U.S., Bangladesh kick-off Pacific Angel mission

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Chris Hoyler
  • Pacific Angel 10-3 Public Affairs
JESSORE, Bangladesh --  The People's Republic of Bangladesh and more than 55 U.S. servicemembers from the active duty, Air Guard and Reserve components officially kicked-off the third iteration of Operation Pacific Angel during a ceremony here June 12.

Operation Pacific Angel, scheduled here through June 16, is a joint and combined humanitarian assistance operation conducted in the Pacific area of responsibility to support U.S. Pacific Command's capacity-building efforts. This humanitarian and civic assistance program is aimed at improving military civic cooperation between the United States and countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

"Strategically this exercise has been designed to enhance the friendship as well as the interoperability between the militaries of both nations," said Bangladesh Air Force Air Commodore M. Abdul Bashar, who presided over the opening ceremony. "It also allows both militaries to interact with the civil society of our country."

The opening ceremony was held at the Monirampur Regional Training Center, a health complex here that will serve as the staging ground for the medical civic assistance missions.

Medical care for Bangladesh citizens will include: primary care, women's health, dental and optometry. A pharmacy team is also available to issue doctor prescribed medicine during the mission.

In addition to the U.S. military contingent participating in the Pacific Angel mission here, the Bangladesh Air Force, the nongovernmental Smiling Sun Clinic, the local healthcare community, and personnel from the Indonesia and Nepalese militaries will work together during the medical and engineering civic assistance missions.

"Our U.S. joint team is very excited to build a long-lasting relationship with the Bangladesh Air Force and the entire nation through these civic assistance programs," said Lt. Col. Scott Long, the Pacific Angel mission commander from 13th Air Force at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. "The Pacific Angel 10-3 mission will consist of several concurrent civil-military assistance activities, in addition to medical care for local citizens, and engineering projects for a local school. We'll also conduct medical subject-matter expert exchanges to improve the knowledge and processes for U.S. and Bangladesh military personnel."

Medical subject-matter expert exchanges on neonatology and hospital administration will be held at the Smiling Sun Clinic here June 13-15. The sessions will be attended by Bangladeshi Air Force medical personnel and local health professionals from throughout the country.

"Knowledge is beneficial − not based on religion, not based on country, but because it is our basic need," said Bangladesh Army Maj. Dr. Mofazzol Hossain, a pediatrician participating in the neonatology subject matter expert exchange.

Operation Pacific Angel missions were previously conducted in the Philippines in February and Vietnam in May. The final iteration will take place in Sri Lanka in August.

The U.S. and Bangladesh militaries have a long history of working in partnership for humanitarian assistance and medical training, and have also conducted air, land and sea exercises.

Operation Pacific Angel is a Pacific Air Forces operation led by 13th Air Force officials.