Lincoln native supports Pacific Partnership
MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Petty Officer 2nd Class William Ellis, a native of Lincoln, Illinois, is serving aboard Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) as part of Pacific Partnership 2022 (PP22), deployed in the Pacific Ocean.
Mercy departed its homeport in San Diego May 3, with more than 800 personnel aboard, including military medical and engineering personnel, support staff, partner nation representatives and civil service mariners to participate in the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission in the Indo-Pacific. Each year the Pacific Partnership staff works collectively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships.
Ellis is a hospital corpsman and senior pharmacy technician on board Mercy.
More:State police broaden use of ‘clear and present danger’ reports
"Our role is to provide medication for sailors and members of other countries in the Pacific area," said Ellis. "I am responsible for all the narcotic medications stored onsite, to include inventory, issuance and tracking. I am also my Directorate’s Career Counselor, so I guide my fellow sailors in any career questions and advise them on choices available to them."
"I am so proud to be serving alongside Petty Officer 2nd Class Ellis and this outstanding group of sailors as we support this important mission on the largest floating hospital in the world,” said U.S. Capt. Hank Kim, PP22 mission commander. “I’m looking forward to watching this incredible team forge new friendships and strengthen existing relationships with the nations in Oceania and the Western Pacific.”
At the invitation of host nations, Ellis and the Pacific Partnership team work together to conduct tailored medical, dental, veterinary, engineering civic action projects, and subject-matter-expert exchanges.
"It is an honor to bring healthcare to other countries that may not have access to medical care, that we may take for granted in the United States," said Ellis.
More:'Wizard of Oz' lands at Lincoln Community Theatre
Pacific Partnership assists local communities with a wide range of services enhancing host nation capabilities, building regional relationships, and exercising a collective ability to respond to situations, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.
"To me, serving in the Navy means experiencing new cultures, new ideas and to be a part of something bigger than yourself," added Ellis. "It's about honoring those who have gone before me."
This article originally appeared on Lincoln Courier: Lincoln native William Ellis is deployed in Pacific Ocean
