DVIDS – News – Task Force Koa Moana 21 joins Palau on World Cleanup Day

Marines with Task Force Koa Moana 21, I Marine Expeditionary Force, joined students from Palau High School and members of the United States Embassy in a cleanup event on World Cleanup Day at Airai, Republic of Palau, September 25, 2021.

Every year, hundreds of organizations, from embassies to schools, organize and participate in local cleanup events related to World Cleanup Day. For the Republic of Palau, an island country known for its crystal-clear waters and sparkling sands, keeping the island clean is a matter of pride.

“Palau is known as a pristine paradise,” said Rochelle Thomas, a teacher at Palau high school and a counselor for the theater and art club. “We have a strong desire to keep Palau clean.”

The Marines of Task Force Koa Moana 21 supported this desire. The group started at 9 a.m. at the U.S. Embassy in Palau and made their way to the Japan-Palau Friendship Bridge, picking up trash and debris along the way.

“I think it’s very important for the Marines to lead by example in cleaning up and supporting Palau,” said the US Marine Corps Cpl. Gabriel Cosio, a Marine Supply Task Force and a native of Fresno, Calif. “It shows that we care about ourselves and are happy to be here in this beautiful country.”

Keeping the island clean is appreciated by many Palauans, including students.

“Palau is a small island, and it’s very important to us,” said Kaye, a 17-year-old high school student in Palau. “If we can’t keep it pristine, it wouldn’t be the Palau we know.”

In addition to these community events, the Koa Moana 21 task force will conduct expert exchanges and exercises in engineering, medicine and explosive ordnance disposal to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to the Pact of Free Association. and the people of Palau.

The Koa Moana Task Force is designed to strengthen and improve relations between the United States and partner countries / states in the Indo-Pacific region while remaining safe from COVID-19. Task Force Koa Moana 21 has the unique opportunity and privilege to work with the Republic of Palau as a sign of the United States’ commitment to the people of Palau and their partners and allies in the Indo-Pacific region.