Navy public health nurse helps strengthen Indo-Pacific partnerships during Pacific Partnership 2026

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — Across the Indo-Pacific, where nations face shared humanitarian challenges and the threat of natural disasters, international cooperation can make a lasting difference. For U.S. Navy Cmdr. Christina Carter, Pacific Partnership 2026 offered an opportunity to turn that cooperation into action, working alongside military medical professionals from around the world to strengthen global public health and build relationships across borders.

Carter, a public health nurse from Springdale, Maryland, who served as director for public health at Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms, departed California in mid-June and returned in late September of 2026 after supporting medical engagements across five nations: Vietnam, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Malaysia and the Philippines.

As nursing co-lead for the mission's medical line of effort, Carter served alongside Cmdr. Annissa Cromer, helping lead a 25-member joint and multinational nursing team responsible for coordinating preventive health initiatives, educational programs and clinical knowledge exchanges with host-nation healthcare professionals.

"Together, we coordinated U.S., host-nation and partner-nation capabilities to provide educational trainings, community health engagements and side-by-side clinical knowledge exchanges," Carter said. "It was incredibly rewarding to see how much we could accomplish by combining our different nursing experiences and strengths."

Drawing on her public health background, Carter developed training materials and educational brochures covering communicable and noncommunicable diseases, infection prevention and control, chronic disease management, sexually transmitted infections and healthy lifestyle behaviors. Her educational efforts also included cardiopulmonary resuscitation and disaster management.

She delivered instruction at local healthcare facilities and schools, adapting the material for audiences ranging from experienced medical professionals to students and community members with varying levels of health literacy.

Beyond classroom instruction, Carter supported community health screenings that included blood pressure, blood glucose and body mass index assessments. These activities provided opportunities to identify potential health concerns while encouraging participants to take an active role in their long-term well-being.

"These engagements gave me the chance to connect directly with community members while promoting preventive health and helping identify potential health concerns early," Carter said.

For Carter, the preventive medicine component was particularly significant. Promoting healthy behaviors, increasing awareness of chronic disease risk factors and identifying potential health concerns can help communities improve long-term health outcomes while reducing the burden of preventable illnesses.

Pacific Partnership 2026 brought together personnel from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Singapore and South Korea, along with U.S. service members representing the Navy, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard, as well as personnel from the U.S. Public Health Service.

The multinational composition of the mission exposed participants to different clinical practices, professional experiences and approaches to healthcare delivery. Working alongside medical professionals from different nations allowed Carter to exchange expertise, examine challenges faced by other healthcare systems and identify practices that could inform her own approach to public health nursing.

"Although we came from different backgrounds and had different clinical experiences, we shared the same mission and a sincere commitment to supporting our host-nation partners," Carter said. "Exchanging clinical knowledge and collaborating across disciplines broadened my perspective on healthcare delivery and showed me how different approaches can complement one another."

One of the deployment's most distinctive experiences involved several weeks aboard HMAS Choules, a Royal Australian Navy vessel that supported the movement of participating personnel during the mission's early stages.

While embarked, Carter and her colleagues participated in a mass casualty exercise, clinical knowledge exchanges, mentorship workshops and team-building activities alongside their Australian counterparts.

The shipboard experience provided an opportunity to strengthen professional relationships outside traditional hospital and clinic environments while reinforcing the importance of medical cooperation during maritime operations. Practicing coordinated responses before an actual emergency can help multinational teams become more familiar with one another's capabilities and procedures, improving their ability to operate together when rapid medical support is required.

"Serving alongside our Australian counterparts on their vessel was a unique experience that I will remember for a long time," Carter said. "It strengthened our professional relationships and gave us an even greater appreciation for the importance of partnership at sea."

Although Carter's primary responsibilities centered on public health, some of her most memorable experiences occurred outside formal medical engagements.

Throughout the deployment, participating personnel were welcomed into local communities through traditional meals, dances and ceremonies celebrating the host nations' customs. In several locations, Carter recalled meeting children who were excited to interact with visiting U.S. military personnel. Some gathered outside the team's hotel hoping to receive autographs or take photographs.

"Those moments were especially meaningful because they reminded me that building relationships often begins with something simple, like a conversation, a smile or sharing a cultural experience," Carter said.

In Malaysia and the Philippines, Carter worked closely with host-nation military personnel during community health engagements that combined medical resources and professional expertise to support local outreach efforts.

"As a public health nurse, I especially valued being able to work directly with local partners, promote preventive health and learn more about the needs and priorities of the people we served," Carter said.

These experiences reinforced the importance of cultural awareness in public health practice. Understanding local priorities, healthcare resources and community perspectives can help medical professionals develop educational approaches that are relevant to the populations they serve.

For Carter, the importance of Pacific Partnership extends beyond the immediate benefits of medical outreach. By strengthening healthcare systems, building relationships among partner nations and improving disaster preparedness, the mission reflects Navy Medicine's commitment to maintaining a global presence ready to respond to crises, enhancing interoperability and advancing global health. These efforts also support the Defense Health Agency's mission of delivering joint warfighter capabilities by strengthening the ability of military medical personnel to operate effectively alongside joint and multinational partners.

Natural disasters, infectious disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies frequently require cooperation among civilian healthcare organizations, military medical personnel and government agencies. Establishing professional relationships and practicing coordinated responses during peacetime can improve the ability of participating nations to work together it’s needed most.

"Maintaining these relationships during peacetime is especially important," Carter said. "Investing in disaster preparedness, strengthening healthcare systems and practicing coordinated responses before a crisis occurs helps build the trust and interoperability needed when emergencies arise."

Carter emphasized that successful international medical partnerships depend on mutual respect and a willingness to recognize the expertise of every participating nation.

"The experience reinforced for me that partnership is a two-way exchange," Carter said. "Every nation has valuable knowledge, capabilities and perspectives to contribute."

After returning to Twentynine Palms in late September, Carter reflected on the leadership and professional development opportunities provided by the deployment. Leading a multinational nursing team required effective communication, cultural awareness and the flexibility to adjust educational activities to changing operational requirements and host-nation priorities.

She encouraged Navy Medicine Sailors considering future Pacific Partnership missions to approach the experience with an open mind and a commitment to learning from their counterparts.

"Approach the mission with humility, curiosity and a willingness to learn," Carter said. "Pacific Partnership is an incredible opportunity to broaden your perspective, build meaningful professional relationships and experience the world through collaboration and service."

She also recommended developing educational materials that can be adapted to different audiences and remaining prepared to modify plans as operational circumstances evolve.

"Operational requirements and host-nation priorities can change throughout a mission, so teams must be willing to adjust their plans and respond to emerging needs," Carter said. "Adaptability, cultural awareness and a collaborative mindset are essential to making a meaningful contribution."

Following her return, Carter began preparing for her next assignment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, concluding her time with Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Twentynine Palms.

At Walter Reed, she will serve in the Preventive Medicine Clinic, supporting the health and well-being of beneficiaries throughout the National Capital Region. The assignment will allow her to continue developing her public health expertise in a large joint military medical center while applying lessons gained through international medical collaboration.

"I am looking forward to being closer to family while continuing to grow my public health expertise in a large, joint medical center environment," Carter said.

Reflecting on her deployment, Carter said the experience provided lessons she intends to carry throughout her Navy Medicine career.

"I gained valuable insights throughout this deployment that made me a better leader and a more effective public health nurse," Carter said.

From community health screenings in Southeast Asia to multinational disaster preparedness exercises at sea, Carter’s deployment for Pacific Partnership 2026 underscored the role military medicine play in strengthening global healthcare partnerships while developing the skills needed to support future humanitarian and operational missions.

Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Twentynine Palms operates Defense Health Agency military treatment facility Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms, which delivers safe, high-quality healthcare to service members and their families. The command supports the health and readiness of warfighters at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, the Marine Corps' largest live-fire training installation, while readying Navy Medicine personnel to provide expeditionary medical support around the world.

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