Kiwi officer embedded in Pacific Partnership

Working with international partners to promote better medical and disaster outcomes in the Pacific has been a highlight of Lieutenant Henry Cunningham’s latest posting as a naval officer.

07 August, 2025

LT Cunningham, from Christchurch, is a Royal New Zealand Navy Maritime Logistics Officer on board the USS Pearl Harbor for Exercise Pacific Partnership 2025.

The Exercise is the US Navy’s largest annual humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific region.

Visiting nations such as Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Philippines and Papua New Guinea, the mission provides education on capacity building, medical topics, community health and knowledge exchanges around disaster response.

He joined the ship in Hawaii and will spend two months on board before handing over in Guam to another Royal New Zealand Navy officer in September.

On board he works as the assistant to the Commander of the Australian contingent to the Exercise, Commander Darren Smith, who in his role as the Director of Multinational Operations Coordination Cell is responsible for partner nations participating in the mission.

“My typical day involves meetings with Commander Smith and other partner nation leads, discussing current and future engagements for personnel. I have daily catchups with the Australian contingent, updating them on developments and tracking personnel matters.”

LT Cunningham on the bridge of a ship wearing RNZN uniform and a Pacific Partnership cap.

LT Henry Cunningham on the bridge of USS Pearl Harbor during Exercise Pacific Partnership 2025.

A young boy on the left and LT Cunningham in a polo and cap on the right hold a trophy and shake hands in front of a large event map.

LT Henry Cunningham with local children following a rugby competition in Lae, Papua New Guinea, during Exercise Pacific Partnership 2025.

LT Cunningham smiles while holding a rugby ball with local children out on a field.

LT Henry Cunningham with local children following a rugby competition in Lae, Papua New Guinea, during Exercise Pacific Partnership 2025.

He says his biggest takeaway from the experience is the relationships he’s built among the international personnel.

“I am gaining a far greater understanding of the differences in how we operate but also the strong similarities that each of our navies share, whether that’s around personnel recruitment and retention, financial constraints or the reasons for joining the military.”

In a nod to the partner nation vibe, LT Cunningham keeps fit with daily physical training sessions run by a German Navy medical officer.

Another highlight was being promoted from Sub Lieutenant to Lieutenant aboard Pearl Harbor last month.

His advice to anyone taking on this kind of deployment is to “be yourself, be flexible and make sure to correct those that confuse you as an Australian”.

LT Cunningham, who joined the Navy in 2022, has served with HMNZS Taupo, HMNZS Manawanui, Defence Logistics Command and Operation Antarctica.

On his return to New Zealand, LT Cunningham is looking forward to watching the rest of the rugby season and shaping future sailors in his new posting as a training officer with the Leadership Development Group.