From 1977 to 1981, Lt. Col. Walker built upon Lt. Col. Jew’s groundwork. By the time I took over in 1981, Lt. Col. Walker built FORUM’s circulation to 6,000 copies in 17 countries. During this period, FORUM’s content was mainly reprints of articles from other U.S. military magazines, which Mr. Katz selected. A contract designer did final design, as it is done today.

Mr. Katz’s death in 1985 and my impending military retirement in early 1986 compelled HQ USCINCPAC to reexamine the future continuity of FORUM. The command decided to rehire me as a civilian under contract to maintain FORUM’s continuity and to continue the initiatives that I had begun. During these 20 years, I launched five initiatives to improve FORUM.

First, I believed the established policy of reprinting articles – many of them irrelevant to the Asia-Pacific region – needed to be changed. Gradually, FORUM began to use entirely original articles, written from the perspective of the Asia-Pacific region. These articles primarily document the continuing growth of Asia-Pacific military activities and regional defense relationships with U.S. Armed Forces.

Adm. Dennis C. Blair, Commander in Chief, U. S. Pacific Command, presents Paul R. Stankiewicz, Editor-in-Chief, Asia-Pacific Defense FORUM, with the Commander in Chief’s Commendation for 20 years of achievement as editor.

Second, I launched special supplements, as stand-alone issues, to address one subject or one country. This enabled FORUM to increase its coverage of subjects. Two of these supplements were in-depth studies of regional security issues authored by noted regional scholars.

Third, I began publishing a special anniversary issue every five years, beginning with the 10th Anniversary in 1986. The anniversary issues provide readers with informative articles by USCINCPAC’s commanders about their commands, forces and programs in the region

Fourth, I put together the first FORUM map, in 1987, which openly showed all major U.S. forces in the Pacific, for the first time. A newer expanded map was published in 2000. The FORUM map provides an authoritative reference useful to military establishments throughout the region and promotes the military transparency that the U.S. advocates for all countries, to help defuse suspicion and misunderstanding.

Finally, I launched the first of FORUM’s annual calendars in 1996. These calendars contain the national holiday of each country in the Asia-Pacific region.

The FORUM model was emulated during this period. After I was invited to Panama to consult with the U.S. Southern Command in 1989, a new Spanish language magazine, El Foro Militar de las Américas: Diálogo, was published by that command for the armed forces of Central and South America.

FORUM’s articles have been reprinted by the media of at least 22 countries in 16 indigenous languages. We have experimented with a dual language issue – a special Russian-U.S. bilingual supplement. FORUM has even been used by the best selling American author Dale Brown to open his 1991 novel Sky Masters. And, FORUM was once considered for a U.S. national magazine award, but was dropped when sponsors realized FORUM was funded by the U.S. government.

Over these 20 years, I am proud to have presided over the growth of FORUM from 6,000 copies in 17 countries to 30,000 copies in 41 countries, not counting smaller circulation to another 40 countries outside the region.

My views about the Asia-Pacific region have not changed over these years. This is the region of the future; it is destined to be the cockpit of great events and source of great contributions to the world.

Since I will retire before the next anniversary, this is my last opportunity to offer military colleagues and other readers in the Asia-Pacific region the same wishes I have extended in previous anniversary issues. As someone who has lived in or traveled throughout Asia since 1961, I appreciate and value all cultures. As someone who has been to war twice, I value the beauty and sanctity of every life – everywhere.

Therefore, I repeat my wish to all for continuing peace and friendship. For that, after all, is what makes it all worthwhile.