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Foreword

Operation Unified Assistance (OUA):
Turning Military Cooperation into Humanitarian Aid

Japan Helps Tsunami Victims

Asia-Pacific Nations Enhancing Military Support to Humanitarian Operations

Foreword

Admiral William J. Fallon
Commander,
U.S. Pacific Command

	Admiral William J. Fallon speaks at the change of command ceremony, Camp Smith, Hawaii, upon becoming the 21st Commander, U.S. Pacific Command. Photo by PH2 Dennis C. Cantrell, USN
	Admiral Thomas B. Fargo (right) salutes his successor, Admiral William J. Fallon, during the change of command ceremony as then Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Richard B. Myers (center), looks on. Photo by PH1 Evelyn P. Haywood, USN

Admiral William J. Fallon became the 21st Commander, U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) in a change of command ceremony on 26 February 2005 in Hawaii, replacing Admiral Thomas B. Fargo. Admiral Fallon told attendees that he will “work hard to establish and to nurture the personal links essential to a climate of trust and confidence between leaders and nations in this region.” He also noted his dedication “to the task of enhancing stability and to setting conditions for a security environment in [the Asia-Pacific] region and throughout the world, in which people can truly live in peace and confidence.”

As the senior U.S. military commander in the Asia-Pacific region, Admiral Fallon leads the United States’ largest geographical unified command. He directs the operations of approximately 300,000 U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force personnel across more than 100 million square miles (259 million square km) of the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions. He is responsible to the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense through the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and is the United States’ military representative for collective defense arrangements in the Pacific.

Admiral Fallon has served in a variety of sea and shore assignments, including both joint and naval duties. His earlier duties were primarily as a naval flight officer. He began his Naval Aviation service flying in the RA-5C Vigilante with a combat deployment to Vietnam, transitioning to the A-6 Intruder in 1974.  He served in flying assignments with Attack Squadrons and Carrier Air Wings for 24 years, deploying to the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans embarked in USS Saratoga (CV 60), USS Ranger (CVN 61), USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71).  He has logged more than 1,300 carrier-arrested landings and 4,800 flight hours in tactical jet aircraft.

At sea, he commanded Attack Squad-ron Sixty Five embarked in USS Dwight D. Eisenhower; Medium Attack Wing One at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia; and Carrier Air Wing Eight in USS Theodore Roosevelt during a combat deployment to the Arabian Gulf for Operation DESERT STORM in 1991.  Assigned as Commander, Carrier Group Eight in 1995, he deployed to the Mediterranean as Commander, USS Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group and commanded Battle Force Sixth Fleet (CTF 60) during NATO’s combat Operation Deliberate Force in Bosnia.  He also served as Commander, Second Fleet and Commander, Striking Fleet Atlantic from November 1997 to September 2000. 

Admiral Fallon’s shore duties included assignment as aide and flag lieutenant to the Commander, Fleet Air Jacksonville, and to the staffs of Commander, Recon-naissance Attack Wing One; Commander, Operational Test Force; and Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet.  He has served as Deputy Director for Operations, Joint Task Force, Southwest Asia in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and as Deputy Director, Aviation Plans and Requirements on the Staff of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C. 

Admiral Fallon’s first flag officer assign-ment was with NATO as Assistant Chief of Staff, Plans and Policy for Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic.  He was then assigned as Deputy and Chief of Staff, U.S. Atlantic Fleet followed by assignment as Deputy Commander in Chief and Chief of Staff, U.S. Atlantic Command.  He later served as the 31st Vice Chief of Naval Operations from October 2000 to August 2003 and as the Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command and U.S. Atlantic Fleet from October 2003 to February 2005.

Admiral Fallon is a graduate of the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, and the National War College in Washington, D.C. He has a Master of Arts Degree in International Studies from Old Dominion University.  Admiral Fallon’s decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, and various unit and campaign decorations.

Remarks by General Richard B. Myers,
Then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
at the Change of Command Ceremony

	General Richard B. Myers, then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addresses attendees at the change of command ceremony. Photo by PH1 Evelyn P. Haywood, USN

Addressing attendees at the change of command ceremony for Admiral William J. Fallon, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM), General Richard B. Myers, then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted the accomplishments of the men and women of USPACOM.

Clearly, you’ve responded to natural disasters, deterred our enemies, helped our friends, and fought the war on terrorism. The men and women of Pacific Command have made the United States a more capable joint force at a time when our way of life, in my view, is at stake.

So these men and women serving today, I think are our new greatest generation. Clearly, the war that we’re fighting against terrorism and extremism is different from any we’ve ever fought before. It’s . . . about two opposite and incompatible visions for the future. One of tolerance, freedom, justice, and hope versus intolerance, repression, violence, tyranny, and fear. We saw the brave Iraqis not so long ago choose between one of these two visions as they proudly held up their ink-stained fingers after their elections.

So it’s because of the efforts of the men and women of Pacific Command that today millions of people in the Middle East and around the world now have a choice. Clearly, the Pacific theater has always been a strategic theater and of interest to the United States as it is today in the Global War on Terrorism. PACOM has met and conquered great challenges across great distances.

As everybody. . . knows, PACOM comprises about 50 percent of the world’s surface and . . . 16 time zones if you try to go across this great area of responsibility. I remember when I was stationed at Yokota, Japan, and here at Hickam [Air Force Base, Hawaii] I always felt a sense of awe as you tried to fly from one point to another in this theater, and we realize how geography makes what all of you do . . . very challenging.

Foreign terrorist organizations like the Abu Sayyaf Group and the Jamal Islamiyah hide in the dark shadows of this vast region. [U.S.] PACOM’s Joint Interagency Coordination Group is working diligently with our international partners to identify and locate terrorists. And thanks to the tremendous efforts of everyone in PACOM, we have strong ties with many countries. To name a few, Japan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, India, Australia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and building relationships in so many more — Indonesia, China, and the list . . . goes on.

Together with our Pacific allies, we will root out terrorism and terrorists wherever they hide. That’s our pledge. In the United States, we’re fortunate because we enjoy tremendous support from the people of the Pacific.

Let me just give you one example. I know there are lots we can use, but the one I remember was at sunrise on September 12, 2001 [the day after the terrorist attack on the United States] when hundreds of Japanese citizens formed up around our embassy in Tokyo for blocks to lay flowers at the gates. So in those who love freedom and shun terror we have found many resolute allies and true friends in this region.