With headquarters at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, PACFLT is the world’s largest fleet command, encompassing 100 million square miles and consisting of approximately 180 ships, nearly 2,000 aircraft and 125,000 sailors, Marines and civilians.
Walsh is the 32nd Navy officer to command PACFLT since its establishment in Feb. 1941.
During his meetings with government officials, Walsh highlighted the upcoming Pacific Partnership initiative, PACFLT’s humanitarian assistance mission that provides medical and civic assistance across the Pacific.
Its flagship, the USS Cleveland, will visit five island nations this summer: Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and the Federated States of Micronesia.
Upon his arrival here, Walsh and his delegation traveled to Palikir for a courtesy call on FSM Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Lorin Robert, other members of the executive cabinet and senior government officials.
Accompanying the PACFLT delegation were U.S. Ambassador to the FSM Peter A. Prahar and U.S. Embassy representatives.
Discussion during the courtesy call highlighted the strong U.S.-FSM relationship, especially with regard to defense and security matters; the Center for Micronesia Empowerment’s efforts on Guam to train Micronesians in construction and other trade skills; and the need to capitalize on economic opportunities associated with the Guam military buildup.
Robert thanked the U.S. Navy for its visit under Pacific Partnership 2008, and said the FSM looks forward to the mission scheduled for this July.
For his part, Walsh said each bilateral interaction served as a “tangible representation of a promise and commitment” the U.S. has made to the FSM.
Walsh also thanked Robert for the service of FSM citizens in the U.S. military.
Walsh and his delegation then traveled to Kolonia, where they toured the newly constructed Kolonia Elementary School.
Completed last year, the school was part of a three-school, $3 million infrastructure sector grant under the Amended Compact.
During their visit, Walsh and Prahar encouraged students to study hard, highlighting that academic achievement increases the likelihood of future success.
Following the school visit, Walsh and his delegation held a joint courtesy call with Pohnpei Gov. John Ehsa and Director of Health Services Dr. Elizabeth Keller at the Pohnpei State Public Hospital.
Ehsa spoke of the current school rehabilitation projects on Pohnpei and the outer islands, and expressed the hope that Pacific Partnership engineering teams may provide some assistance with these infrastructure projects.
The governor also touched on state economic reform efforts and foreign investment.
For her part, Keller highlighted her department’s efforts to provide community-level healthcare as preventative treatment to reduce hospital visits and costs.
Keller expressed hope that the Pacific Partnership Subject Matter Expert Exchanges would help build enduring professional capacity in her staff.
Keller then led the U.S. delegation on a tour of the hospital facility.
Pacific Partnership 2011 will utilize the Pohnpei State Hospital for medical assistance and Subject Matter Expert Exchange.
Upon departing Pohnpei, Walsh headed for Darwin, Australia.
