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 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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Survey Ship Completes Vietnam Humanitarian Mission

The crew and scientists of the oceanographic survey USNS Bruce C. Heezen, together with embarked representatives from the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) completed their two-week support of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command’s (JPAC) latest mission in Vietnam June 23.

Heezen began the mission June 11 off the coast of Vietnam with a goal of speeding up the discovery of potential aircraft crash sites from the Vietnam War.

At least one site of particular interest was discovered by Heezen and its technologies, which are managed by the Naval Oceanographic Office. Reporting by Agence France-Presse and Vietnam Net following a media visit to the ship in Danang on June 25 during Heezen’s visit there notes the discovery of an object that could possibly be a helicopter.

JPAC will review all of the findings from the investigative mission and determine whether there is enough evidence to support a recovery mission associated with that information in the future.

Heezen was in support of a wider mission in Vietnam, JPAC’s 95th there since the 1980s, that ran from May 24 – June 24.

The mission of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) is to achieve the fullest possible accounting of all Americans missing as a result of the nation's past conflicts.

Heezen’s participation marked the first time a U.S. Navy ship has been used to search for underwater wreckage off the coast of Vietnam. The Government of Vietnam authorizing this important mission highlights the expanding cooperative relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam.

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U.S. Navy Ship Supports JPAC Mission in Vietnam

The oceanographic survey ship USNS Bruce C. Heezen has joined the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command’s (JPAC) latest mission in Vietnam, marking the first time a U.S. Navy ship has been used to search for underwater wreckage off the coast of Vietnam.

As noted by the Associated Press, nearly 1,336 U.S. servicemen are still unaccounted for in Vietnam.

A joint JPAC-Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) team embarked Heezen June 11 to investigate underwater crash sites off the Vietnam coast. The JPAC mission, the 95th in Vietnam since the 1980s, began May 25 and runs through June 24.

A June 8 Joint Statement on U.S.-Vietnam Political, Security and Defense Dialogue released by the U.S. State Department highlights the increasingly cooperative relationships between the U.S. and Vietnam.

Likewise, U.S. Pacific Command’s military-to-military relationship with Vietnam continues to grow. As recently as last week, a delegation from Vietnam visited Hawaii to observe a hurricane response exercise and meet with Pacific military leaders. This week, three Vietnamese Navy officers are observing the Singapore phase of the maritime security exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT).

Heezen’s participation in JPAC’s mission in Vietnam is the latest example of expanding cooperation, and could significantly speed up the discovery of crash sites, according to a JPAC news release.

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Vietnam Military Delegation Visits Hawaii, Explores Response Capabilities

A delegation of military officers from Vietnam is visiting Hawaii this week to observe hurricane exercise Makani Pahili 2009, receive briefings, and witness demonstrations associated with search and rescue (SAR) and disaster management capabilities of the U.S. military, Hawaii National Guard and U.S. Coast Guard.

The delegation, led by Lt. Gen. Tran Quang Khue, standing vice chairman of the Vietnam National Search and Rescue Committee, arrived in Hawaii June 1 and its itinerary includes discussions with U.S. military officials from Pacific Command (PACOM), senior leaders from PACOM’s service component commands, the Hawaii National Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as visits to various military facilities.

Lt. Gen. Khue and his delegation were received at the PACOM headquarters June 2 with a military honors ceremony – headed by Adm. Timothy Keating, PACOM’s commander – that included the playing of the Vietnam and U.S. national anthems by the Pacific Fleet Band.

SAR and disaster management operations, which includes humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, presents an opportunity for military forces from nations throughout the region to assist one another in support of civil authorities, when needed.

PACOM is continually exploring opportunities to strengthen and expand the U.S. military-to-military relationship with the armed forces of Vietnam, which includes occasional port visits by U.S. Navy ships, joint professional exchanges and visits, and mutual participation in multinational exercises and training events.

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