Photo By Sean Everette | Secretary of the Army John McHugh shakes hands with Staff Sgt. Albert Cornejo of the...... read more read more
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii – Describing the U.S. Army Pacific and the 25th Infantry Division as a “linchpin” in America’s strategic rebalances to the Pacific, Army Secretary John McHugh said ground forces are key to any success.
“I don’t want people to think that this part of the world is just a sea and air domain,” McHugh said during a visit to Oahu and the 25th ID April 21. “The United States Army has had a very long and successful presence here, and we’re convinced you have a lot more important work still to do.”
The 25th ID and its subordinate units play a large role in the Pacific as the Army's only forward deployed infantry division. Across the Pacific, thousands of Army forces are supporting operations to strengthen American partnerships and alliances as part of the “Pacific Pathways” initiative in places like Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia and the Republic of Korea.
Pacific Pathways is an innovative approach to exercise deployment that links a series of training exercises to create multinational training opportunities with regional partners across a range of missions from security to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Soldiers from the 25th often guide and execute Pacific Pathways missions as well as operate unique Army training at the Lightning Academy's Jungle Operations Training Course. During his visit, McHugh saw and heard about the division’s capabilities from Soldiers of nearly every rank and position.
“This division is a linchpin in our Pacific plans,” McHugh told the Soldiers. “I’ve been seeing and hearing quite a bit about the important roles you play here, and some of them are very unique. In this part of the world, the things the 25th ID encounters aren’t necessarily seen elsewhere, and the opportunities for training and partnership are one-of-a-kind.”
The division's 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team is currently in the Philippines on the final leg of a Pacific Pathways deployment, having recently completed exercises in Thailand and the Republic of Korea.
“As we come back to the Pacific, rebalancing as it’s being called, the mission here is going to be an increasingly important one. You aren’t just doing good stuff in the 25th Infantry Division, you are doing important stuff.”
| Date Taken: | 04.21.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 04.22.2015 18:40 |
| Story ID: | 160896 |
| Location: | SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 76 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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