US vessel in Tawau for Pacific Partnership mission
TAWAU: The ‘USNS Brunswick’, the United States (US) Navy’s Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) ship made its first call on Tawau yesterday, as part of the Pacific Partnership 2018 (PP18) secondary mission platform.
Pacific Partnership, now in its 13th iteration, is the largest annual multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. PP18’s objective is to enhance regional coordination in areas such as medical readiness and preparedness for man-made and natural disasters.
“The Pacific Partnership team is very excited to begin the mission in Tawau,” said Captain Peter Olive, Pacific Partnership 2018 deputy mission commander. “It’s truly a pleasure to be working together with so many different cultures and build partnerships that will provide a great deal of help for people of the Pacific.”
The mission in Tawau will continue through May 4, and personnel will work alongside one another with local medical professionals. They will also participate in civil engineering projects, conduct HA/DR readiness drills, and partner in community engagements.
Brunswick and hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) are conducting visits to different Asia-Pacific nations during the course of PP18, increasing the reach and scope of PP18 participants and host nation counterparts to conduct technical expertise exchanges in medical, engineering, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Additionally, key leader and community engagement events will allow for direct engagement with local citizens and enhanced relationships with partner nation military and government leadership.
Pacific Partnership 2018 consists of more than 800 US military personnel stationed worldwide, working side-by-side with host nation counterparts to be better prepared for potential humanitarian aid and disaster response situations.
Director of Joint-Task-Force J7 Eksesais, Kuala Lumpur, Colonel Loh Kooi Leong, said the USNS Brunswick will be at Tawau port from April 21 until May 4.
Its crew are made up of more than 800 military and civilian personnel from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, France, Peru and Japan.
They will carry out a series of community programs involving engineering, community medical, dental, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness in Tawau.
Captain Olive added USNS Mercy will make mission stops in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Vietnam while USNS Fall River will visit Yap, Palau, Malaysia and Thailand. The mission will visit Sri Lanka for a second consecutive year to enhance ties with the Indian Ocean nation.
“We are very looking forward to return to Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam, where the United States continues its legacy of strong cooperation and defense ties with these nations.
“Community relations and military band engagements through a varied of activities will be held in each mission stop, involving the school children too, to generate goodwill and friendship with the people of the host nation,” he said.
Captain David Bretz, commander of Destroyer Squadron 31, also hoped all nations could work together in this multilateral humanitarian assistance system for the sake of strong relationship and partnership.
Commanding officer of RAMD 26 (Royal Malay Regiment) Tawau, Colonel Hassan Bin Embong, disclosed that this Pacific Partnership 2018 would be a very good platform to strengthen the relationship between Malaysia and the other countries.
He felt thankful with the efforts and contributions made by the team of USNS Brunswick in bringing a serial of interesting programs to Tawau.