From U.S. Third Fleet Public Affairs
The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) departs Naval Base San Diego en route to the Western Pacific and this year's Pacific Partnership mission. (U.S. Navy/MC3 Christopher Veloicaza) >>
SAN DIEGO - The hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) and embarked "Blackjacks" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21 departed May 11 for a deployment in support of Pacific Partnership 2016.
The 11th iteration of the U.S. Pacific Fleet's annual Pacific Partnership mission will take place in the host nations of Timor-Leste, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Japan will also lead a mission to Palau.
Working at the invitation of each host nation, U.S. Navy forces will be joined by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and regional partners that include Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Singapore, Republic of Korea and Japan to improve maritime security, conduct humanitarian assistance, and strengthen disaster response preparedness.
Born out of the devastation wrought by the 2004 tsunami that swept through parts of Southeast Asia, Pacific Partnership began as a military-led humanitarian response to one of the world's most catastrophic natural disasters. Building on the success and goodwill of this operation, the hospital ship USNS Mercy returned to the region in 2006 for the inaugural Pacific Partnership mission. The mission staff expanded to include partner nation militaries and NGOs working to increase the disaster relief capabilities of Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines and East Timor. Since then, Pacific Partnership has grown in scope and size.
U.S. Navy Capt. Tom Williams, commander of San Diego-based Destroyer Squadron 23, is leading this year's mission from Mercy.
Partner nation militaries and government agencies, NGOs and host nation planning efforts have focused on collaborative efforts with professionals in the fields of medicine, dentistry, veterinary, public health services, engineering and disaster response.