U.S. Department of Defense
November 18, 2011
Pacific Engagement Fosters Better Understanding
By Ian Graham
Defense Media Activity
-Next year, rotations of 200 to 250 Marines will begin deploying to Australia’s Northern Territory. Over the next several years, the number of Marines deployed there will grow to 2,500.
“It’s a rotational concept in which we will just not focus on the northeast Asia portion,” Keltz said, “but [also] start to spread out through all of Asia as we have been doing quietly, but a little bit more openly now.”
WASHINGTON: Senior U.S. military leaders met recently with their counterparts from across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss how military-to-military agreements and increased security cooperation can foster better relationships and bolster commerce and trade.
The leaders gathered Oct. 17-20 in Honolulu to attend the 14th annual Chiefs of Defense Conference. Air Force Maj. Gen. Michael A. Keltz, U.S. Pacific Command’s director of strategic planning and policy, discussed the conference at a Nov. 16 DoDLive Bloggers Roundtable.
With operations in Afghanistan drawing down and troops leaving Iraq this year, Keltz said, the U.S. military is strengthening its relationships in the Asia-Pacific region, and Pacom is repositioning its forces.
A major part of that mission, Keltz said, is the movement of U.S. Marines to Australia for training. Next year, rotations of 200 to 250 Marines will begin deploying to Australia’s Northern Territory. Over the next several years, the number of Marines deployed there will grow to 2,500.
Moving troops to Australia, the general said, demonstrates America’s commitment to the Asia-Pacific region.
Until now, Northeast Asia – primarily Korea and Japan – have been U.S. focal points in the region, he added.
“It’s a rotational concept in which we will just not focus on the northeast Asia portion,” Keltz said, “but [also] start to spread out through all of Asia as we have been doing quietly, but a little bit more openly now.
Pacom has special capabilities thanks to its area of responsibility, Keltz said. It covers a wide region and requires land, air and sea forces to carry out its mission. New agreements to have a Navy presence in Singapore and the new Marine station in Australia increase its versatility, he added.
“We do have … quite frankly, the luxury of being able to react very quickly being able to move forces internally within the Pacom area of responsibility,” Keltz said. “Being able to have Marines in the southeastern Asia area…gives us incredible flexibility.”
Military-to-military, diplomatic and economic engagement between the United States and Asia-Pacific nations is important, Keltz said, “so that we can understand each other better, which decreases the potential for a misunderstanding or a miscalculation.”
Such an approach, “just reinforces how important mil-to-mil engagements are,” he added.
Source: U.S. Department of defense
