Peleliu Sailor Returns Home to Lend a Hand

Story by Mass Communication 2nd Class (SW) Jennifer R. Hudson, USS Peleliu Public Affairs

GUSS PELELIU, at sea – A collection of small brightly lit islands passed the gazing eyes of Sailors aboard USS Peleliu (LHA 5) as the U.S. Navy ship maneuvered through the straits of the Philippines on June 20.

For one Sailor these islands are considered home -- a home he left 30 years ago.

Originally from Olongapo City, Philippines, 36-year-old Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SW/AW/FMF) Rogel Pepa, an X-ray technician attached to the San Diego-based Fleet Surgical Team 1, watched the small islands pass him. A smile appeared across his face as his heart pounded with pride.

 “I feel honored to be here. I have always wanted to give back, and this is the best way I know how,” he said. “It gives me great pleasure to be back home.”

At the age of 6, Pepa moved with his mother and four siblings to San Diego, but he has never forgotten the days he spent as a child in his homeland.

“In the Philippines we had a big family living under one roof -- all my aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and grandparents,” he said. “It was hard to leave, because I was leaving the rest of my family back home and moving to a new place. As a child, I saw a little bit of the Philippines and then I moved to the states where everything was foreign to me. Growing up in the Philippines didn’t allow us to have everything we do now.”

At age 21, June 1992, Pepa decided to enlist in the Navy to help people.

“I joined the Navy because I wanted to further my education, travel around the world and use the skills the Navy gave me to help other people,” he said. “That’s why I wanted to be a hospital corpsman because I believe in helping the sick and injured.”   
           
Pepa’s family shares the same sentiment for his part in Pacific Partnership mission.

“My family is very supportive and understanding in the service we’re providing,” he said. “They know it’s something I love to do, and they’re very proud of me.”

As Pacific Partnership begins in the Bicol region, teams of Sailors will depart the ship to assist in various community relations (COMREL) projects with the assistance of the Philippine government. These projects include building renovations, tree planting, and debris removal.

Though much of the Pacific Partnership mission is conducted ashore, Sailors like Pepa will have the opportunity to play a key role in the humanitarian assistance on board the ship. Peleliu’s medical staff is expected to treat about 30 patients daily for a variety of medical reasons.

For Pacific Partnership, Peleliu is augmented with a dedicated group of volunteers and professionals – including Philippine and partner nation medical personnel; non-governmental organizations (NGOs); U.S. Navy, Army and Air Force healthcare providers; and construction battalion personnel.

“Working with our partner nation in medical is an honor. It is a pleasure to be side by side to do good for all mankind. It is a wonderful experience that I will remember for the rest of my life,” Pepa said. “We have nurses from the local area here on the ship and that helps puts our patients at ease,” said Pepa. “The patients were a little nervous at first, but they warm up and relax after a few minutes here in medical.”

USS Peleliu will visit Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, the Philippines, Vietnam, and the Solomon Islands from June through September 2007.