Pacific Angel to Bring Care, Boost Cooperation in Vietnam

U.S. Air Force medical and engineering professionals will work local officials, private voluntary organizations, and military counterparts in Vietnam, to provide humanitarian assistance to residents of Quang Tri Province Sept. 15-24 as part of Operation Pacific Angel.

More than 60 personnel will represent the U.S. during this second iteration of Pacific Angel 2009. The first had concurrent operations at Kupang, West Timor, in Indonesia, and Dili City, Timor Leste, in July. Activities include subject matter expert exchanges, and medical, dental and engineering civic assistance programs.

Operation Pacific Angel is a joint and combined humanitarian and civic assistance operation conducted to support U.S. Pacific Command's capacity-building efforts. The program is aimed at improving military civic cooperation between the U.S. and countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

13th Air Force leads Pacific Angel, which is a Pacific Air Forces program.

The Vietnam phase of Operation Pacific Angel follows several medical and humanitarian cooperative efforts between the U.S. and Vietnam this year, including a joint nursing symposium in August, and a U.S. Army Pacific-led Medical Readiness and Training Exercise (MEDRETE) in July.

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Pacific Angel Humanitarian Mission Underway in Timor Leste, Indonesia

U.S. Air Force and Army members are partnering with local military and civilian authorities in Timor Leste and Indonesia to provide medical, dental, and engineering assistance as part of Operation Pacific Angel.

The 2009 edition of Pacific Angel began July 15 with the establishment of clinics in Dili, Timor Leste and Naioni, Indonesia.

More than three hundred patients received basic services at both locations in the initial days of the mission, as noted in news stories highlighting activities in Dili and Naioni. Care includes general medicine, optometry and dentistry services. Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs) are also scheduled in topic areas such as infection control and basic life support.

The operation also consists of several military assistance programs such as aeromedical evacuation subject matter expert exchanges.

Pacific Angel, a Pacific Air Forces operation led by 13th Air Force, is conducted annually in the U.S. Pacific Command's area of responsibility. The mission brings basic services to those in need, while building important civil-military relationships and regional awareness of the personnel involved.

Keep up with Pacific Angel on the 13th Air Force website and the PACAF Pixels blog.

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Pacific Angel to Provide Care, Strengthen Relationships

U.S. Pacific Air Forces announced Operation Pacific Angel 2009, a humanitarian assistance mission, is set to begin on July 10 in Indonesia, Timor Leste and Vietnam.

Operation Pacific Angel is a joint and combined humanitarian assistance operation conducted in the Pacific area of responsibility to support U.S. Pacific Command's capacity-building efforts.

Pacific Angel will conduct civil military assistance activities including: aeromedical evacuation subject matter expert exchanges, medical civic assistance programs, medical subject matter experts in infection control and basic life support, dental civic assistance programs, and engineering civic assistance programs.

As explained in the recent 13th Air Force news story, Pacific Angel will be conducted in two iterations. The first iteration will have concurrent operations conducted at Kupang, West Timor, in Indonesia, and Dili City, Timor Leste in July. The second iteration will be conducted at Dong Ha City, Vietnam in September.

Humanitarian and civic campaigns such as Pacific Angel help to improve the lives of the people in which it comes in contact. They also build regional capacity by strengthening relationships and improving security cooperation between national governments, militaries, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations during disaster relief operations.

This is officially the second year for Operation Pacific Angel. Last year, the operation was conducted in Thailand and Cambodia.

Collaborative efforts such as Pacific Angel support U.S. Pacific Command’s (PACOM) focus on partnership, readiness, and presence. PACOM maintains a constant presence throughout the Asia-Pacific region and works with its friends and allies to be better prepared to face challenges and crisis together.

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