Papua New Guinea Defence Force

The trip was to embark on a week-long collaboration and subject matter expert exchange with the Papua New Guinea Defence Force under the State Partnership Program.

The partnership between the Wisconsin National Guard and Papua New Guinea, initiated in 2020, has seen significant strides with multiple key leader engagements and site visits aimed at bolstering bilateral relations.

A Wisconsin National Guard delegation have conducted its first visit to Papua New Guinea and Wisconsin’s adjutant general traveling to Hawaii for a series of meetings and conferences with his counterparts from PNG and other military leaders in the region.

The partners have also collaborated via several virtual exchanges on different topics over the past two years.

He made this call after false and misleading information spreading on social media regarding the alleged locking of PNGDF armouries by the Australian Defence personnel.

Major General Toropo said people must check with the PNGDF before spreading false and unfounded information creating panic when commenting on issues of national security.

The group arrived on Wednesday and were in isolation at the PNGDF isolation facility at Camp Aruma in Taurama.

They are the 11 Platoon for Delta Company from the 1st Battalion Royal Pacific Islands Regiment.

They were deployed in April to boost the number of troops along the PNG-Indonesian border in the whole of nation approach to stop illegal border crossers.

PNGDF COVID-19 Task Force Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Raphael Yapu, during the meeting with the group, commended them for their efforts.

The officers and sailors joined the ship for the passage between the PNG capital of Port Moresby to the Lombrum Naval Base, HMPNGS Tarangau, in Manus Province.

Throughout the transit, the group had the opportunity to gain some valuable life at sea experiences including ship tours, safety equipment demonstrations and an aviation familiarisation with the ships embarked MRH90 helicopter.

They not only got to experience a flight in the aircraft; but were also afforded the opportunity to be winched back down to the flight deck.

“We are ready, quietly but surely, let there be no doubt, that the Papua New Guinea Defence Force is truly ready and we are capable of supporting the police and other line security agencies in supporting the overall security effort to deliver the APEC,” says Chief of Joint Operations, Col. Esekia Wenzel.

The Special Forces is ready, with two battalions stationed at the borders as well as conduct searches of security threat.

Those were the words of retired and outgoing Chief of Staff, 87235 Colonel Raymond Numa after serving 41 years in the PNGDF.

In a small but significant handover takeover ceremony yesterday, Colonel Numa thanked the PNGDF saying it was a privilege to be serving the country amongst some of the best in the military line of work.

Col Numa challenged the new chief of staff (CoS) of the mammoth workload and task that lie ahead, adding that he was confident of the new CoS’ ability to carry on the task from where he left off.

The troops are from the First Royal Pacific Island Regiment at Taurama.

Yesterday they were flown out by the Australian Hercules C130 from the PNGDF Air Transport Wing at Jackson’s International Airport

On their way to the two disaster provinces, the first 35 troops were inserted into Hela from Komo airport while the next 35 troops bound for Southern Highlands have been inserted from Hagen.

They will be traveling by road to Southern Highlands from Mt Hagen.

Among the troops that were deployed are 10 specialist combat military trained medical personnel.

The working group involves members of the national and provincial disaster office, Papua New Guinea Defence Force, Australian Defence Force, Ipili Pogera Investment (IPI), PNG Red Cross, MAF and other non-government organisations.

Chaired by Papua New Guinea Defence Force Joint Task Force Commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Immanuel Todick, a workable solution had been reached in which IPI transport in Mt Hagen has offered their transport yard to be use as a storage facility.

While congratulating the new recruits, Central Governor Robert Agarobe, who was the guest speaker, reminded them that this is not the end of their training and warned of disciplinary actions for new recruits.

Marching out to the parade ground for the last time, this is the second batch of new recruits for 2017.

They first entered the Military Training Depot on the 6^th of November 2017 as civilians.