Articles from ARMY Magazine, Headline News, and AUSA News on the U.S. Army and other U.S. Military forces in the Pacific

I Corps Tests Warfighting Chops During Yama Sakura

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Service members from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, Australian Defence Force, and the U.S. Army take part and observe a trilateral medical training event as part of Yama Sakura 87 at Camp Asaka, Japan, Dec. 11, 2024.
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I Corps Tests Warfighting Chops During Yama Sakura

More than 7,000 U.S., Japanese and Australian troops participated in an Indo-Pacific Army warfighter exercise that for the first time in decades was held in Japan.

The warfighter exercise, which is the Army’s premier training event for corps and division headquarters to prepare for mission command in large-scale combat operations, was notable in that it took place at the same time as Yama Sakura, an exercise that has been held annually in Japan since 1982.

Flynn Warns of ‘Very Dangerous Trajectory’ in Pacific

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Gen. Charles Flynn, commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific, speaks at AUSA2024
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Flynn Warns of ‘Very Dangerous Trajectory’ in Pacific

If Europe was the consequential theater of the 20th century, the relationship between the United States and China will define the 21st century, said Gen. Charles Flynn, commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific.

Reflecting on his four years at the helm of the largest Army service component command, Flynn said his time as commander of the 25th Infantry Division from 2014 to 2016 was vastly different than it is now.

Wormuth: Army Has Critical Role in Europe, Indo-Pacific

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Soldiers training in Europe
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Wormuth: Army Has Critical Role in Europe, Indo-Pacific

As tensions mount in the Indo-Pacific and eastern Europe, the Army will have an increasingly important, global role, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said.

[The Army] obviously always played the role of the guarantor of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific theater,” she said. “We have an incredibly important role to play in terms of logistics and sustainment, getting troops, equipment [and] supplies around the theater.”

Soldiers Adapt to New, Autonomous Capabilities

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Soldiers training in jungle
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Soldiers Adapt to New, Autonomous Capabilities

As the Army fields autonomous capabilities throughout the force, Hawaii-based soldiers demonstrated that new technologies can be incorporated on the move and while in contact, senior leaders in the Indo-Pacific said.

Just back from a six-month Operation Pathways rotation, having spent most of their time training with their counterparts in the Philippines, soldiers with the 25th Infantry Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team were observed “changing their mentality” as they adapted to the new technology, said Maj. Gen. Marcus Evans, the division commander.

XVIII Airborne Trains for Indo-Pacific Fight

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Soldiers marching
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XVIII Airborne Trains for Indo-Pacific Fight

For the first time, XVIII Airborne Corps is conducting a warfighter exercise that simulates contingency operations in the Indo-Pacific Theater under the command of U.S. Army Pacific.

Launched on Aug. 1, the 10-day warfighter, dubbed a “campaign of learning” by senior leaders, is centered on the responsibilities of corps- and division-level staffs and leaders who will plan, prepare and fight against simulated near-peer forces in large-scale combat operations, said Gen. Andrew Poppas, commander of Army Forces Command.

Leaders Urge More Multilateral Exercises in Indo-Pacific

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two soldiers training to shoot a stinger
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Leaders Urge More Multilateral Exercises in Indo-Pacific

Echoing a message that has been repeated throughout the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2024 LANPAC Symposium and Exposition in Honolulu, a panel of military leaders on May 15 emphasized the value of multilateral training and exercises.

“There’s nothing like the ability to show commitment than soldiers that are training together wherever we have an exercise in the region,” said Lt. Gen. James Jarrard, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific.

Indo-Pacific Soldiers Train for Tough, Varied Terrain

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People at a panel discussion
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Indo-Pacific Soldiers Train for Tough, Varied Terrain

Mastery of the fundamentals is crucial in the Indo-Pacific, a region where soldiers may find themselves operating anywhere from the Arctic to the jungle to a megacity, a panel of experts said May 15.

“If you’re not well versed in the fundamentals, you’re not going to be able to do collective tasks,” said Lt. Gen. Christopher LaNeve, commanding general of 8th Army in South Korea. “You have got to be able to do the basics, the fundamental blocking and tackling, at the platoon, at the company and at the battalion, synchronizing all those efforts.”

Army Continues Growing Partnerships in Indo-Pacific

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People at a panel discussion
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Army Continues Growing Partnerships in Indo-Pacific

Cooperation between the U.S. Army and its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific continues to grow rapidly, the commander of U.S. Army Pacific said.

“Our activities are moving quickly from bilateral to multilateral,” Gen. Charles Flynn said, adding that engagements and cooperation have “increased tenfold over the last three to four years.”

Koehler: Deterring Indo-Pacific Conflict is Team Effort

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Navy admiral speaking at lectern
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Koehler: Deterring Indo-Pacific Conflict is Team Effort

Every member of the joint and combined force is necessary to deter conflict in the Indo-Pacific, the commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet said.

“We need everybody here,” Navy Adm. Stephen “Web” Koehler said during a keynote address May 15 at the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2024 LANPAC Symposium and Exposition in Honolulu. “Everybody needs to be part of the game.”

Panel: NCOs are ‘Glue’ for Building Lethal, Ready Forces

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People at a panel discussion
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Panel: NCOs are ‘Glue’ for Building Lethal, Ready Forces

From all-volunteer forces to conscript armies, NCOs serving across the Indo-Pacific must work together to prepare for an uncertain and evolving future battlefield, a panel of senior enlisted leaders said.

Speaking May 14 during the Association of the U.S. Army’s LANPAC Symposium and Exposition in Honolulu, senior enlisted leaders from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Singapore discussed the evolving role of NCOs in land power across the Indo-Pacific.