Air Force, Reserve components, Cambodia armed forces partner for civil assistance mission

By Capt. David Herndon
PACAF Public Affairs

Air Force Maj. Nathaniel Duff and Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Capt. Sok Heng examine the ear of a Cambodian woman during Operation PACIFIC ANGEL 11-1 Aug. 8, 2011, in Bak Klarng, Cambodia. The operation supports U.S. Pacific Command’s capacity-building efforts by partnering with other governments in the region to provide medical, dental, optometry and engineer assistance to their citizens. Major Duff is an ear, nose and throat surgeon assigned to the 154th Medical Group, Hawaii Air National Guard. Captain Heng is a medic in the Royal Cambodian Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Boitz)
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KOH KONG, Cambodia (8/11/11) – Members of the Air Guard, Air Force and Air Force Reserve, are partnering with their Royal Cambodian Armed Forces counterparts this week for a combined civil military assistance mission in Koh Kong Province, Cambodia, scheduled to run through Aug. 12.

The mission, known as Operation Pacific Angel 11-1, is part of a series of joint and combined humanitarian assistance partnership engagements led by host nation military units, local non-governmental organizations and Pacific Air Forces Airmen assigned to 13th Air Forces.

Approximately 60 Airmen from active duty, Guard and Reserve units are teaming with RCAF personnel and local NGOs for Health Services Outreach engagements, an Engineer Civic Assistance Program, and Health and Airfield Subject Matter Expert Exchanges.

"As part of Operation Pacific Angel 11-1, the [United States] and Airmen who are on the ground this week are committed to supporting and partnering with the RCAF and people of Koh Kong Province," said Air Force Lt. Col. Al Alana, the Pacific Angel Cambodia 11-1 mission commander, and on permanent assignment with the Hawaii Air National Guard's 109th Air Operations Group. "This will be an exciting week and we look forward to an exchange of ideas and practices that will ultimately better our ability to respond together."

Officially in its fourth year, Operation Pacific Angel supports U.S. Pacific Command's capacity-building efforts by partnering with other governments in the Pacific to provide medical, dental, veterinary and engineering assistance to their citizens.

"The relationships that we will build and sustain through this military operation with help tremendously in future humanitarian efforts and in preserving peace and stability in the region," Alana said.

According to the Pacific Angel planners, since 2007, U.S. military members, together with host nation military personnel throughout the region, have improved the lives of tens of thousands of people through operation execution.

Alana said Airmen from North Carolina and Idaho National Guard units, Air Force Reserve Command, and all nine U.S. Pacific Air Forces bases traveled great distances and are energized and ready to partner with the people of Cambodia.

The Idaho National Guard is a partnering state with Cambodia through the National Guard’s State Partnership Program.

The National Guard's 65-nation, 20-year-old State Partnership Program provides unique partnership capacity-building capabilities to combatant commanders and U.S. ambassadors through partnerships between U.S. states, territories and the District of Columbia and foreign countries, said Guard officials. The SPP supports U.S. national interests and security cooperation goals by engaging partner nations via military, socio-political and economic conduits at the local, state and national level.

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