SAN DIEGO- The planners and partners involved in Pacific Partnership 2011 gathered Feb. 16 and 17 at the U.S. Navy's Third Fleet headquarters compound here to develop the final plan for the deployment.

Pacific Partnership is in its seventh year, providing medical, dental, veterinary and engineering assistance to nations in the Pacific Rim and working with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and navies from other nations.

This year, the U.S. Navy will be working with representatives from Australia, Canada, France, Japan and New Zealand. The international team will engage in community service projects with Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua-New Guinea, Timor-Leste and the Federated States of Micronesia.

"Every year, the Pacific Partnership team does amazing work in developing the relationships we have with our host and partner nations," said Capt. Jesse Wilson, commanding officer of Destroyer Squadron 23, and the commander of Pacific Partnership 2011. "This year, we want to make sure we build upon on the lessons learned from past years."

The planning conference covered everything from ship's movement to deploying teams as diverse as medical support and the U.S. Pacific Fleet band.