Friendly Aussie faces in the Pacific

The outgoing deputy commander of a US-led operation to provide humanitarian assistance across the Indo-Pacific said Australian servicemen and women are becoming a familiar and welcome sight in some of the most remote Pacific communities.

CAPTION: Deputy Mission Commander Pacific Partnership Wing Commander Scott Minchin holds a child during the mission in the Pacific. Story by Corporal Jacob Joseph.

Wing Commander Scott Minchin was the first ADF officer to hold the position of Pacific Partnership deputy mission commander. It was his third time participating in the multinational operation.

The deputy commander is responsible for managing operations for civil affairs, disaster preparedness training, medical outreach, security operations and training personnel.

“There’s a real thirst for knowledge from people in these communities to understand Australia,” Wing Commander Minchin said.

“In places like Micronesia, they’re used to the United States but they don’t see us very much, and there was a real enthusiasm for Australia.

“We’re seen as a partner and a friend.”

More than 40 ADF personnel were part of Pacific Partnership 2024, deploying to four countries across the region from July to September.

The nation-building activity grew from the humanitarian response to the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.

Now in its 20th iteration, about 1500 military and civilian personnel took part in the US Navy’s largest annual humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission in the Indo-Pacific.

Australian personnel provided medical and engineering capabilities, led gender, peace and security, civil affairs initiatives, music and force protection elements.

Dentists travelled to remote islands in the Federated States of Micronesia to set up a clinic.

Thousands of kilometres away, engineers helped rebuild a Vietnamese primary school and childcare centre.

Aussie musicians entertained and delighted at every stop.

“It speaks to how we are, as partners, working towards a stable and secure Indo-Pacific,” Wing Commander Minchin said.

Each year, the deputy commander position rotates between partner nations.

Wing Commander Minchin’s handover to his Japanese counterpart included some words of advice.

“The opportunity to take care of people who are on their first deployment and guide them to wear their country’s flag with pride, that’s the privilege of command,” Wing Commander Minchin said.

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