Exercise in PNG renews infrastructure and bonds

Australian sappers from 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment joined engineers and tradespeople from the British Army, New Zealand Army and Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) for Exercise Puk Puk at Moem Barracks, PNG.

CAPTION: Australian Army soldiers from 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment refurbish facilities as part of Exercise Puk Puk at Moem Barracks, PNG. Story by Captain Brittany Evans. Photos by Lance Corporal Riley Blennerhassett. 

The annual engineering activity strengthens ties between the ADF and PNGDF, building capability and relationships, while repairing infrastructure.

Sappers refurbished the Moem Barracks guard house, live-fire range, obstacle course and side access roads.

Repairs were also made to Puk Puk bridge, lighting and fans were replaced in the church, and power was upgraded to the medical centre to store vital medicines.

Commanding Officer 2nd Royal Pacific Island Regiment Lieutenant Colonel Francis Vitata said there were three lines of effort needed to look after the PNGDF soldiers.

“Feed the soldier, clothe the soldier and house the soldier,” Lieutenant Colonel Vitata said.

“The key for me is the infrastructure; a lot of buildings have rusted and deteriorated over time. Some of these buildings were built in 1974.

“The refurbishments are targeting training, maintenance within the barracks and operations.”

CAPTION: Australian Army soldiers and multinational participants from the British Army, New Zealand Army and PNG Defence Force refurbish the live-fire range access road.

Lance Corporal Bayley Glover was the lead electrician on Exercise Puk Puk.

“When we rocked up to the guard house, it was below standard,” Lance Corporal Glover said.

“It had cracked windows, no working lights or ceiling fans and peeling paint.

“If you feel like your place of duty is well looked after, you will have a sense of pride and conduct your duty correctly.”

The Moem Barracks obstacle course and live-firing range were overgrown.

“The team cleaned up the obstacle course and redesigned a couple of parts,” Lance Corporal Glover said.

“They built a jump point at the end, which is the final obstacle for the course.

“We’ve been down there after work; there’s lots of kids jumping in and loving it.

“I don’t think the range had been used for a long time.

“The butts party had old rusted mechanical middle frames, where the targets were pushed out.

“We created posts in the ground and the targets are placed on that.”

As the only main serviced road in and out of Moem Barracks and local villages, Puk Puk bridge is a vital means of transportation for the PNGDF and the Wewak community.

“There was timber and metal frames missing,” Lance Corporal Glover said.

“We had to drive Army trucks around and along the sand; we got stuck and bogged down. The local community came along with shovels to try and dig us out.”

After welding work by Australian, NZ and UK soldiers, he said there was now a new solid piece of metal going across, and timber on top, to make it strong.

Lieutenant Colonel Vitata said the exercise added a lot of value to the organisation and local community.

“Not just the soldiers and their families; they are catering to what is missing,” Lieutenant Colonel Vitata said.

“It speaks volumes [about] the PNG and Australian Defence Force’s relationship.”

 

 

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