KADENA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) --
Airmen from the 18th Medical Group deployed May 22 to Pacific Partnership 2008, a joint mission with the Navy aboard the hospital ship Mercy.
The medics flew to Guam where they boarded the U.S. Navy Ship Mercy and will sail with her for the next three months bringing humanitarian and civic assistance to people in various parts of the world.
Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors will work hand-in-hand with members of the U.S. Public Health Service on operations including disaster relief and contingency missions.
"This is our chance to show the world the good things our military members do for the community," said Staff Sgt. Olga Calle-Angel, 18th MDG unit deployment manager. "In addition to medical work, our folks will do volunteer work."
This includes helping build schools and churches to show people of other nations the military's capacity to support humanitarian missions, said Sergeant Calle-Angel.
"Pacific Partnership 2008 is a multifaceted mission," said Navy Capt. James P. Rice, medical treatment facility commanding officer on the USNS Mercy. "We are 'Steaming to Assist' through health care, engineering, education and civil assistance, all designed to build capacity and engender long-term relationships."
Working aboard a floating hospital may present a unique set of challenges for the Airmen, but Sergeant Calle-Angel is confident the team will rise to the challenge.
"Everybody here has absolute confidence the team will represent Kadena and the Air Force well," said Sergeant Calle-Angel. "Each team member has a very positive attitude and they're on this mission to help other people."
USNS Mercy and her sister ship the USNS Comfort are a part of the Military Sea Lift Command's Strategic Sea Lift Force. Each ship is equipped with 1,000 hospital beds, 12 operating rooms, radiological services, medical laboratories, an optometry lab, a pharmacy and an oxygen and nitrogen producing plant. The ships also have a helicopter landing deck to receive patients.
Pacific Partnership is an annual mission. The Mercy and Comfort alternate the deployments each year.
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