News Story: Chinese navy's hospital ship docks in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Chinese Navy hospital ship Peace Ark (Image: Wiki Commons)

COLOMBO, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese navy's hospital ship Peace Ark arrived at the port of Colombo on Sunday for a four-day stopover there.

The ship slowly sailed into the port at around 10:00 a.m.(0430 GMT) in its first visit to Sri Lanka, with some 300 people, including officials of both countries and representatives of various Chinese communities there, welcoming its arrival.

The hospital ship will be open to the public during the stopover and provide medical service for local residents, said Major General Guan Bolin, commander of the task.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: China Will Join RIMPAC Exercises

China will participate in next year's Pacific Rim naval exercises (RIMPAC). State news agency Xinhua reports that President Xi Jinping made the announcement on Saturday following his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg.

The 26 nations that participated in RIMPAC 2016 were invited to return for 2018, including China, despite on-going tensions in the South China Sea. 

This will be the third time that China has participated in the exercises. Five PLA Navy ships participated in the 2016 exercises: a destroyer, a frigate, a submarine rescue ship, a supply ship and a hospital ship. 

Russia has not been invited back since RIMPAC 2012, although an intelligence ship and a destroyer shadowed RIMPAC participants in 2014 and 2016. 

Read the full story at MarEx

News Story: Chinese among invitees to major US exercise

Chinese Navy Warships on patrol (File Photo)

By: Christopher P. Cavas

WASHINGTON – Despite ongoing tensions in the South China Sea and several recent tense aerial confrontations, China has been invited to attend next year’s U.S.-hosted Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercises, the U.S. Navy confirmed Monday. 

“All 26 nations that participated in RIMPAC 2016 have been invited to return for RIMPAC 2018,” Cmdr. Ryan Perry, a spokesman for the San Diego-based U.S. Third Fleet, said Monday in response to a query. 

The Pentagon granted permission for China to be included among the participating nations invited to a June planning conference in San Diego, Ryan confirmed, following Congressionally-mandated guidelines governing military-to-military and naval-to-naval engagements with China. Further approvals will need to be obtained for two more planning conferences as the exercises approach, Ryan confirmed. 

RIMPAC, held every two years, is billed as the world’s largest naval exercise and is usually centered on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The exercises, sponsored by the U.S. Pacific Fleet and hosted by the subordinate Third Fleet, run over several weeks and include numerous social and athletic engagements before heading to sea for a variety of operating scenarios. 

Countries participating in the 2016 RIMPAC exercises were Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, People’s Republic of China, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States. According to the Third Fleet, the armada assembled for the 2016 exercises included 45 surface ships, five submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

USA: USNS Mercy returns to San Diego after Pacific Partnership

By Petty Officer 3rd Class Trevor Kohlrus

Sailors aboard USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) man the rails as the hospital ship returns to San Diego, Sept. 30. (U.S. Navy/PO2 Lindsey E. Skelton) >>

SAN DIEGO - Hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) returned to Naval Base San Diego Sept. 30 after a five-month deployment to Southeast Asia in support of Pacific Partnership 2016.

Mercy served as the command platform for the mission, and returns to San Diego with more than 600 Sailors, Marines, Soldiers and civilian mariners after mission stops in Timor Leste, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Throughout the mission Pacific Partnership personnel worked alongside their counterparts in each country to share knowledge and best practices in disaster response preparedness through subject matter expert exchanges, workshops and exercises in humanitarian assistance disaster relief, medical, civil-engineering, and Women, Peace and Security.

“Pacific Partnership was a resounding success," said Medical Treatment Facility Mercy Commanding Officer, Capt. Peter Roberts. "At our peak, Medical Treatment Facility Mercy had over 800 people working in the medical line of effort. They each brought their own special talents and a great deal of commitment to the mission. Much was asked of them and they really delivered over the last five months. Our focus on capacity building will have long lasting positive effects on those countries and our collective ability to work together and respond to crises of many types.”

News Story: Philippines interested to order medical support ship in Indonesia

KRI Dr Soeharso 

The Philippine government is considering another order for a medical support vessel from Indonesia’s state-owned shipbuilder.

According to Jan Pieter, – the Defense Ministry’s director of the defense industry and technology – the Philippine Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana had shown a deep interest in the 123-meter vessel and spent a lot of time looking at the vessel’s mock-up.

“The Secretary of National Defense and the Philippines Navy chief of staff are impressed with the medical support vessel that will be fit for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations,” Jan Pieter, the Defense Ministry’s director of the defense industry and technology, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Read the full story at Tankler

USA: USNS Mercy returns to 3rd Fleet after Pacific Partnership

By MC3 Trevor Kohlrus, Pacific Partnership Public Affairs

USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) steams through the Pacific earlier this week. (U.S. Navy/MC2 Hank Gettys) >>

PACIFIC OCEAN - Pacific Partnership 2016, embarked aboard hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) arrived in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations Sept. 15, en route to Hawaii for a brief stop as the mission nears conclusion.

Mercy departed Naval Base San Diego May 11 and served as the command platform for the Pacific Partnership 2016 mission. Pacific Partnership is the largest annual, multilateral disaster response preparedness mission in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

"The objective was to improve interoperability between countries to strengthen the relationships and partnerships," said Cmdr. Miguel Gutierrez, director of medical operations, Pacific Partnership 2016.

USA: Pacific Partnership concludes 2016 mission

From Pacific Partnership Public Affairs

JS Shimokita (LST 4002) steams alongside USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) while transiting to Vietnam in July. (U.S. Marine Corps/Sgt. Brittney Vella) >>

PACIFIC OCEAN - The 11th annual Pacific Partnership mission departed the Western Pacific recently after completing mission stops throughout Southeast Asia.

The annual multilateral, multiservice mission saw partner nation counterparts working alongside one another in six countries to improve disaster response preparedness and enhance relationships in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

Pacific Partnership is the largest annual multilateral disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. The 2016 mission was led by Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 23, embarked aboard hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19). Approximately 1,200 military and civilian personnel from Australia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States participated for the duration or parts of the four-month long mission.

USA: Pacific Partnership departs Indonesia, final mission stop

By MC2 William Cousins, Pacific Partnership Public Affairs

Cmdr. Miguel Gutierrez plays with Indonesian children during a Pacific Partnership 2016 surgical screening, Aug. 20. (USMC/Sgt. Brittney Vella) >>

PADANG, Indonesia - Pacific Partnership 2016, embarked aboard hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), departed its fifth and final mission stop, Padang, Indonesia, Aug. 30, completing two weeks of humanitarian assistance disaster response collaboration and training, medical and engineering subject matter expert exchanges, cooperative health engagements and community relation events.

This year marks the fifth time the mission has visited Indonesia in the past 11 years. Pacific Partnership personnel worked alongside the Tentara Nasional Indonesia, civilian leadership and government officials from the Padang community, improving interoperability and enhancing relationships.

One of the main lines of effort was a humanitarian assistance disaster relief field training exercise. The event involved more than 200 participants including Pacific Partnership personnel and Indonesian agencies ranging from government leaders to the national military.

USA: Pacific Partnership mission underway in Indonesia

By MC2 William Cousins, Pacific Partnership Public Affairs

In this file photo, USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) sits off the coast of Manado, Indonesia, during a previous Pacific Partnership mission. (Photo by Camelia Montoy) >>

PADANG, Indonesia - Pacific Partnership 2016, embarked aboard hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), arrived in Padang Aug. 19 for the fifth and final mission stop of 2016.

This year marks the fifth time the mission has visited Indonesia and will include partner nations’ military forces from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea and the United States as well as experts from several non-governmental organizations including Project HOPE and HOPE Worldwide.

Pacific Partnership is visiting Indonesia to strengthen ties between partner nations in order to improve multinational cooperation for humanitarian assistance disaster relief (HADR).

USA: Pacific Partnership, Malaysian Armed Forces team for search and rescue exercise

By MC3 Trevor Kohlrus, Pacific Partnership Public Affairs

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and U.S. Navy personnel transport a simulated patient aboard USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) during a Pacific Partnership search and rescue exercise. (U.S. Navy/MC3 Trevor Kohlrus) >>

KUANTAN, Malaysia - Pacific Partnership 2016 and Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) personnel collaborated to execute a search and rescue exercise (SAREX) that ended with a casualty response drill aboard hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), Aug. 14.

During the exercise participants came together to plan and execute a coordinated response to a simulated passenger vessel in distress during a severe typhoon in Kuantan, Malaysia.

“This event simulated the rescue of personnel from a distressed vessel at sea, the rescue of casualties in the water and transfer of casualties to Mercy,” said Lt. Sarah Cosgrove, Pacific Partnership 2016 SAREX lead planning officer.

USA: Pacific Partnership 2016 Completes Palau Mission

From Pacific Partnership Public Affairs

KOROR, Palau (NNS) -- Pacific Partnership 2016 departed Palau Aug. 15 aboard JS Shimokita (LST 4002) after completing two weeks of medical and engineering initiatives designed to promote cooperation and knowledge exchange between local authorities and the multinational Pacific Partnership team.

While in Palau, the Pacific Partnership team made up of service members and civilians from Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, worked alongside civilian and military leadership to conduct cooperative health engagements, civil-engineering projects, and subject matter expert exchanges in nursing and pharmacy, all focused on improving partner nations' collective ability to respond to a variety of natural disasters. The visit to Palau is part of the wider Pacific Partnership 2016 mission, building cooperation between partner nations.

Medical engagements included eye surgery, patient care aboard a vision van brought from Japan for the mission, and basic life support and dental subject matter expert exchanges between Pacific Partnership and Palau medical providers. 

USA: Pacific Partnership brings mission to Malaysia for 1st time

By MC2 Lindsey E. Skelton, Pacific Partnership Public Affairs

USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) sits anchored off the coast of Da Nang, Vietnam, during the mission's previous stop. (RAAF/CPL David Cotton) >>

KUANTAN, Malaysia - Pacific Partnership arrived in Kuantan Aug. 1, embarked aboard hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), marking the first time the mission has visited Malaysia, although Malaysia has provided teams to support the mission since 2006.

Malaysian civilian and military leadership led planning for Pacific Partnership 2016 activities, where personnel from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and the U.S. will work side-by-side with the their Malaysian counterparts, conducting subject matter expert exchanges to improve regional disaster preparedness and resiliency, focusing on multilateral cooperation.

As the fourth mission stop of Pacific Partnership 2016, specific activities include a search and rescue (SAR) seminar followed by a live SAR exercise, medical seminars, civil engineering projects and community service events.

USA: Symposium addresses disaster topics in Philippines

By MC1 Elizabeth Merriam, Pacific Partnership Public Affairs

Philippine Armed Forces, Australian Army and U.S. Navy medical professionals talk during a joint disaster management symposium, June 30. (U.S. Navy/MC1 Elizabeth Merriam) >>

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines - Pacific Partnership 2016 held a joint disaster symposium at Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH), June 30.

The symposium gave Pacific Partnership personnel attached to hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, participating non-government organizations, and local medical personnel the chance to have an open dialogue about disaster management relief, in a medical context.

“I think the symposium is a great program to get all of our medical providers together in one room. Everybody can see how we do things similarly and yet how we do things differently, to get to the same result,” said Lt. Michael Bowe-Rahming, environmental health officer aboard Mercy.

AUS: Floating (Medical) School a Big Surprise

A Launch takes visitors to USNS Mercy, a US Navy Hospital
Ship, on a previous Pacific Partnership mission

A Royal Australian Air Force nursing has made a big impression on Filipino nursing officer students thanks to her somewhat unusual and rather large floating hospital.

When local third year university nursing students at the Bicol University in Daraga, located in the Philippines province of Albay, were told that they would be attending a nursing workshop and touring a state of the art medical facility, they didn’t expect it to be one of the world’s finest hospital ships visiting neighboring Legazpi City.

Squadron Leader Lynette Howell is a flight nurse serving aboard the United States Naval Ship ‘Mercy’ for Pacific Partnership 2016 (PP16), a US Navy-led multinational annual humanitarian and civic assistance mission.

The visit by Mercy allowed the Air Force nurse to organise two nursing workshops where students could participate side-by-side reviewing clinical techniques and procedures in a world class hospital – albeit a floating hospital.

NZ: NZDF Personnel Join Humanitarian Visit to Timor-Leste

Nine New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel took part in a number of community engagements during a recent two-week humanitarian visit to Timor-Leste as part of the annual Pacific Partnership.

Wing Commander (WGCDR) Michelle White, Senior National Officer of the NZDF contingent and Chief of Staff of this year’s Pacific Partnership mission, said members of the New Zealand contingent worked with counterparts from partner-nations, Timor-Leste’s government, military and civilian agencies, and non-governmental organisations to conduct community health exchanges and medical conferences.

“In addition to helping provide direct medical care ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with local providers, our NZDF members also shared their knowledge and skills on preventative medicine, oral health, nursing, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief planning, including a focus on gender considerations in disasters,” WGCDR White said.

USA: Pacific Partnership 2016 arrives in Philippines

By MC3 Trevor Kohlrus, Pacific Partnership Public Affairs

In this file photo, USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) sits off the coast of the Philippines during a previous Pacific Partnership mission. (U.S. Navy/MC3 Michael Feddersen) >>

LEGAZPI, Philippines - Pacific Partnership 2016 arrived in Legazpi June 27 aboard USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), making this the seventh year Pacific Partnership has visited the Philippines since 2006.

While in Legazpi, Pacific Partnership will work with civilian and military leadership to conduct a five day humanitarian and disaster relief seminar, cooperative health engagements throughout the province, engineering construction and renovation projects at local schools, and community relation events such as band concerts, led by the Pacific Fleet Band.

“This is my first time being an officer in charge for a country while on a humanitarian mission,” said Lt. Rebecca Wolf, country officer in charge of the Philippines. “Serving on USNS Mercy is a unique experience for surface warfare officers and having the opportunity to support Pacific Partnership 2016 as an OIC is unparalleled and rewarding. I’m very lucky I have such a great team to work with.”

News Story: Chinese naval fleet sails out for 2016 RIMPAC drills

ZHOUSHAN, Zhejiang, June 15 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese fleet participating in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) multinational naval exercises set sail for the event Wednesday.

The fleet departed from a military port in Zhoushan City in east China's Zhejiang Province. It is the second time the Chinese Navy have taken part in RIMPAC.

At the sendoff at Zhoushan, deputy navy commander Wang Hai said the mission was important for the "new type of major power relationship" between China and the United States, in addition to promoting military-to-military cooperation and exchanges.

Read the full story at Xinhua

USA: Timor-Leste defense chief welcomes Pacific Partnership

By MC2 Hank Gettys, Pacific Partnership Public Affairs

Rear Adm. Charles Williams, commander of Task Force 73, salutes during the Pacific Partnership 2016 opening ceremony at the Timor-Leste Ministry of Defense. (U.S. Navy/MC2 Hank Gettys) >>

DILI, Timor-Leste - The Chief of Defense Force to Timor-Leste, Major General Lere Anan Timur hosted the Pacific Partnership 2016 opening ceremony June 8.

Hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), anchored off the coast of Dili, brought an international team of military and civilian professionals in disaster relief, engineering and medicine to Timor-Leste for its first mission stop of Pacific Partnership 2016.

Speakers at the event included His Excellence Dr. Rui Maria de Araujo, Prime Minister of Timor Leste, U.S. Ambassador to Timor-Leste Karen Stanton, and Rear Adm. Charles Williams, Commander, Task Force 73.

USA: USNS Mercy stops in Guam during Pacific Partnership

From Pacific Partnership Public Affairs

In this file photo, Pacific Partnership mission personnel man the rails as USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) departs Pearl Harbor earlier this month. (U.S. Navy/MC2 Johans Chavarro) >>

NAVAL BASE GUAM - Hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) arrived in Guam May 31 in support of Pacific Partnership 2016.

While in Guam, personnel aboard the ship will participate in a field training exercise to train mission personnel prior to the first mission stop. Mercy is also taking on supplies, additional crew, both civilian and military, during the stop.

After Guam, Mercy will visit Timor-Leste, the Republic of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, where Pacific Partnership personnel will participate in cooperative subject-matter expert and civil-military exchanges, focused on disaster response preparedness, emphasizing the importance of cooperation on regional scale.

USA: Teamwork, training key to USNS Mercy MEDEVAC of South Korean sailor

By MC1 Elizabeth Merriam, Pacific Partnership Public Affairs

An MH-60S Seahawk assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21 performs a medical evacuation of a sailor from Republic of Korea Submarine SSK Lee Eok Gi (SS 071) to hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19). (U.S. Navy/MC1 Elizabeth Merriman) >>

PACIFIC OCEAN - The hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) conducted a medical evacuation May 27 to assist a Republic of Korea sailor in need of medical attention. Pacific Partnership 2016 Mission Commander, Capt. Tom Williams, praised the work of the entire mission team to complete the MEDEVAC successfully.

“I appreciate the flexibility and teamwork of the [Military Sealift Command] crew who worked hard this morning to get us in position, as well as our HSC 21 teammates who went out and conducted the personnel transfer with professionalism and safety,” said Williams.

Embarked Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21 launched an MH-60S helicopter from Mercy to recover the sailor and returned him to the hospital ship. Crew members facing the challenge of airlifting the sailor from the surfaced submarine relied on training and past experience to find the right procedure to transport him safely.