A young Vietnamese boy opens his mouth for a dental assistant to examine during Pacific Angel-Vietnam in Nghe An Province, Vietnam, June 11, 2012. The dental clinic, a class room at the Xuan Lam Primary School, was filled with children getting their first dental cleanings. The children were sent home with tooth brushes, tooth paste and fresh teeth. Operation Pacific Angel gives the U.S. an opportunity to support the efforts of partner nations in the Pacific region by providing medical, dental, optometry and engineering assistance to the host nation citizens. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)

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U.S. servicemembers speak to the Vietnemese contractors through their interpreter at the Xuam Lam Medical Clinic during PACANGEL-Vietnam in Nghe An Province, Vietnam, June 11, 2012. The team is working with the Vietnam People's Armed Forces, as well as local contractors, to restore a community clinic to provide improved facilities for the province. Operation Pacific Angel gives the U.S. an opportunity to support the efforts partner nations in the Pacific region by providing medical, dental, optometry and engineering assistance to the host nation citizens. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)

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Staff Sgt. Ashton Alan, medical technician, takes the blood pressure of a Vietnamese man at the Xuan Lam Primary School in Nghe An Province, Vietnam, June 11 during Pacific Angel 2012. Operation Pacific Angel gives the U.S. an opportunity to support the efforts partner nations in the Pacific region by providing medical, dental, optometry and engineering assistance to the host nation citizens. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)

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Two Vietnamese women wait to be seen by U.S. military doctors at the Xuan Lam Primary School in Nghe An Province, Vietnam, June 11, 2012, during Pacific Angel-Vietnam 2012. Operation Pacific Angel gives the U.S. an opportunity to support the efforts partner nations in the Pacific region by providing medical, dental, optometry and engineering assistance to the host nation citizens. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)

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A Vietnamese woman visits a construction site at the Xuam Lam Medical Clinic during Pacific Angel-Vietnam 12 in Nghe An Province, Vietnam, June 11, 2012. Operation Pacific Angel gives the U.S. an opportunity to support the efforts of other governments in the Pacific region by providing medical, dental, optometry and engineering assistance to the host nation citizens. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)

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A young boy sits on his mother's lap during an exam at the Xuan Lam Primary School in Nghe An Province, Vietnam, June 11, 2012, during Pacific Angel-Vietnam 2012. Throughout the course of the day, more than 700 patients were treated in women's health, family practice, dental and optometry. Operation Pacific Angel gives the U.S. an opportunity to support the efforts of other governments in the Pacific region by providing medical, dental, optometry and engineering assistance to the host nation citizens. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)

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PACANGEL 12 kicks off in Vietnam

Published June 13, 2012
By Senior Airman Lauren Main
Pacific Angel-Vietnam 12 Public Affairs

NGHE AN PROVINCE, Vietnam (AFNS) -- Approximately 58 U.S. military members, along with the Vietnam People's Armed Forces and two non-governmental organizations, Project H.O.P.E. and East Meets West, kicked-off Pacific Angel-Vietnam 12 in Nghe An Province, Vietnam, June 11.

This iteration of PACANGEL-Vietnam includes humanitarian medical, dental, and optometry care; engineering programs, as well as, several subject-matter expert exchanges and training opportunities extending from 10 through 18 June.

During the eight day engagement, the U.S. military engineering team, comprised of 17 civil engineers, will refurbish the Xuan Lam Medical Clinic. So far, the team has replaced the roof of the facility, laid the tile work for the exam rooms and a portion of the exterior cosmetic painting.

Down the road from the construction site, at the Xuan Lam Primary School, the Health Services Outreach team is also hard at work.

Each of the classrooms has been transformed to serve as a temporary treatment facility for local Vietnamese in the area.

More than 750 patients were seen on the first day of the engagement. The treatments range from optometry care, women's health, dental, family care and pharmaceutical services.

Officially in its fifth year, PACANGEL is a joint and combined humanitarian assistance engagement led by the 13th Air Force. The engagement supports U.S. Pacific Command's capacity-building efforts by partnering with other governments, non-governmental agencies and multilateral militaries in the respective region to provide medical, dental, optometry and engineering assistance to their citizens.

Since 2007, U.S. military members have partnered together with host nation military personnel throughout the region to help improve the lives of tens of thousands of people through PACANGEL missions.

Operation PACANGEL-Vietnam 12 is set to last through the June 18.

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