US services help train Tongans

  • Published
  • By Lt. Renee Lee
  • PACAF PA
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii --  A team of Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen from U.S. Pacific Command conducted a joint medical mission in Tonga July 6 through 20.

Three Soldiers, two Sailors and an Airman conducted training with members of the Tonga Defense Services. The mission included a combat first-aid instructor course, post traumatic stress disorder training, water testing and pandemic influenza response review and conference.

The joint U.S. team taught ten Tongan service members a combat first-aid instructor course. Following the course, Tongans trained 16 of their personnel and plan to train more after the U.S. team leaves.

The team also trained Tongan military leaders and 55 personnel preparing to deploy. Medical experts dealing with post traumatic stress disorders were also included in the training sessions. This will be Tonga's second deployment in support of the United States in Iraq. The newly-trained combat first-aid instructors also plan to teach units deploying to Mongolia, the Solomon Islands and Iraq.

"As international health specialists, we strive to support countries in ways that they request assistance," said Master Sgt. Tracy Lewis, non-commissioned officer in-charge of international health affairs at Pacific Air Forces.

In response to the Ministry of Health's request for the U.S. team to provide water testing, two U.S. personnel conducted testing on 13 wells with instructions on management and water borne treatment and proper testing of water specimens.

Sergeant Lewis said the joint team was also joined by Dr. Seini Kupu, Secretariat of the Pacific Community. Dr. Kupu authored the Tongan National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness and Response Plan in consultation with the National Epidemic/Pandemic Task Force. Together with Dr. Kupu, the joint team conducted a half-day workshop for Tonga's disaster response coordinators.

"All training provided by the team was a success and very much appreciated by the Tongan people and the Tongan Defense Services," said Sergeant Lewis. "They asked us to come back and do more. I personally feel fantastic leaving a mission that is received and appreciated by the participants and this was very evident in Tonga," Sergeant Lewis added.