Remembering Cyclone Pam

As it remembered the lives lost and devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Pam, the Australian Defence Force also celebrated its partnership with a resilient Vanuatu.

Australian soldiers and sailors of Joint Task Group 637 recently gathered with local government, traditional leaders and the island community on Tanna Island, Vanuatu, to mark the fourth anniversary of the cyclone.

With HMAS Choules anchored offshore providing a powerful backdrop, the Tanna Council of Chiefs welcomed the Australian Head of Mission, Vanuatu’s Internal Affairs Minister, the commander of Task Group 637.1 and Commanding Officer HMAS Choules with traditional ceremonies, exchanges of gifts and dance. It was followed by a formal commemoration, speeches and prayers.

Task Group 637.1’s Commander Phillipa Hay likened their welcome to coming home, a feeling that was particularly prevalent during the ceremonies at Tanna.

“Sisters and brothers of Vanuatu, when you look across the beautiful Pacific blue, your neighbours may be out of sight but we are never far from call,” Commander Hay told the crowd.

“We will always be there with you and you can always rely on us in the good times and the bad times.”

Tropical Cyclone Pam was the second most intense tropical cyclone in the South Pacific Ocean in terms of sustained winds. It affected more than 100,000 people, destroyed crops and is regarded as one of the worst natural disasters ever recorded in the region.

Shortly after it struck in March 2015, 550 ADF personnel deployed to Tanna Island. This included HMAS Tobruk, soldiers from the 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment, four Army Black Hawk helicopters and more than 200 pallets of aid delivered by Royal Australian Air Force aircraft.

Four years later, Joint Task Group 637 consists of maritime, land and public affairs training teams, and supporting elements from HMAS Choules conducting bilateral training and community engagement tasks throughout the south-west Pacific, over a month-long deployment.

“Task Group 637.1 is the first iteration of Australia’s renewed commitment to the south-west Pacific under the government’s program to step-up the engagement,” Commander Hay said.

“We will always be there with you and you can always rely on us in the good times and the bad times.”

“This mission has dispatched a task group that includes HMAS Choules and several mobile training teams.

“As the task group has been moving through the south-west Pacific, we’ve been conducting logistic activities, training activities and community engagement focused on Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.”

As the Commander of Joint Task Group 637.1, Commander Hay regularly explained the purpose of her team and their presence.

“The ADF has always been in the south-west Pacific; however, over the past decade, we have been distracted in other areas of the world.

“Now the time has come where we are able to renew our commitment and rekindle our relationships with all the nations of the south-west Pacific.

“These are our neighbours, these are our friends, so the opportunity to increase our presence in the south-west Pacific, to re-engage neighbouring forces and to participate in training is a valuable opportunity for us to strengthen the region and rebuild partnerships.”

The Tropical Cyclone Pam commemoration service was the last official duty for the Joint Task Group, with HMAS Choules now returning to Australia to undertake maintenance.