PAPUA NEW GUINEA DROUGHT
THE PNG AND AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCES WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE PEOPLE OF PNG DURING THE 1997 – 1998 DROUGHT
PNGDF – ADF COMBINED DROUGHT
OPERATIONS
Putting their heads together to fight the drought. . . . members of the, soon to be formed, Papua New Guinea Defence Force and Australian Defence Force Combined Task Force Headquarters at Murray Barracks, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
The Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) have joined forces to combat the effects of the drought in Papua New Guinea.
To co-ordinate the military support to the Papua New Guinea drought relief efforts, a PNGDF-ADF Combined Task Force Headquarters is to be established at Murrary Barracks, Port Moresby.
The Combined Task Force Headquarters will be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John Navi from the PNGDF, with Lieutenant Colonel Norman Cognet from the ADF as the Deputy Commander.
The formation of the Combined Task Force Headquarters by the PNGDF and the ADF signifies the united approach by the two defence forces in the battle against the devastating affects of the drought in Papua New Guinea.
The Combined Task Force Headquarters also signifies the good relationship enjoyed between members of both defence forces who are now working side by side for a common cause.
The PNGDF will focus its efforts in assisting in the national drought operations by helping distribute some of the relief supplies and providing security for them. As well as providing water and medical supplies.
The ADF will focus its efforts on providing air assets to distribute supplies to the worst hit areas that are only accessible by air. Some other ADF contributions also include medical support, sea transport and communications.
With the establishment of the Combined Task Force Headquarters, staff from the PNGDF and ADF will be able to plan and co-ordinate the overall military support to the national drought relief operations.