Singapore Armed Forces Members Tour Mercy

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Navy News | Daniel J. Calderon | June 28, 2006

Singapore - Thirty members of the Singapore Armed Forces toured hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) June 23 while the ship was in port here.

The military group was made up of Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), air force and army medical personnel who wanted the chance to see the inner workings of the hospital ship.

“It was my first time aboard the ship,” said RSN Capt. Tukwah Siew. “The crew members we met were all very helpful and very knowledgeable. The tour itself was great. It was an incredible [overview of] what they do for so many people.”

Laurent D. Charbonnet, serving as Chargé d'Affaires while the American ambassador to the Republic of Singapore is away, was also a part of the tour group. Charbonnet feels that involving Singapore’s armed forces in tours like this one is important to maintaining good relations and believes Mercy serves a dual purpose as it is deployed around the Pacific.

“I think this ship and the crew are terrifically important,” said Charbonnet. “I think Mercy is important both in practice and as a symbol. In practice, the crew can provide vital medical care to countries across Southeast Asia. As a symbol, the ship is a show of American goodwill wherever it goes.”

Mercy is on a five-month humanitarian deployment to South and Southeast Asia. Mercy is partnering with nongovernmental organizations for this mission, including Aloha Medical Mission, Project HOPE, and the U.S. Public Health Services. Mercy’s Navy crew is working side by side with members of the Air Force and Army, as well as armed forces from Canada, India and the Philippines.

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