Big Island hosts USPACOM International Military Lawyer Conference

Today, Pacific Command's 23rd annual Military Operations and Law Conference (MILOPS) wraps up on the Big Island, Hawaii. MILOPS is a yearly meeting of legal professionals from countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region. With 26 nations represented, this year's conference covered a broad spectrum of complex issues facing the Asia-Pacific region from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to counter proliferation to Information Operations and cyber warfare.

While not a legal professional, my leadership gave me the opportunity to attend this year's conference to get a different perspective on the challenges facing our area of responsibility. As a Public Affairs Officer, I routinely work closely with our legal staff to ensure our desire to disseminate accurate and timely information is just that, accurate. The complexity of some of the issues we face in this region are extraordinary. What this "outsider" took great comfort in was the diverse group of committed men and women in attendance. Their passion for their profession and for the region as a whole was palpable.

Admiral Robert Willard, Commander of U.S. Pacific Command, opened the conference on Monday lauding the participants' dedication to the rule of law and their willingness to come together to discuss difficult legal and policy issues confronting the region. He credited exchanges such as the MILOPS conference for directly affecting the region's readiness to conduct successful operations.

More than 200 attended the conference from Australia, Thailand, India, Loas, Malaysia, Canada, Japan, the UK, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Bangladesh, Nepal, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Vietnam, Tonga, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Mongolia, Maldives, and of course the United States.

If asked for the most significant take away from this conference, remembering I'm an outsider, it would simply be the resounding theme throughout the week of a need for collaboration between all nations to address myriad complex issues facing the region. There was tacit agreement in all the discussions and panel presentations that to continue to maintain the security and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region, nations must work together.


Capt. Matt Hasson
USAF

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Senior Leaders to Meet at Chiefs of Defense Conference

Senior military officers of 22 nations will gather in Hawaii next week for the 12th annual Chiefs of Defense Conference (CHOD), which is scheduled to run Oct. 26-29.

This year's conference is hosted by Adm. Robert Willard, commander of U.S. Pacific Command.

The purpose of the conference is to bring together senior military leaders from nations in the Asia-Pacific region to meet and discuss mutual security challenges, improve mutual relationships and foster security cooperation. The conference theme is Common Defense Challenges in the Asia-Pacific Region.

Nations attending this year's conference include: Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, France, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Tonga, Vietnam, and the United States.

Last year's conference was co-hosted by the U.S. and Indonesia, and held in Bali.

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US, Mongolia Dedicate New Training Facility

On 22 September 2009, senior officials from the United States Department of State and Defense as well as senior personnel of Mongolia, celebrated several major renovations to the Armed Forces Five Hills Training Center, just outside Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The $3.5 million renovation is just one of a series of upgrades and renovations that have taken place over the over the last two and a half years. Since March of 2007, the United States, through the Global Peace Operations Initiative, has spent more than $5.7 million dollars and completed six renovation or upgrade projects.

The renovated facility has upgraded the Mongolian, post World War II headquarters building, into a modern regional peace operations training center. The newly dedicated facility will become a valuable regional training center for United Nations peacekeeping operations and will stand out as the star attraction for units participating in the annual Khaan Quest Exercise.

Previous projects at the Five Hills facility have included; updating the dining facilities, barracks, medical facilities, and classroom. The U.S. also confirmed that a new project, the renovation of the post headquarters, is scheduled to get underway in 2010.

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Preventing the spread of H1N1

Public health officials are preparing for the onset of seasonal flu and the novel H1N1 flu virus by beginning preparations in force, earlier than expected. Health officials predict an early onset of seasonal flu this year.

The H1N1 vaccine is not expected to be available until mid-October as clinical trials are continuing. The Department of Defense has procured 2.7 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine for and will be a phased distribution beginning with the highest-risk populations, within military forces, DOD civilians and critical contractors. Primary priority groups within the DOD will consist of deployed forces, ships afloat, high risk healthcare workers and mass training areas (i.e. Boot Camp/Basic Training, Service Academies). The secondary group will be critical personnel followed by all other personnel.

Those identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as being at highest risk for both types of flu and encouraged to receive vaccines include:

Healthcare workers.
Pregnant women
People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age.
Persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years
People 25 to 64 with chronic health disorders or compromised immunity.

Seasonal flu vaccine involves one injection. H1N1 vaccine will require two injections 21 to 28 days apart. Health department officials suggest taking seasonal flu vaccines as early as possible, given the potential for an early start to the flu season this year.

Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.

Take everyday actions to stay healthy
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.

Develop a family plan as a precaution. This should include stocking up on everyday items like foods and medicines as well as facemasks, alcohol-based hand rubs and other essential supplies.

Department of Defense Military Treatment Facilities will provide more information as it becomes available and will announce when the seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccines are available.

For more information you can visit www.dod.mil/pandemicflu, www.flu.gov or www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu

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Disaster Response Exercise Aims to Battle Wildfires

Sixteen representatives from U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) joined representatives from the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI) and the government of Indonesia (GOI) to focus on wild fires during a disaster response exchange and exercise last week in the Riau Province of the Asia-Pacific nation.

An article in Antara News highlighted the relevance of the exercise in the province, where firefighters are currently battling both forest and plantation fires.

During a two-day exchange, the group focused on procedures for responding to wild fires, specifically incident management and multinational collaboration efforts. Additionally, they exchanged information on command, control and management of response to large wild land fire incidents. They also discussed the secondary and tertiary impacts fires have in the region, as well as ways other organizations and the private sector can be involved in preventing and managing incidents.

The last day of the event featured a table-top exercise that required the group to work together to respond to a large-scale fire disaster.

This exercise, which is led by the TNI and GOI, is in its third year. Each year, additional countries from throughout the region have attended, whether as participants or observers. This highlights the ongoing strengthening of partnerships throughout the Asia-Pacific region, which helps foster more rapid response to disasters and an overall increase in security in the U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) area of responsibility.

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Regional Medical Exchanges Increase Expertise, Collaboration

U.S. military medical professionals from commands throughout the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) area of responsibility work regularly with counterparts from other nations to share expertise in a range of areas that ultimately benefit both military forces and civilian communities.

A 13th Air Force article about a medical laboratory surveillance workshop highlights one recent engagement that brought 40 interagency medical professionals from Laos, Thailand and the U.S. together to exchange ideas and lessons learned to collectively increase their capacity to effectively manage infectious diseases.

In the past year, PACOM medical professionals have conducted multiple workshops with partner nations on such topics as pandemic/avian influenza and HIV/AIDS. In April, military medical representatives from the U.S. and 18 Asia-Pacific nations met at the 19th Annual Asia-Pacific Military Medicine Conference in Seoul.

Through medically-oriented missions such as Pacific Partnership 2009, in conjunction with military exercises such as Balikatan, or in standalone events such as the Cambodian Interoperability Program, medical professionals are providing care to those in need, while also building important professional relationships and providing invaluable training opportunities.

In the coming months, workshops in various nations will focus on blast injury management and emerging infectious diseases.

By collaborating with regional partners, PACOM medical teams and their host-nation counterparts increase regional stability by more effectively identifying and responding to pressing medical issues and enhancing the ability to respond to crises if required.

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Community Outreach Expands CARAT Partnership

While Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen participating in Exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) have a primary focus of increasing interoperability between U.S. and Southeast Asia navies, they also take advantage of the opportunity to demonstrate their roles as global citizens.

The exercise series kicked off May 21 in the Philippines, and members took some time to participate in a number of community outreach projects.

Exercises like CARAT foster not only bilateral partnership between the participating nations, but also partnerships with the citizens of the visited countries. Each plays an important role in building trust and ultimately contributing to security and stability in the region.

Articles in the Philippine Inquirer and on the Exercise CARAT Web site highlighted some of the outreach projects the service members participated in during the Philippine Phase of the exercise. These projects focused on medical, dental and engineering outreach. Both U.S. and Philippine service members painted homes, delivered education and athletic materials to schools, and provided medical, dental and optometry care to more than 800 citizens.

CARAT will include similar events in other participating nations, which include Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

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Remembering Those Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice

Monday, service members, families, veterans and U.S. citizens around the world will take time out of their day to honor people who made the ultimate sacrifice. For those who have lost friends and comrades through the years, Memorial Day is a chance to remember last conversations, special moments, and times that we knew our brethren were willing to go above and beyond to accomplish the mission and protect the rest of us.

In his Memorial Day message to the troops, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen highlighted the sacrifice of Tech. Sgt. Phillip Myers, who died April 4 disarming an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Myers is one of many service members who gave his life so that others may live.

Nearly 100,000 U.S. service members have died in combat in the U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) area of responsibility (AOR) since the 1871 Korean Expedition. Many of these service members were killed in the Vietnam and Korean Wars. Many others were labeled “missing in action.”

For the men and women responsible for bringing the remains of the missing-in-action home, Memorial Day takes on a special meaning.

The Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, which is a direct reporting unit to USPACOM, works on a daily basis to help recover and repatriate the remains of these missing service members. Nearly every year, a representative from the command, which is based at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, travels to Washington, D.C. to provide an update to the thousands who gather at the National Mall to honor our fallen.

Many who gather there are veterans themselves. Many served in Vietnam or Korea, and they live every day with the memories of their brothers-in-arms. The annual visit to the memorials in Washington, D.C., provides the veterans a chance to formally honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our nation.

While we honor the men and women who went before us, thousands more serve every day in the Asia-Pacific region to contribute to security and stability. The presence maintained by the men and women of USPACOM serves as deterrent to conflict, so the families and veterans of previous conflicts know that the loss of their loved ones and friends was not in vain.

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PACOM Commander Highlights U.S.-India Relations

During his visit to India this week, Adm. Timothy J. Keating, commander of U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM), highlighted the cooperation between the U.S. and Indian militaries in an editorial for the India Express.

This editorial attributes the mutually and regionally beneficial relationship to direct coordination between PACOM and Indian forces and notes how this ongoing partnership, which supports the PACOM strategy, can continue to grow with future engagements.

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Disaster Relief Exercise Enhances Cooperative Relationships

Civilians and military personnel from the Republic of the Philippines, Papua-New Guinea, Australia and the U.S teamed up for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum Voluntary Demonstration of Response on Disaster Relief (ARF-VDR DR) from May 4-8.

This was the first field exercise for the forum, and it aimed to enhance cooperative relationships, test response processes for disaster relief and improve critical infrastructure. The location was chosen due to the large amount of residents who were displaced by the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991. Because of their location and distance from major cities, regular health care is not easily accessible.

The exercise included the setting up temporary medical facilities and building schoolrooms and bridges to allow disaster officials to practice damage assessment.

Along with the medical projects, the field exercise involved engineering projects like reconstructing buildings and building covered walkways for local elementary schools. There were also demonstrations of air, land and maritime capabilities.

The ARF-VDR is an activity designed to prepare international civilian humanitarian assistance and military teams to work together in the event of a natural disaster or other crises that impact the health and safety of the population. The four-day exercise enhances the ability of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum to develop tangible outcomes for disaster relief and transnational security cooperation.

As part of its overall strategy of partnership, readiness and presence, U.S. Pacific Command further supports regional and professional exchanges like ARF-VDR on DR that contribute to capacity building and collaboration.

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U.S. Navy Ship Joins China’s International Fleet Review

USS Fitzgerald, part of the U.S. Navy’s Forward Deployed Naval Force operating from Japan, arrived for a port visit in Qingdao, China, Sunday, where it is joining 20 other vessels from 14 different countries in an international fleet review to recognize the 60th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.

U.S. Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Gary Roughead is the senior official representing the U.S. military at the event, which is also being attended by delegations from 29 other nations.

A Financial Times article published today highlighted Roughead’s discussions Sunday with his Chinese counterpart Vice Adm. Wu Shengli, during which the two talked about cooperative anti-piracy efforts in the Horn of Africa and other ways to enhance renewed military dialogue and cooperation between China and the U.S.

Ship visits offer an opportunity for the participating navies to interact and discuss issues of common concern, and are helpful in advancing military-to-military relationships.

U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) looks forward to resuming more robust military-to-military engagements with the Chinese military to build mutual trust and understanding.

As noted in Adm. Timothy Keating’s March testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, “Improving the interaction between USPACOM and China’s armed forces is critical to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and reassures our regional allies, partners and friends. While cautiously optimistic, we seek a mature, constructive relationship with our Chinese counterparts. Through cooperation and candor we aim to reduce the chances of miscalculation, increase mutual understanding, and encourage cooperation in areas of common
interest.”

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U.S., Filipino Teams Provide Medical Assistance

In the spirit of partnership, U.S. and Republic of the Philippines service members are working hand-in-hand throughout the island country to provide medical assistance to those in need.

An article from the Philippine Information Agency highlights the efforts of the nearly 40 U.S. and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) medical personnel who are scheduled to complete approximately 50 medical civic action projects (MEDCAPs) throughout Exercise Balikatan, which began April 16 and is scheduled to conclude April 30.

The benefits of the MEDCAPs are multi-faceted. Most visibly, sick and injured people who aren’t normally able to receive treatment have an opportunity to get assistance. These engagements also emphasize the enduring relationship between the U.S. and Philippines while providing an opportunity for the two to further strengthen ties.

Another important benefit of MEDCAPs is a better understanding of the armed forces by the people of the Philippines. MEDCAPs allow the service members to provide a presence in areas where they may not normally be seen. This presence, combined with the medical treatment they are providing, lets people know the military is there to help.

Partnership and presence are two pillars of the U.S. Pacific Command strategy. US forces forward and engaged with our partners such as with Exercise Balikatan provide increased opportunity to assist those in need while enhancing security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

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Exercise Balikatan Kicks Off in Republic of the Philippines

Approximately 8,000 U.S. and Republic of the Philippines service members kicked off Exercise Balikatan in Quezon City, Philippines, April 16. (Read the full story)

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the exercise that focuses on bilateral disaster relief and humanitarian assistance between the two countries.

During the exercise, units from throughout U.S. Pacific Command, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel, and subject-matter experts from various Philippine civil defense agencies will participate in three simultaneous events, supporting a more efficient effort during possible contingency operations.

The first event consist of multiple humanitarian and civic assistance engagements focused on providing medical, dental, veterinary, and engineering assistance. The second event is a scenario-based staff exercise to practice headquarters-level joint force management. The last event involves cross-training and field training exercises to support the “shoulder-to-shoulder” philosophy of Balikatan.

U.S. military engineers have been working with their AFP counterparts for the past several weeks as part of Balikatan, partnering in road construction projects, providing upgrades to water systems, and building additions at several schools.

Each of the exercise events enable the participating service members to get to know each other, train together, and provide assistance in communities where the need is greatest. They also improve the ability of the U.S. and Philippines to operate as one team on joint projects.

The strong relationship that exists between the U.S. military and AFP is built on cooperation and collaboration, and is continually strengthened through exchange programs, training and military exercises like Balikatan.

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Asia-Pacific Forces Discuss Military Medicine

Military medical representatives from the United States and 18 Asia-Pacific nations met at the 19th Annual Asia-Pacific Military Medicine Conference, which was held in Seoul, South Korea, April 6-10, to discuss collaboration.

The conference was co-hosted by U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) and the Republic of Korea Army (ROK), and focused on “Transforming Military Medicine Through Collaboration and Interoperability.”

Members of U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) served as speakers, presenters and moderators at the conference, where medical professionals discussed ways to collaborate on solutions to problems like HIV/AIDS, infectious disease, preventive medicine, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and Avian Bird Flu. They participate in these types of conferences frequently throughout the course of a year, ultimately hoping to further enhance the ability of different nations in the region to work together on military medical issues.

This collaboration not only makes it easier for the different organizations to work together in real-world missions, but also helps build the medical capacity of the different countries. It also allows each country to gain a better understanding of their partners and their needs and abilities. Members of the PACOM Surgeon’s Office work to ensure they understand what type of viable assistance PACOM could provide to Asia-Pacific partners if it were needed.

While conferences provide an opportunity for discussion of collaboration, additional benefits are gained by working in each other’s facilities. Different nation’s can share information and resources, which provides an opportunity to learn from each other’s medical systems, issues, and challenges.

By working together on issues such as Avian Influenza, military medical forces can find common solutions to common problems, which benefits the entire Asia-Pacific region.

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MPAT Nations Practice Disaster Relief Procedures, Improve Regional Disaster Response in Philippines

The U.S. Pacific Command Multinational Planning Augmentation Team (MPAT) conducted a “Tempest Express” workshop in Manila from March 26 to April 3 to focus on disaster response efforts in the Philippines by local, national, regional and international actors.

This was the second major MPAT event hosted in the Philippines since the MPAT inception in 2000. The first event was MPAT Tempest Express-1 in November 2000, which was attended by 19 nations.

The workshop scenario focused on the planning and coordination required for quick response to a major (7.2 magnitude) earthquake in the metropolitan area of Manila. The response efforts were led by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines.

Twenty-four nations sent 93 military personnel to participate. Philippines government interagency participation was provided by all elements of the national government, the government of Metro Manila and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Humanitarian participation consisted of representatives from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA), World Food Programme (WFP), World Health Organization (WHO), International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) and Philippine National Red Cross.
Collaboration of this nature, which includes both military and non-military organizations, helps to establish and strengthen partnerships that are vital to effective crisis response throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Key objectives for the workshop centered around promoting better understanding of the disaster management and emergency response systems of the Philippines, the ASEAN nations, humanitarian community, and international militaries and improving the coordination between the various major actors.

The workshop closing ceremonies were presided over by Maj. Gen. Carlos B. Holganza, the deputy chief of staff for operations, J3, for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Army Maj. Gen. Stephen Tom, U.S. Pacific Command chief of staff, who both delivered comments on the importance of improving international cooperation in disasters.

(This blog was written By Scott Weidie, the Multinational Planning Augmentation Team Program Manager for U.S. Pacific Command)

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U.S., Philippines Discuss Way Ahead for 2010 Mutual Defense, Security

Members of the Executive Committee (EXECOM) for the U.S. and Philippine Mutual Defense Board (MDB) and Security Engagement Board (SEB) met Mar. 13 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii to discuss and forward to the MDB and SEB detailed plans for 2010 engagements, as well as a five-year plan for future large-scale engagements.

These plans will be presented to the board for approval and final signatures by co-chairs, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command and the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The board is scheduled to convene in Hawaii the first week in August.

The MDB was formed in 1958 as a way to enhance the U.S. and Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), which was signed in 1951 and is the oldest treaty the U.S. has with a Pacific nation. As regional threats and military requirements changed, there became a need for the SEB, which addresses non-traditional issues like terrorism and natural disasters.

A recent development to the MDB-SEB process is the identification of specific goals and objectives to increase the ability of the Philippines to participate in coalition operations. This is especially important in assuring military readiness for both countries as stipulated in the MDT.

To address this need, one of the most significant inputs on this year’s meetings calls for an increased focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR), multilateral cooperation, and interagency coordination during training exercises like Balikatan.

The EXECOM also addressed professional enlisted development, an area that is just taking root among most Asia-Pacific militaries, with the Philippines at the forefront.

Once the board approves the plan, it will serve to continue and further enhance the long standing partnership that has been enjoyed by the U.S. and Philippines for more than 50 years.

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