By Lt. Theresa Donnelly, Pacific Partnership 2014 (South) Public Affairs
NMCB 1 Seabees install parts for a solar pump engineering project, Rote, Indonesia, May 14, during an advance party engagement with 30th NCR, in cooperation with local partners for Pacific Partnership 2014. In its ninth iteration, PP14 is the largest annual multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Asia-Pacific region. Photos by Lt. Julianne Holland
Medical, communication and support staff from service commands across the United States will join the 30
th Naval Construction Regiment (NCR), based at Naval Base Ventura County, Port Hueneme, Calif., and depart May 17 in support of humanitarian mission Pacific Partnership 2014 (PP14).
At the invitation of host nations, PP14 unifies the efforts of partner nation militaries, host nation civilian agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to strengthen the collective ability of the international community to operate as a team in delivering foreign humanitarian aid in times of natural disaster or crisis. In its ninth iteration, PP14 is the largest annual multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Asia-Pacific region.
Seabees from 30
th NCR are traveling to Indonesia and East Timor to join up with teams of medical and engineering personnel, veterinarians, logisticians, military musicians, dental technicians, electronic communication specialists, U.S. Army civil affairs representatives, partner nations and NGOs in an effort to build capacity, strengthen relationships, improve interoperability and better prepare teams to respond to natural disasters and crises.
Members of NMCB 1 install parts for one of two solar pump engineering projects, Rote, Indonesia, May 14, during an advance party engagement with members of 30th NCR, in cooperation with local partners for Pacific Partnership 2014.
It is an incredible honor to work with such a diverse group of people. We re all fortunate to embark on a mission focused on helping people in need while working in close collaboration with our partners, said Capt. Rodney Moore, commodore, 30
th NCR. I am proud of everyone we re taking on this project, and I look forward to what work we ll be able to accomplish as a joint, multinational group.
I also look forward to exchanging expertise with our allies, partner nations and the greater humanitarian community, he continued. Preparing and training in a peacetime state gives us a unique opportunity to leverage resources and work together to make communities safer and increase our ability to assist the local populace should a natural disaster or crisis arise.
In addition to leadership provided by 30
th NCR, the team includes a deputy phase commander and military teams from New Zealand and Australia.
Currently, an Indonesia advance team, with help from local contractors and members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, is making repairs to a school roof, building a medical facility and installing solar pumps for two wells.
Lt. Wahyu (center, with book), a member of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, teaches BU3 Charles Cummings, NMCB 1, words in Bahasa during a break from work on the solar pump engineering project, Rote, Indonesia, May 14, during Pacific Partnership 2014.
Building on the lessons learned in prior missions, PP14 not only enables new friendships and cements existing ones, but the approach this year is to work with local providers to improve their own skills so they can implement locally. This more sustainable train-the-trainer approach empowers leaders to better serve the needs of the people by giving them the knowledge necessary to make a positive difference in their communities.
I ve never been on deployment before, and this is my first duty station, said Electronics Technician Seaman Lyrissa Tuyin, Covina, Calif. I volunteered for this mission because I want to go overseas, see another country and help other people. I already do a lot of community service volunteer work, so getting the chance to do this in another country is such a valuable opportunity.
Pacific Partnership missions to date have provided medical care to approximately 250,000 patients; veterinary services to more than 37,000 animals; accomplished more than 170 engineering projects; and enabled critical infrastructure development in Cambodia, Federated States of Micronesia, Indonesia, Kiribati, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Philippines, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Vanuatu and Vietnam.
Members of NMCB 1 install parts for one of two solar pump engineering projects, Rote, Indonesia, May 14, during an advance party engagement with members of 30th NCR, in cooperation with local partners for Pacific Partnership 2014.