SEMBAWANG, Republic of Singapore –
The underway Pacific Partnership 2024.2 (PP24-2) team embarked the Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport ship USNS City of Bismarck (T-EPF 9), July 25, 2024, led by Rear Admiral Mark A. Melson, the U.S. Pacific Fleet Executive Agent for Pacific Partnership who will lead command and control (C2), and mission commander, U.S. Navy Captain Daniel J. Keeler.
Comprised of 1,500 personnel from the U.S. and like-minded partner nations, the mission team will work to strengthen relationships, and bolster host nation capacity in order to provide humanitarian services, and support efforts to prepare and respond to potential natural disasters in the Indo-Pacific region.
“This mission enables us to come together to prepare and train so that we are ready when a humanitarian crisis occurs.” said Melson. “We’ll focus on training and regional interoperability to increase disaster-response-preparedness while creating lasting bonds of friendship and trust amongst mission partners and host nations.”
PP24-2 officially began in Vanuatu and will continue throughout parts of Southeast Asia and the South Pacific Islands – respectively.
During this mission, medical professionals will focus on working side-by-side with host nation providers to increase overall medical capacity and expertise in community education; preventative medicine; dental; veterinary care; adult and pediatric medicine; first aid; nutritional counseling; mental health activities; and basic life support. Medical subject matter expert exchanges are also interwoven into each engagement.
“This enduring annual mission is such an integral part in maintaining the long-standing friendships we have with allies and partners in the region,” said Keeler. “We are excited to continue this legacy of cooperation and support for this iteration and for many more in the future”.
Pacific Partnership will also include the U.S. Pacific Fleet Band, who will be embarked on USNS City of Bismarck to provide concerts to local communities at each mission stop.
Now in its 20th iteration, Pacific Partnership, is the U.S. Navy’s largest maritime humanitarian and civic assistance mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific.
At the request of each host nation, the Pacific Partnership team provides focused support to address critical infrastructure concerns. These concerns are traditionally centered around schools and health clinics, along with partnering with local communities to build engineering teams composed of host nation participants, U.S. military engineers, and partner nation engineers where available.