By Sgt. 1st Class Amanda Stock

A team of approximately 15 Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers, Airmen and Wisconsin Emergency Management employees, alongside personnel from other government agencies and nongovernment organizations, trained Papua New Guinea Defence Force service members and local civilian volunteers in humanitarian aid and disaster response relief in Lae, Papua New Guinea, Aug. 11-14, 2026.

The Wisconsin National Guard is partnered with Papua New Guinea through the National Guard’s State Partnership Program. Since the official partnership between the two countries in 2020, the Wisconsin National Guard and the PNGDF have expanded cooperation through military exchanges focused on disaster response, engineering, medical readiness, leadership development, and regional security throughout the Indo-Pacific.

This disaster relief field training exercise, sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, also included service members with the U.S. Coast Guard and Soldiers from the U.S. Army Pacific Command who assisted with the training.

“These last four days have been about understanding the capabilities, being able to work together, being able to have that friendship and really build the trust between the military and civilian community,” said James Kenwolf, Training and Engagements branch chief at the CFE-DM.

“When we do respond, we now know the faces, and we have that empathy within the community,” said Kenwolf. “We’re able to collaborate to do the best we can for a response in that community or any crisis that occurs in Papua New Guinea.”

Volunteers with the Papua New Guinea Red Cross Society and employees with the U.S. Embassy to Papua New Guinea, the International Organization for Migration – United Nations, and other humanitarian organizations were participants in the exercise alongside the PNGDF.

Wisconsin service members trained approximately 90 civilians and PNGDF soldiers on the priorities following a natural disaster, to include search and evacuation, first aid and medical treatment, and site security. The four-day training exercise consisted of a combination of classroom instruction, hands-on training and a culminating exercise to demonstrate the skills the students learned throughout the week.

Three Wisconsin National Guard medical personnel conducted training on basic first aid and medical treatment. U.S. Army Maj. Heather Herbst, commander of the Wisconsin National Guard’s 135th Medical Company, led the medical training. The medical training consisted of instruction on CPR for adults, children and infants, followed by choking hazards and “M.A.R.C.H.,” which includes training on massive hemorrhaging, airway restriction, respiration, circulation, and treating for hypothermia and shock.

“In a disaster, medical professionals may not be the first people on scene,” said Herbst. “Giving the PNGDF and local volunteers basic medical skills gives them the ability to provide lifesaving care until additional help arrives.”

A team of engineers with the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 229th Engineer Vertical Construction Company trained their students on knots used for evacuation procedures, using a mechanical advantage via pulley systems and fulcrums to remove debris, and shoring techniques to stabilize walls and structures. Starting in the classroom, the engineers trained their group of students on basic knot tying, which was then used in practice to create various hauling systems and personnel rescue techniques.

The site security team conducted training for PNGDF military police and local volunteers on how to move back large crowds that might attempt to overtake resupply areas following a natural disaster. This training consisted of numerous movements, techniques and formations to control crowds as well as extracting injured crowd members.

In addition to the training provided by the Wisconsin National Guard, training was conducted by the IOM on camp coordination for displaced people, and a group tabletop exercise was conducted to walk through the response sequence for assisting agencies when a disaster strikes.

Due to Papua New Guinea’s geographical location, the country faces frequent natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions, among others.

Kenwolf emphasized the importance of having community members participate in the disaster relief exercise.

“When a disaster strikes, it’s the community that responds first,” said Kenwolf.

Herbst shared Kenwolf’s sentiment about the importance of community preparedness.

“Disasters can overwhelm resources quickly,” said Herbst. “What stood out to me was the importance of being able to work with what you have. It builds confidence, preparedness and a more resilient community.”