Pacific Partnership 2018 Kicks-Off in Thailand for First Time

[Rimmer]

Pacific Partnership 2018 Kicks-Off in Thailand for First Time

PATTAYA:--Pattaya, Thailand (NNS) – Pacific Partnership 2018, the largest annual multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) preparedness mission, kicked off aboard the expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Brunswick (T-EPF-6) in Pattaya, May 20.

 

This was the first time Thailand hosted Pacific Partnership since the exercise series’ first iteration in 2006. Over 130 military personnel from the U.S., United Kingdom and Australia conducted medical, dental and veterinary subject matter expert exchanges at the Queen Sirikit Naval Hospital while working side-by-side with local professionals and non-governmental organizations on HA/DR readiness.

 

The medical team shared knowledge and experiences on topics ranging from obstetric trauma emergencies, rheumatology and pediatric trauma to nursing care and veterinary education. The civil affairs team from the U.S. Army 83rd Civil Affairs Battalion conducted a joint symposium and tabletop exercise with Royal Thai Armed Forces counterparts to practice disaster response and preparedness.

Military Sealift Command expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Brunswick (T-EPF 6) arrives in Thailand as a part of Pacific Partnership 2018.

 

“We are here because, like our U.S. colleagues, we are committed to increasing multilateral cooperation and partnership across the region,” said Royal Navy Capt. Peter Olive, Deputy Mission Commander of Pacific Partnership 2018. “Working together with you, our gracious hosts, we therefore hope to build mutual understanding of how better to respond to natural disasters in the future.”

 

Thailand is considered the USA’s oldest regional ally as both U.S. and Royal Thai Armed Forces continue to conduct increasingly sophisticated annual engagements including the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise which began in 1995, Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) involving more than a dozen nations and Cobra Gold, Asia-Pacific’s largest multinational exercise.

 

Read more: http://www.pattayamail.com/news/pacific-partnership-2018-kicks-off-thailand-first-time-210870

 

-- © Copyright Pattaya Mail 2018-05-25

 

 

[mikebell]

22 hours ago, Rimmer said:

the U.S., United Kingdom and Australia conducted medical, dental and veterinary subject matter expert exchanges at the Queen Sirikit Naval Hospital

I expect the exchanges were conducted in English so The Thai 'experts' would be non-the-wiser after the relayed information.