Courtesy Photo | Members of a U.S. Special Operations Command Pacific Civil Affairs team demonstrate...... read more read more
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QUANG NGAI, VIETNAM – More than 40 participants from the U.S., Australia and Vietnam participated in a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief workshop, collaborating with each other to share best practices and strengthen relationships to manage non-traditional threats.
The event took place during Pacific Partnership and Pacific Angel 2024, and included participants from the Vietnamese Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Australia Defense Force, and several U.S. agencies, including the Oregon National Guard, U.S. Army Reserve Civil Affairs, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and a Civil Affairs team from U.S. Special Operations Command Pacific.
“The exchange provided training opportunities to build upon an understanding of how our partners respond to complex conditions, and where we could potentially enhance those capabilities,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Griffin Smith, the team medic for SOCPAC Civil Affairs. “There were a lot of similarities, which helped highlight our ability to work together in the future.”
During the exchange, a SOCPAC Civil Affairs team demonstrated and delivered eight 72-hour emergency survival kits to members of the Vietnamese Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The kits will support surrounding community members as they respond to future events or natural disasters. Each 72-hour survival kit contains supplies that provide users immediate relief following a natural disaster. This is especially important in areas where citizens may become isolated for extended periods of time due to damaged roads or emergency response systems.
The supplies in each kit were sourced entirely in Vietnam, so citizens can recreate the bags in their own communities. Each kit contained fire starting material, water purification supplies and makeshift shelters, as well as medical supplies for immediate first aid.
These exchanges expand disaster response efforts in the Indo-Pacific by increasing our preparedness and enhancing bilateral response capabilities. By participating in these events, SOCPAC Civil Affairs improves our ability to work together with Allies and partners and build our collective strength, while strengthening community ties by reinforcing the foundation and framework necessary to respond rapidly and effectively to regional crises.
Both missions strive to take a holistic approach to mitigate risk, develop resiliency, and prepare for humanitarian disasters, as well as other non-traditional threats such as scarcity of critical resources and environmental degradation. Engagements with local and regional partners during events like Pacific Partnership and Pacific Angel help promote a more resilient community.
By U.S. Army Capt. Vincent O’Reilly
For information on Pacific Partnership and Pacific Angel visit: www.clwp.navy.mil/Pacific-Partnership and https://www.pacaf.af.mil
| Date Taken: | 08.22.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.18.2024 21:23 |
| Story ID: | 481233 |
| Location: | QUANG NGAI, VN |
| Web Views: | 123 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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