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Australians Join Humanitarian Mission Pacific Partnership 2009

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090625-02
Release Date: 6/25/2009 5:01:00 AM

By Royal Australian Navy Lt. Lauren Rago, Pacific Partnership Public Affairs

CANBERRA, Australia (NNS) -- Australian Defence Force (ADF) engineers and medical personnel joined the multinational Pacific Partnership 2009 team to lend a helping hand to Australia's neighbors in the South West Pacific from June 30 to Sept. 18, 2009.

Pacific Partnership is an annual U.S sponsored humanitarian civic assistance mission aimed at strengthening international relationships and interoperability for disaster relief throughout Oceania and Southeast Asia.

The ADF is returning to Pacific Partnership this year to help deliver much needed engineering, medical and dental aid in Samoa, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Kiribati and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Twenty-four Australian Army engineers, one Navy medical officer, one dental hygienist, one Navy civil military cooperation officer and HMA ships Betano and Wewak will work within the 100 plus multinational and multiskilled team to improve the lives of the people in the Pacific.

"The participating ADF personnel are honoured to be part of a mission dedicated to working with, and supporting their regional neighbours," said Australian Army Combat Engineer Lt. Mick Collaros. "It will be a great cultural experience – mission partners will exchange expert knowledge and learn from each other."

The ADF will help renovate sites including schools and hospital and administer a wide variety of medical and dental programs.

US Navy ship USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE 4) is the enabling platform for Pacific Partnership 2009, transporting equipment, supplies and personnel.

Pacific Partnership has been held annually by the U.S. Pacific Fleet, evolving from the unprecedented international disaster response for countries devastated during the 2004 Asian tsunami. The ADF has contributed to Pacific Partnership missions since 2006. Last year Pacific Partnership was held in South East Asia.