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Navy Public Health Team Returns Home after Preventive Medicine Mission across the South Pacific
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (NNS) -- The Navy Environmental Preventive Medicine Unit (NEPMU) FIVE's Forward Deployable Preventive Medicine Unit (FDPMU) Team Four returned home to San Diego, from its deployment on Pacific Partnership 2016 (PP16), Sept. 30.
The team spent five months providing preventive medicine training and support to Timor-Leste, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.
"Our FDPMU team was comprised of four separate components - Microbiology, Chemical and Radiological, Preventive Medicine and Disease Vector, which are designed to conduct occupational and environmental health assessments, investigate disease outbreaks as well as respond to humanitarian aid and disaster response situations," said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Russell Groves, FDPMU Leading Petty Officer.
FDPMU teams train for twelve months and then spend the following twelve months in a "ready" state should a situation arise that requires the team to deploy. Four teams are on constant rotations that are based out of NEPMUs Two and Five and individual augmentees are supplied by NEPMU SIX.
"Ultimately the primary mission of the FDPMU on PP16 was to engage partner nations building public health capacity while at the same time continuing to develop our own team," said Cmdr. Shelton Lyons, NEPMU FIVE Officer in Charge. "These engagements offer outstanding training and lessons learned that increase our overall readiness to respond to humanitarian aid and disaster response scenarios."
"The FDPMU teams have to maintain the highest level of readiness to ensure we are always ready to answer the call for a mission that can happen anytime and anywhere," said Chief Hospital Corpsman Nuevo Lozano, FDPMU Team Four Leading Chief Petty Officer. "FDPMU teams are uniquely qualified because we receive the most advanced level preventive medicine training offered by the Navy, ensuring our teams are the best of the best."
The team taught classes to partner nations on preventive medicine topics, performed community outreaches at local schools for children, provided guidance to public health agencies and demonstrated FDPMU capabilities to other nations interested in building similar assets.
"These activities increase awareness of the FDPMU's mission to provide advanced level preventive medicine capabilities to both the fleet and our partner nations," said Lyons. "The FDPMU is an instrument of diplomacy providing an outstanding example of the effectiveness of soft power."
"Our team did an outstanding job during the deployment managing to complete every mission while at the same time building irreplaceable relationships with our partner nations," explained Cmdr. Derek Gagnon, FDPMU Team Four Officer in Charge. "We made the most of every 'in-between' moment resulting in true connections and valuable exchanges of knowledge; the benefits of which will last long after the mission is complete."
"Now that the team is home they will be on standby for future global health engagements that may arise and will continue training to ensure the highest level of readiness for both our own fleet and our partners," concluded Lyons.
For more information regarding the FDPMU see their website at: http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmcphc/expeditionary-platforms/fdpmus
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