Washington Guard, Malaysia Strengthen Partnership

CAMP MURRAY, Wash. - Nine Washington Army National Guard Soldiers from B Company, 181st Light Support Battalion, worked with Malaysian military and civilian partners Sept. 2-14 during Pacific Partnership 2026, sharing medical expertise and training for disaster response.

The U.S. Navy-led mission brought together personnel from nine nations for engagements in Kota Kinabalu and surrounding areas of Sabah. The Malaysia visit was Pacific Partnership's fourth stop in 2026 and its first in Kota Kinabalu. Washington and Malaysia have been partners in the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program since 2017.

During a four-day symposium, the Washington Soldiers presented on mass casualty operations, including triage, casualty collection points, rapid trauma assessments and cultural considerations in caring for injured people and the deceased.

"We were asked to support the U.S. Navy during Pacific Partnership 2026 in Kota Kinabalu. The mission brought people together across four areas - medical care, disaster management, engineering and community outreach - and our team worked primarily on disaster management," said 1st Sgt. Jonathan W. Wentlandt, 1st Sgt. for B Company, 181st Light Support Battalion. "We integrated primarily with the disaster management group and were originally tasked with teaching a mass casualty class with cultural considerations of wounded and deceased."

As divers recovered simulated patients and bodies from the water, the Washington Soldiers introduced patients with simulated injuries at a naval hospital, giving emergency department staff practice managing an influx of casualties.

The team also developed and led hands-on training for staff at the Malaysian Armed Forces Hospital. Soldiers exchanged expertise with dental and nursing counterparts at medical symposiums and joined community health engagements around Sabah.

"Outside of our assigned role, members from our team worked with the medical line of effort in symposiums. We also worked with host nation outreach and events and visited religious and cultural areas. And our three assigned officers were a part of a panel regarding Army Officer ROTC," Wentlandt said.

The Soldiers discussed the Washington Army National Guard's State Partnership Program relationship with Malaysia during the disaster management symposium and a reserve officer engagement. Their work in Kota Kinabalu followed a September 2025 exchange in Spokane, where Washington Guard members and local responders trained alongside members of Malaysia's Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team.

"Working with members of the Malaysian Armed Forces and the local community was a highly rewarding experience. They were actively engaged in our discussion on triage, casualty collection points and rapid trauma assessment techniques," Wentlandt said. "The Malaysians demonstrated a strong willingness to share their protocols, practices and perspectives. In addition to the valuable professional exchange, they enthusiastically shared their cultural experiences and insights, fostering meaningful cross-cultural understanding and collaboration. The latter was particularly true when it came to learning about treatment of injured and deceased Muslim and Kadazan Dusun people."