Each year for the past 10 years, the "quiet professionals" from the Asia-Pacific region’s Special Operations Forces, joined by regional civilian defense officials, have met in Honolulu, Hawaii, to exchange ideas, build friendships with regional partners, and work to promote peace and stability in the region.

This annual Pacific Area Special Operations Conference (PASOC) provides a unique opportunity for these professionals to develop senior-level contacts in a multilateral setting that will facilitate Special Operations exercises, crisis response, and other operations within the region. More than 200 participants from 26 Asia-Pacific nations met in Honolulu in February for PASOC 2002.

Brig. Gen. Donald Wurster, Commander, Special Operations Command, Pacific, and host of PASOC 2002, told the delegates the following:

-This year’s theme, Special Operations Forces Roles in Operations Other than War, could not have been better selected in light of the events of September 11 [terrorists attacks on the United States]. All of us in Special Operations have found our services, forces, and expertise to be in high demand across the globe. So it is timely that we come together to build the relationships that will serve us when we train and work together. In today’s world, it is not a question of if we will cooperate to resolve a future crisis, it is only a matter of when.

The five-day conference included country briefings by representatives from the Republic of Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Madagascar, the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The conference focused on lessons learned from current and past military operations other than war; how to support a theater security cooperation program that fosters security and cooperation through senior-level, multilateral interaction among nations throughout the Asia-Pacific region; how to enhance combined interoperability; and how to combat terrorism and protect forces.

Panel discussions highlighted this year’s conference.