Friendships Endure: Tucson Native Supports Pacific Partnership 2022

By Rick Burke, Navy Office of Community Outreach

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Cmdr. Merideth Croft, a native of Tucson, Arizona, 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. 

Croft is a Navy Nurse Corps officer responsible for roughly 90 registered nurses and hospital corpsmen in the provision of care across four intensive care units and 15 hospital wards.

"My main objective is to train and equip these staffs for a successful Pacific Partnership while providing care to patients from the host nations we are visiting, particularly in Vietnam and the Philippines," said Croft. "Prior to mission execution, our role is to establish team cohesion, supplies and equipment for the various hospital units, and training for mass casualty response and care of these patients."

"I am so proud to be serving alongside Cmdr. Croft 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, Croft and the Pacific Partnership team work together to conduct tailored medical, dental, veterinary, engineering civic action projects, and subject-matter-expert exchanges.

"In my 20 years of service, I have actually never been to sea," said Croft. "It is wonderful to finally go on a mission, travel the world and help those who need our care and our knowledge.  My family reminded me that long ago. As an Ensign, I had talked about how I wanted to go on the hospital ship. It took me a long time but I am glad I am here apart of this team and this mission."

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.

"I have felt honored to care for our active duty service members who are sick or injured, to care for our retirees who have served unselfishly, and for the family members who have stood by all of us," added Croft. "In my time, I have cared for Pearl Harbor survivors, Vietnam Veterans and served by heroes from both Iraq and Afghanistan.  Every day I am in awe of my fellow nurses, physicians and the brave Navy corpsmen who dedicate their lives to service. It is humbling and an honor to walk beside them each and every day."