MADISON, Wis. – One Wisconsin Army National Guard officer has spent the better part of the last year laying the foundation for the Wisconsin National Guard’s new state partnership with Papua New Guinea.
Capt. Chris Meza, who previously served as the commander of Battery B, 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery, mobilized on a special assignment to United States Indo-Pacific Command. For nearly six months, he lived in Papua New Guinea building relationships and helping establish a new partnership amid a global pandemic that has limited the ability to conduct traditional in-person exchanges.
But the pandemic didn’t stop the partnership from moving forward. While some of the initial exchanges between Wisconsin and the Papua New Guinea Defense Force have been virtual instead, Meza was hard at work on the ground in Papua New Guinea from October through March.
In that time, Meza formed half of a two-person team from U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s Task Force Oceania – known as a Pacific Augmentation Team – established invaluable relationships and integrated directly into Papua New Guinea’s culture. His partner was Cpl. Louie Kaman, a native of Papua New Guinea who is now a member of the U.S. Army and served as the team’s cultural liaison officer.
One of the highlights, according to Meza, was driving the Highlands Highway from Lae to Minj. He fully integrated into the village, enjoyed a traditional gathering and a meal known as the “mumu,” in which the community comes together to harvest a pig and cook it in banana leaves with hot rocks. Meza helped prepare the meal and demonstrated some of his American techniques for cooking a pig.
“Dispatching a pig is a rite of passage among the people, and I was put to the test,” Meza wrote in a report about his experiences. “We prepared and cooked one pig in the traditional fashion and the other was prepared in an American fashion. I had the privilege of harvesting, processing, cooking, and serving a pig to members of the tribe and family in a way I am familiar with. I am happy to report it was a big hit.”
It was also in Minj where he participated in tribal conflict resolution and witnessed the resolution of a dispute between two clans. Meza and his team worked with three clans to explain his team’s role and goals.
Meza was also invited to the Papua New Guinea Defense Force’s family day. He spent the day on an island building new relationships and immersing himself in the nation’s rich culture and heritage.
In addition, he assisted in multilateral planning and helped set the stage for future activities and exchanges between the Australian Defense Force, Papua New Guinea Defense Force, and U.S. forces. He fished with locals, an activity many Papua New Guineans rely on for sustenance or income. Overfishing is a major concern in Papua New Guinea. It represents one of the many areas in which the U.S. hopes to assist Papua New Guinea to help protect its natural resources.
“There’s plenty to do in (Papua New Guinea) if you’re looking for it,” Meza wrote in one of his reports. “We have purchased fresh produce in local markets, visited historical sites, and spent time with the (Australian Defense Force) and (Papua New Guinea Defense Force) away from the office.
“One of the most rewarding experiences we’ve had so far is a soccer match on Ela beach,” he wrote. “This event was put on by some of our friends in the (Australian Defense Force). They had been challenged by some of the local staff, who happened to be all female, to a short match. Later, we were told this was the first time any visitors had taken the time to engage socially with the locals.”
The Wisconsin National Guard learned in early 2020 that it had been selected to begin a new state partnership with Papua New Guinea as part of the National Guard State Partnership Program. The announcement came at the same time as the COVID-19 pandemic, which limited traditional partnership exchanges, delegation visits and other events.
And while the Wisconsin National Guard looks forward to formally marking the beginning of this partnership and engaging in face-to-face interaction, the two partners have engaged virtually on several topics, in addition to Meza’s time on the ground in Papua New Guinea.
As the world emerges from the pandemic, those exchanges will increase. However, Meza’s tour concludes this spring and he returns to Wisconsin.
“This partnership is a small piece of a larger puzzle that builds the stage for a free and open Pacific,” Meza said. “As a partner, the Wisconsin National Guard gets to play a direct role in aiding INDOPACOM's strategic objectives.
“With this partnership the Wisconsin National Guard will have the opportunity to learn and grow in a place that holds significant history and lineage to the state and its military,” he added.
During World War II, nearly the entire Wisconsin National Guard deployed to New Guinea to fight the Japanese in brutal campaigns.
The now-famous 32nd “Red Arrow” Division suffered thousands of casualties fighting through New Guinea and the Philippines, where it spent 654 days in combat – more than any other division in the war. It fought several campaigns in New Guinea, including the particularly bloody campaign to take Buna. Three Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers earned the Medal of Honor posthumously for their actions in New Guinea.
That history and lineage is not forgotten in either Wisconsin or Papua New Guinea, and Meza expects the budding partnership to be mutually beneficial.
Wisconsin, he said, will benefit from the Papua New Guinea Defense Force’s ability to adapt and improvise to accomplish any mission.
“The most rewarding part of the experience was reaching a point where the Papua New Guinea Defense Force leadership would actively seek our help,” he said. “Help ranged from providing information and advice to setting up meetings with partners in the U.S. Most were small, but the fact they sought us out spoke volumes to how we were doing.”