by Navy Medicine | 24 August 2016 Pacific Partnership 2016 is in full swing. The following photos give you an insider?s view of how the USNS Mercy?(T-AH 19) team provides hands-on medical and surgical care, and participates in cooperative health engagements with the goal of developing enhanced health care capacity, capability and resiliency for everyone involved. Pacific Partnership 2016 will conduct stops in Timor Leste, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Palau, with partners from around the Pacific -- including Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Non-governmental organizations, such as Project Hope, Latter Day Saints Charities, University of California San Diego, Project Handclasp, and World Vets, also participate in the mission -. Medical and civil-engineering teams will collaborate with partner nations in subject matter expert exchanges, disaster relief preparedness exercises and community relations projects. Pacific Partnership began in response to the December 2004 tsunami that devastated parts of Southeast Asia [caption id="attachment_10941" align="aligncenter" width="527"] DILI, Timor Leste (June 9, 2016) Lt. Mark Debano, an optometrist attached to hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) and native of Manistee, Michigan, checks a Timorese patient's eyes at Guido Valadares National Hospital. Pacific Partnership 2016 marks the sixth time the mission has visited Timor Leste since its first visit in 2006. Medical, engineering and various other personnel embarked aboard Mercy will work side-by-side with partner nation counterparts, exchanging ideas, building best practices and relationships to ensure preparedness should disaster strike. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Hank Gettys/Released) [caption id="attachment_10940" align="aligncenter" width="488"] DILI, Timor Leste (June 9, 2016) Lt. Cmdr. Reynalda McBee, a surgical nurse assigned to USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), explains shipboard operation procedures to Timorese nurses during a tour of the ship. Pacific Partnership 2016 marks the sixth time the mission has visited Timor Leste since its first visit in 2006. Medical, engineering and various other personnel embarked aboard Mercy will work side-by-side with partner nation counterparts, exchanging ideas, building best practices and relationships to ensure preparedness should disaster strike. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Lindsey E. Skelton/Release) [caption id="attachment_10938" align="aligncenter" width="485"] LEGAZPI, Philippines (June 29, 2016) Capt. Lynelle Boamah (left), director of medical services aboard hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), addresses a question during a pediatric subject matter expert exchange at Bicol Regional Training & Teaching Hospital as part of Pacific Partnership 2016. Pacific Partnership is visiting the Philippines for the seventh time since its first mission in 2006. Partner nations will work side-by-side with local military and non-government organizations to conduct cooperative health engagements, community relations events and subject matter expert exchanges to better prepare for natural disaster or crisis. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Lindsey E. Skelton/Released) [caption id="attachment_10935" align="aligncenter" width="504"] LIGAO CITY, Philippines (June 28, 2016) Lt. Cmdr. Megan Clausen, a native of San Diego fits a patient for reading glasses at Ligao West Central Elementary School during Pacific Partnership 2016. Clausen was at the school as part of a cooperative health engagement where Pacific Partnership 2016 personnel attached to hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines spent the day educating people on health care, hygiene and nutrition. Participants also provided direct care services including optometry, dental care and physical therapy. Pacific Partnership is visiting the Philippines for the seventh time since its first mission in 2006. Partner nations will work side-by-side with local military and non-government organizations to conduct cooperative health engagements, community relation events and subject matter expert exchanges to better prepare for a natural disaster or crisis. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Elizabeth Merriam/Released) [caption id="attachment_10934" align="aligncenter" width="465"] LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines (June 28, 2016) Lt. Rebekah Kopesky, a native of Appleton, Wisconsin, gives a glove balloon to a child during a subject matter expert exchange at Ziga Memorial Hospital in support of Pacific Partnership 2016. During the exchange, U.S. and Filipino medical personnel discussed best health practices and patient care techniques. Pacific Partnership is visiting the Philippines for the seventh time since its first mission in 2006. Throughout the mission, partner nations will work side-by-side with local military and non-government organizations to conduct cooperative health engagements, community relation events and subject matter expert exchanges to better prepare for natural disaster or crisis (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Brittney Vella/Released) [caption id="attachment_10933" align="aligncenter" width="532"] LEGAZPI, Philippines (June 28, 2016) Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Kenji Bribon, attached to hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) and native of San Francisco, works alongside local nursing students in giving a patient eye drops at Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital. At the hospital, Pacific Partnership 2016 personnel worked alongside local physicians, nurses and nursing students to screen patients for surgery aboard Mercy. Pacific Partnership is visiting the Philippines for the seventh time since its first mission in 2006. Partner nations will work side-by-side with local military and non-government organizations to conduct cooperative health engagements, community relations events and subject matter expert exchanges to better prepare for natural disaster or crisis. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Hank Gettys/Released) [caption id="attachment_10947" align="aligncenter" width="533"] LIGAO CITY, Philippines (June 28, 2016) Hospital Corpsman Kyle Quarrie, a native of San Diego, checks a patient's eyes at Ligao West Central Elementary School during Pacific Partnership 2016. Quarrie was at the school as part of a cooperative health engagement where Pacific Partnership 2016 personnel attached to hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines spent the day educating people on health care, hygiene and nutrition. Participants also provided direct care services including optometry, dental care and physical therapy. Pacific Partnership is visiting the Philippines for the seventh time since its first mission in 2006. Partner nations will work side-by-side with local military and non-government organizations to conduct cooperative health engagements, community relation events and subject matter expert exchanges to better prepare for a natural disaster or crisis. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Elizabeth Merriam/Released) [caption id="attachment_10930" align="aligncenter" width="503"] DA NANG, Vietnam (July 22, 2016) Lt. Cmdr. Paul Porensky (left), a neurosurgeon assigned to Pacific Partnership 2016, and L? Quang Ch? C??ng, vice chief of Da Nang General Hospital review a patient's X-rays during a cooperative health engagement (CHE). During the CHE Porensky worked together with local surgeons to diagnose patients and perform surgeries. Pacific Partnership is in Da Nang where hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) is joined by JS Shimokita (LST-4002) and Vietnam People's Navy ship Kh?nh H?a. Partner nations are working work side-by-side with local organizations to conduct cooperative health engagements, community relation events and subject matter expert exchanges to better prepare for natural disaster or crisis. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Elizabeth Merriam/Released) [caption id="attachment_10932" align="aligncenter" width="451"] DA NANG, Vietnam (July 18, 2016) Tran Quang Anh (left), a neonatologist from Vietnam, asks Lt. Cmdr. Erin Moore, a vascular surgeon a question about inserting chest tubes during a subject matter expert exchange aboard USNS Mercy (T-AH 19). Anh visited Mercy to participate in a subject matter expert exchange to discuss trauma injuries and practice hands-on procedures. Mercy is joined in Da Nang by JS Shimokita (LST-4002) and Vietnam People's Navy ship Kh?nh H?a for Pacific Partnership 2016. Partner nations are working side-by-side with local military and non-government organizations to conduct cooperative health engagements, community relation events and subject matter expert exchanges to better prepare for natural disaster or crisis. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Elizabeth Merriam/Released) [caption id="attachment_10936" align="aligncenter" width="476"] LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines (July 6, 2016) Major Gina B Burac (left), Nurse Corps and U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Franklin Margaron, pediatric surgeon, interact with a patient and his mother before surgery aboard hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) during Pacific Partnership 2016. Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, partner nations and Mercy crew worked together to provide patient care during the surgery. Pacific Partnership is visiting the Philippines for the seventh time since its first visit in 2006. Partner nations are working side-by-side with local military and non-government organizations to conduct cooperative health engagements, community relation events and subject matter expert exchanges to better prepare for a natural disaster or crisis. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Elizabeth Merriam/Released)