CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 28 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: LUZON, Philippines - U.S. Marines with 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, alongside Philippine Marines with 4th Marine Brigade and the Coastal Defense Regiment concluded Littoral Zone Reconnaissance Cobra, ending a week-long bilateral command post training exercise aimed at enhancing interoperability, refining tactics, techniques, and procedures, and  more

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea, May 31 -- The U.S. Army Sustainment Command issued the following news: By Galen Putnam, U.S. Army Sustainment Command Army Field Support Battalion-Korea conducted a change of command ceremony at the Far East District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers headquarters building here, May 23. AFSBn-Korea welcomed Lt. Col. Brian E. Thompson Jr., who took the reins from outgoing commander Lt. Col. Justin L. Darnell. Thompson arrives from Fort Shafter, Hawaii, where he served   more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 28 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: FORT MAGSAYSAY, Philippines - Over three months in the spring of 2024, U.S. Army engineers participating in this year's iterations of Exercises Balikatan, Salaknib and the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center Exportable (JPMRC-X) exercise have partnered with their Armed Forces of the Philippines counterparts, engaging in humanitarian civic assistance (HCA) i  more

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii, May 30 -- The U.S. Strategic Command issued the following news: B-1 Lancers assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, arrived at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, in support of a routine Bomber Task Force deployment, 23 May. Members from the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron will integrate and train with Allies, partners, and the Joint Force to enhance readiness and reinforce the rules-based international order in the Pacific.   more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 30 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: Starting on May 29, 2024, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III will travel to the Indo-Pacific region for the tenth time since taking office. His trip will occur as the Department of Defense continues to strengthen U.S. relationships with allies and partners to advance regional peace, stability, and deterrence. The Secretary will attend the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, meet w  more

WASHINGTON, May 29 -- The U.S. Army News Service issued the following news: By Christopher Hurd Maj. Gen. Kenneth S. Hara was just settling into his new role as the adjutant general of the state of Hawaii, having taken over the position a few months prior, when he got a call from the governor's office in March 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic was starting, and the governor wanted Hara to be the incident commander for the state's response. "I knew nothing about pandemics," he said. "And in my mind  more

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii, May 30 -- The Commander of the Hawaii Navy Region issued the following news: By Lt. j.g. Rae Timberlake The Hawaii Army National Guard presented awards May 1, to Sailors assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit ONE (MDSU-1) for their response to the wildfires on Maui. As part of the Hawaii National Guard's (HING) Joint Task Force 50, MDS Company 1-3 conducted search and survey operations in Lahaina Harbor in support of the safety and recovery of residents affected by th  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 28 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM - Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Pacific awarded a $74,409,403 firm-fixed price task order on May 21 to Black Construction - Tutor Perini JV of Harmon, Guam for the construction of a child development facility at Andersen Air Force Base (AAFB), Guam. "This task order reflects our ongoing efforts on improving bas  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 30 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) May 27 and May 29 launches using ballistic missile technology in direct violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs). These launches continue the DPRK's reckless behavior, which poses a grave threat to the Korean Peninsula, the region, and international peace   more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 31 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea - In a landmark initiative aimed at promoting Women, Peace and Security (WPS) as a capability to enhance Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) institutional and organizational effectiveness, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) recently partnered with the PNGDF to conduct a second comprehensive Gender Focal Point training course at th  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 31 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Admiral Dong Jun, Minister of National Defense of the People's Republic of China (PRC), met today in Singapore on the margins of the Shangri-La Dialogue to discuss U.S.-PRC defense relations, as well as regional and global security issues. Secretary Austin emphasi  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 29 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. - A U.S. Army lieutenant colonel has led the charge to connect and develop a new generation of military leaders in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community. Lt. Col. Seth T. Varayon has championed connecting and developing the U.S. Army's AANHPI culture over the past few years. Varayon currently serves as the i  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 29 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: KUANTAN, Malaysia - Members of the Malaysian and United States armed forces are scheduled to participate in Tiger Strike 2024, a bilateral training exercise in Kuantan and Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia, from May 29 to June 6, 2024. The intent of TS 24 is to increase combined, joint combat readiness and amphibious capabilities that can be applied across a range of mili  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 28 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: PACIFIC OCEAN - As a testament to the ironclad alliance and ever-increasing interoperability between the U.S. and Australia, a Royal Australian Air Force KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker with RAAF No. 33 Squadron, traveled from RAAF Amberley, Australia to Camp Blaz, Guam, to provide aerial refueling to two U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft assigned to Marine Fig  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 29 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: Following the tragic landslides in Enga, the United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will provide 2 million Kina ($500,000 USD) for emergency humanitarian assistance. USAID's relief efforts will include logistics support, protection, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) assistance. USAID will leverage existing partnerships with PNG's National   more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 26 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and U.S. Army Pacific co-host a recognition event on Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, May 23, in honor of Asian American, National Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month. AANHPI servicemembers, DoD civilians, contractors and leaders were celebrated for excellence in collaboration and resiliency planning throughout the Indo-Pacific region. The 38 nations   more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 30 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: TOKYO - Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), visited Japan from May 27-29, 2024 for the first time since assuming command earlier this month. Paparo met with senior Japanese officials, including Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Minister of Defense Minoru Kihara, Japan Joint Staff Chief of Staff Gen. Yoshihide Yoshida  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 30 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: SEOUL - Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), visited the Republic of Korea (ROK) from May 29-30, 2024, reaffirming the United States ironclad commitment to the U.S.-ROK Alliance. This trip marked Paparo's first visit to the country as the USINDOPACOM commander. In Seoul, Paparo met with senior ROK officials, including President Yoon Suk Yeol, Mi  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 27 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: We are aware of the DPRK's May 27 launch using ballistic missile technology, which, is a brazen violation of multiple unanimous UN Security Council resolutions, raises tensions, and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region and beyond. This launch involved technologies that are directly related to the DPRK intercontinental ballistic missile program. We are assessing the   more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 29 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: We are aware of the DPRK's ballistic missile launch and are consulting closely with the Republic of Korea and Japan, as well as other regional allies and partners. The United States condemns these actions and calls on the DPRK to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts. While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, or territory  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, May 31 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: As Asian American Pacific Islander Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander month draws to a close, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Office of Women, Peace & Security (USINDOPACOM WPS) spotlights leaders in the Pacific Islands working at the nexus of human rights and defense strategy. Partnering to Build Climate Resilience: Partner organizations such as Transcend Oceania,   more