force’s Col. Michael Percy Marai, the commandant of Lae...... read more read more
LAE, Papua New Guinea — Senior leaders from the U.S. Army and the Papua New Guinea Defence Force gathered at Igam Barracks, July 7, 2026, to mark the start of an Engineer Civic Action Program school renovation project during Exercise Tamiok Strike 26, highlighting the enduring relationship between the two nations and their shared commitment to improving readiness and supporting military families.
The groundbreaking ceremony brought together Soldiers, leaders and community members to celebrate a project that will renovate classrooms serving military families while providing U.S. and PNGDF engineers the opportunity to train side by side in a real-world construction environment.
Papua New Guinea Defence Force Col. Michael Percy Marai, commandant of Lae Area, welcomed the U.S. delegation and emphasized the importance of the bilateral exercise in strengthening regional security.
“Exercise Tamiok Strike represents far more than just a routine military drill,” Marai said. “It is a clear testament to the ever-growing partnership and shared values between our two nations, Papua New Guinea and the United States.” He added that the exercise enhances interoperability, strengthens mutual trust and prepares both forces to respond to security challenges and natural disasters across the Indo-Pacific.
“I urge you to seize this opportunity, learn from each other, respect the unique operational experiences each force brings to the table, and forge relationships that will last a lifetime,” he said.
Col. Jake Bledsoe, commander of the 4960th Multifunction Training Brigade, 9th Mission Support Command, thanked the PNGDF for its hospitality and reflected on the long-standing relationship between the two countries.
“The relationship between the United States and Papua New Guinea is not new,” Bledsoe said. “It was forged through shared sacrifice in the Second World War and has continued to grow through decades of cooperation, trust and mutual respect.”
Bledsoe said the school renovation symbolizes the collaborative nature of the exercise.
“This is not an American project in Papua New Guinea,” he said. “This is a project completed together by the Papua New Guinea Defence Force and the United States Army.”
Drawing on the engineer mission, Bledsoe noted that while bridges connect people, schools connect minds, adding that the renovated classrooms will benefit military families and future generations long after the exercise concludes.
Following the ceremony, Bledsoe joined PNGDF leaders for a tour of the renovation site, where U.S. Army and PNGDF engineers are working together to gut existing classrooms and prepare them for modernization. The visit highlighted the combined effort behind the project and reinforced the shared commitment to creating an improved educational environment for the Igam Barracks community.
Exercise Tamiok Strike 26, conducted July 7–18, 2026, is a U.S. Army Pacific-led bilateral exercise with the Papua New Guinea Defence Force that strengthens interoperability, enhances readiness and reinforces the enduring relationship between the United States and Papua New Guinea through realistic, collaborative training. During the exercise, U.S. and PNGDF personnel conduct engineering, medical, staff planning and field training activities designed to improve readiness while strengthening military-to-military relationships across the Indo-Pacific.
| Date Taken: | 07.06.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 07.07.2026 06:17 |
| Story ID: | 569446 |
| Location: | PG |
| Web Views: | 26 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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