How the Navy shows ‘mercy’

April 30, 2012-SAN DIEGO, CA| The Navy hospital ship, USNS Mercy, is preparing to leave Naval Base San Diego on Tuesday, on the first leg of Pacific Partnership 2012, the largest annual humanitarian and civic mission that will take it to the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia and provide medical, dental, veterinary, and civil engineering assistance during the four-and-a-half month deployment. |Howard Lipin /UT San Diego). Mandatory to Credit HOWARD LIPIN/U-T San Diego/ZUMA PRESS, U-T San Diego

San Diego floating hospital departs on Pacific goodwill mission

April 30, 2012
Written by Jeanette Steele
U-T San Diego

One operation stands out in the mind of Dr. Matthew Provencher, a Navy orthopedic surgeon. A young Cambodian man who loved soccer had a crooked leg from an accident — too crooked to play or coach soccer anymore.

The man came aboard the Mercy in 2010, the last time the San Diego-based Navy hospital ship sailed the Pacific on its every-other-year goodwill medical mission. Provencher performed surgery in the Mercy’s cavernous operating room, inserting a rod to straighten the man’s calf bone.

“We’re looking for the cases that will have very high impact, will help patients do things better, live longer and have a better life,” the Navy doctor said.

The Mercy sails again at 10 a.m. Tuesday for its 2012 Pacific Partnership mission. The converted oil tanker — one of two hospital vessels in the U.S. Navy — will make stops in Hawaii and Guam to pick up supplies and people before visiting Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia.

U.S., Cambodia partner for civil military assistance mission

BAK KLARNG, Cambodia -- Capt. Meghan Vanderheiden and Tech. Sgt. Anabel Parks numb a patient before performing a dental procedure during Operation PACIFIC ANGEL 11-1 Aug. 8, 2011, Bak Klarng, Cambodia. The operation supports U.S. Pacific Command’s capacity-building efforts by partnering with other governments in the region to provide medical, dental, optometry and engineer assistance to their citizens. Captain Vanderheiden is a dentist and Sergeant Parks is a hygienist; both are assigned to the 35th Dental Squadron, Misawa Air Base, Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Christopher Boitz)

By Capt David Herndon
PACAF Public Affairs (US Pacific Air Forces)

8/9/2011 - KOH KONG, Cambodia -- U.S. Airmen are partnering with their Royal Cambodian Armed Forces aircrew, engineer, and medical counterparts this week for a combined civil military assistance mission in Koh Kong Province, Cambodia, scheduled to run through Aug. 12.

The mission, known as Operation Pacific Angel 11-1, is part of a series of joint and combined humanitarian assistance partnership engagements led by host nation military units, local non-governmental organizations and Pacific Air Forces Airmen assigned to 13th Air Forces.

Approximately 60 U.S. Airmen from Active Duty, Guard and Reserve units are teaming with RCAF personnel and local NGOs for Health Services Outreach engagements, an Engineer Civic Assistance Program, and Health and Airfield Subject Matter Expert Exchanges.

Surgeons’ scalpels improve lives in Cambodia

CHILREN'S SURGICAL CENTRE, PHNOM PEHN, Kingdom of Cambodia-Navy Lt. Charles J. Siegert, left, a general surgeon with 3rd Medical Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and Huot Vutha, right, a Cambodian surgery trainee, work alongside each other to perform a surgical operation on a baby at Children's Surgical Centre, Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia. The surgical training is part of Cambodia Interoperability Program 2011, a regularly-held exercise between the U.S. and Cambodian forces that allows both nations to conduct joint-medical and dental operations, improve interoperability through working together and foster goodwill to ensure regional peace and stability., Cpl. Kentavist P. Brackin, 6/27/2011 7:13 AM

7/15/2011
By Cpl. Kentavist P. Brackin
US Marine Corps Bases Japan

PHNOM PEHN, Kingdom of Cambodia — The surgery team attached to 3rd Medical Battalion recently concluded joint training with Cambodian medical personnel during surgical operations at the Children’s Surgical Centre, Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.

The battalion, part of 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, offers the surgical training as a new addition to Cambodia Interoperability Program 2011, a regularly held exercise between the U.S. and Royal Cambodian Armed Forces allowing both nations to conduct joint medical and dental operations, improve interoperability and foster goodwill to ensure regional peace and stability.

“This is the first time that I know of that a surgery team has ever participated in a MEDCAP with 3rd Medical Battalion,” said Navy Lt. Charles J. Siegert, a general surgeon with 3rd Med. Bn. “I think the knowledge will have a long-lasting effect on the Cambodian medical personnel and local community.”

Pacific Partnership 2010 Doctors Help Mother and Son

Monday, June 28, 2010
Commander, Pacific Fleet
By Petty Officer 2nd Class Brian Gaines
US Navy

06.26.2010 SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia – A mother and her young son will be able to lead better lives as a result of the care provided by Pacific Partnership 2010 surgeons working aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy.

U.S. Navy, partner nation, and non-governmental organization surgeons were preparing to perform corrective surgery to a Cambodian child’s urinary tract when they noticed the boy’s mother had very poor eyesight. The 40-year-old woman was found to have severe cataracts in both eyes. After making arrangements for post-operative care for the son, the embarked ophthalmologists then performed surgery on the mother to remove one of the cataracts.

“As the boy was being prepped for surgery, we noticed the mother feeling her way around the ship,” said Australian Navy Lt. (Dr.) Elizabeth Livingstone, an ophthalmologist currently attached to Mercy.

“So we decided to check for cataracts and then decided surgery would benefit the mother.”

Ophthalmologists aboard Mercy were surprised to see such advanced cataracts in a woman this age. The first procedure, which took approximately half an hour, was performed at the same time as the child’s surgery, which took about three and a half hours.

At the conclusion of both surgeries, both mother and child spent time together in recovery, before being taken back to their respective wards.

“Eventually, we removed the other cataract and the mother now has 20/30 vision in that eye,” said Livingstone.

The entire surgical staff celebrated the fact that they had helped this family.

“It is amazing that we could help restore the gift of sight for this woman,” said Cmdr. (Dr.) Kent Blade, officer in charge for Ophthalmology. “Otherwise, the child inevitably would have been leading his mother around in a few years.”

Not only will the child now lead a normal life, but the mother will now have improved vision,” said Cmdr. (Dr.) Brian Auge, a urologist aboard Mercy. “It was also great to see the surgical staff – from administration on down – come together to make this great thing a reality.”

The positive effect in the overall quality of life for this mother and son team translates to an overall improvement for their community – half-day’s travel away – by enabling them to become more productive members who will no longer be affected by a medical condition,” said Livingstone. “The mother must have given me a dozen hugs as they departed Mercy.”

Pacific Partnership 2010 is the fifth in a series of annual U.S. Pacific Fleet humanitarian and civic assistance endeavors aimed at strengthening regional partnerships among U.S. government organizations, host nations, partner nations, and international humanitarian and relief organizations.

Cambodians Get Medical Aid, English Lessons from U.S. Military

USS Essex, Marine unit work with Sihanoukville-area communities

05 December 2007
By Peggy B. Hu
USINFO Staff Writer

Washington -- Providing medical and dental care, teaching English, fixing buildings and strengthening military ties between the United States and Cambodia were among the projects the USS Essex and a Marine expeditionary unit attached to the ship undertook during a recent port visit to Sihanoukville, Cambodia.

"Essex sailors are honored to have the opportunity to visit the Kingdom of Cambodia as part of the broadening and deepening relations between our navies and our two governments," Captain Brian T. Donegan, the Essex's commanding officer, said in a U.S. Navy press release.

During their weeklong visit November 26-December 1, U.S. military personnel worked with Cambodian teams to provide medical services -- including cataract surgery -- and dental care to communities in Cambodia's Kampong Cham and Preah Vihear provinces and to construct two bridges and a culvert to connect the villages of Sre Sa and Oloy in Kampong Chhnang province.

The Essex and the Marine unit also conducted military-to-military training; participated in a three-day cultural exchange program at the National Defense University in Phnom Penh; and performed community relations projects such as making basic repairs to buildings, providing basic English classes and distributing donated materials such as books and clothing through the U.S. Navy's Project Handclasp program.

On the lighter side, sailors and Marines played duck-duck-goose, hopscotch, marbles and soccer (football) games with children at local primary schools; participated in a soccer tournament and barbecue with Cambodian army cadets at Ream Naval Base in Sihanoukville; and attended the second annual Christmas lighting ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh. The U.S. 7th Fleet band also performed with local musicians at an orphanage.

"Having Essex come here allowed us to give something to the Cambodian people," Lieutenant Commander Ronnie Mangsat of Amphibious Squadron 11 said in a release from the Essex's public affairs office. "Coming here shows them what we are capable of and that we are willing to take the time to help our new friends."

The Essex's visit was the second by a U.S. Navy ship to Cambodia in 2007; the USS Gary visited in February. The Sihanoukville port visit was part of the Essex's annual fall patrol to East and Southeast Asia, during which the crew and its Marine unit will conduct training events focusing on sea- and land-based capabilities and interact with local communities.

(USINFO is produced by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)