PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP 2010

US Pacific Fleet sponsored PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP is an annual US Pacific Fleet sponsored training and readiness mission to perform humanitarian assistance and theatre security missions in the US Pacific Command Area of Responsibility. The mission works by, with and through host and partner nations, non-governmental organisations and Government agencies. PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP is truly a partnership with a multinational team and host nations working alongside each other to improve the lives of the people.

The PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP campaign evolved from the unprecedented international disaster response for countries devastated during the 2004 Asian tsunami. Follow up missions recognised the benefits derived from cooperation between national governments, militaries, international organizations, and non-governmental organisations during disaster relief operations, as well as in civic assistance projects. In an effort to capitalise on the experiences and relationships formed during that tragic disaster, the concept of a recurring mission was established to:

• Strengthen relationships with host, partner nations, and other partner organizations.
• Build partner capacity to conduct peace, stability, and consequence management operations
• Improve U.S. and Partner Humanitarian Assistance/ Disaster Relief capacity
• Improve security cooperation among partner nations.

Now in its sixth year, partner nations continue their mission to improve the lives of people in the Pacific region, as well as improve the capacities of nations and organisations to respond to disasters through recurring opportunities for cooperation and training.

The ADF has contributed to PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP since 2006 and is enthusiastically rejoining the multi-national and multi-skilled PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP team for 2010.

PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP 2010:

PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP 2010 seeks to build on the relationships established in previous PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP missions to deliver a variety of medical, dental, engineering, and veterinary projects in South East Asia and Oceania.

The mission will be conducted from May to September 2010, visiting each host nation for a number of weeks.

This year, PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP is scheduled to visit Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea. Specific locations within each country will be announced prior to arrival at that country.

ADF Involvement

• Three phases of 12 Australian Army Combat Engineers from 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment based in Brisbane
• Approximately 50 medical and dental personnel in three phases from all three services
• Heavy Landing Ship, HMAS Tobruk based in Fleet Base East, Sydney
• Heavy Landing Craft based at Cairns, HMA Ships Labuan and Tarakan
• ADF Contingent Commander
• ADF Public Affairs team made up of a Public Affairs Officer and photographer

Enabling Platforms

This year’s mission will be conducted from USNS Mercy and for the first time since the inception of the mission in 2006 an Australian ship, HMAS Tobruk will act as command platform throughout the visit to PNG.

The 2010 Mission Projects

The PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP team will work with host nations on public health and preventive medicine, veterinary care, optometry and ophthalmology, dental, adult and paediatric medicine, medical subject matter expert exchange, immunizations, nutritional counselling, biomedical repair and medical environmental assessments.

As requested by each host nation, PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP engineers will provide focused humanitarian civic assistance to include school and medical clinic repairs, water catchment system improvements and in Cambodia the establishment of three fresh water wells. Additionally, the engineering team will provide support to the medical and dental healthcare providers.