Media Room: Media Releases
Department of Defence
Media Release |
Defence |
12/04/2011 | MECC 146/11 |
Setting sail for Pacific
Partnership Thirty-eight Australian soldiers, sailors and airmen
have embarked on a 16-week humanitarian aid mission, sponsored by the Commander
US Pacific Fleet. Pacific Partnership is an annual mission, which
started in 2005 in response to the Indonesian tsunami crisis. Commander of the Australian Contingent, Commander
Ashley Papp of the Royal Australian Navy, says it aims to develop the ability
of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to operate in close cooperation with its
military colleagues from the "Working closely with our friends and allies in
this way in times of peace helps us to refine our procedures, understanding and
cooperation, so that in times of crises we have already trained on how to
deliver the right support, at the right time, in the right way when
needed," Commander Papp said. The Australian contingent departed There are also 12 engineers from 6 Engineering Support
Regiment (17 Construction Squadron) who, during the next four months will be
working with US ‘Sea Bees’ (Construction Battalion) and local engineers on
basic construction tasks including construction of steel and timber frames for
houses, installing various sized water tanks and filters, and other
reconstruction activities. Also joining the group is veterinarian, Captain
Jonathan Lee, who is a reserve infantry officer with the 51st Far North
Queensland Regiment. "I think it is an excellent opportunity to
operate with allied nations including the Some of the Pacific Partnership 11 team have
participated in the mission in previous years. "Pacific Partnership allows a large number of
people to have life-changing medical services which otherwise wouldn't have
been available to them," said surgical nurse Lieutenant Steven Line, Royal
Australian Navy Reserve. When the opportunity came up to deploy again I jumped
at it.” More information
and photos: http://www.defence.gov.au/opEx/exercises/pp11/index.htm Media contact: Defence Media Operations 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664. |
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