Operation Pacific Unity 14-4 begins in Papua New Guinea

Release Number: 010814

8/5/2014 - JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii  -- 

U.S. Air Force and the Papua New Guinea militaries will conduct operation Pacific Unity in Papua New Guinea Aug. 6 through Sept. 13, 2014.

Pacific Unity is a bilateral Engineering Civic Action Program conducted in the Asia-Pacific region in collaboration with host nation civil authorities and military personnel. This year marks the fourth iteration of the operation which began in 2010.

Approximately 30 U.S. Air Force construction craftsmen and support personnel from the Hawaii Air Nation Guard's 154th Civil Engineer Squadron will participate alongside active duty U. S. Air Force, host province officials, Papua New Guinea Defense Forces engineers and construction tradesmen.

This Pacific Unity mission will focus construction on two female dormitories at the Togoba Intermediate School in Mount Hagen. The project will include tear down of old structures, site preparation, and ground up construction of two dormitory buildings.

Pacific Air Forces and Papua New Guinea leaders chose to focus on this project due to the great need for access to intermediate education for girls in the central highlands area. The Togoba School is currently at capacity, forcing hundreds of girls to be turned away each year.  These two new dormitories will provide thousands of girls an opportunity to further their education.

This is the first time U.S. Air Force personnel are conducting an ENCAP in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Previous U.S. and Papua New Guinea exchanges in the form of Pacific Partnerships programs have regularly occurred between the U.S. Navy and PNGDF along coastal areas. 

Pacific Unity helps cultivate common bonds, foster goodwill and improve relationships between the U.S. and Papua New Guinea by conducting these bilateral humanitarian and civic assistance programs.