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USNS Richard E. Byrd Departs for PP09

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090622-01
Release Date: 6/22/2009 1:59:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist (SW/AW) 1st Class Danny Hayes, Pacific Partnership Public Affairs

USNS RICHARD E. BYRD, At Sea (NNS) -- USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE 4) is a Lewis and Clark Class multi-product underway replenishment ship, and because of its capabilities U.S. 7th Fleet selected it to support this year's Pacific Partnership mission.

That required the civil service mariner-run ship to make a few changes to its normal routine. One of those changes was to make room for the additional people who would ride the ship during the Pacific Partnership deployment.

"A lot of people volunteered to go on administrative leave in order to increase the capacity of staterooms that they can provide for mission essential personnel," said Pacific Partnership 2009 Mission Commander, Capt. Andrew Cully, during a Department of Defense bloggers roundtable.

The Richard E. Byrd crew showed flexibility and was supportive of the upcoming mission.

"We're pleased to be deploying with USNS Richard E. Byrd, the most professional mariners in the world. We're in very capable hands with Capt. Robert H. Jaeger," Cully said at a media conference on the island of Guam.

Jaeger, the ship's master also spoke at the conference, and added how his crew felt about being an enabling platform for this year's mission.

"This is the first time Byrd has ever been assigned to a humanitarian assistance mission such as this," said Jaeger. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Of all the missions that a ship could be assigned, this is the most personally rewarding for each crew member."

Pacific Partnership 2009 is a humanitarian civic assistance mission that began in 2006 and continues a working relationship between the United States government, partners in the region and non-governmental organizations. This year, the Pacific Partnership team will work by, through and with the governments in Samoa, Tonga, Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Solomon Islands and Kiribati to promote peace and theater security in the region. The mission will also give its members a chance to train together for future humanitarian projects.