Senior land force leaders from the United States, Japan, Australia, the Philippines, and the U.S. Marine Corps participate in a plenary session during the Land Forces Dialogue at U.S. Army Pacific headquarters, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, May 12, 2025. The forum provided a platform for high-level discussions focused on combined deterrence, multilateral coordination, and regional security cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.
(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Carolina Sierra)
The U.S. Army Honor Guard fires a cannon salute as the Army Band performs during an honors ceremony at Historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, May 12, 2025. The ceremony welcomed senior land force leaders participating in the Land Forces Dialogue, a strategic forum aimed at enhancing allied cooperation and strengthening regional security across the Indo-Pacific.
(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Carolina Sierra)
Gen. Ronald P. Clark, Commanding General of U.S. Army Pacific, exchanges greetings with senior military leaders during an official welcome ceremony at Historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, May 12, 2025. The leaders gathered for the Land Forces Dialogue, a multinational forum focused on enhancing landpower cooperation, strengthening regional partnerships, and advancing shared security objectives across the Indo-Pacific.
(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Carolina Sierra)
FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii (May 12, 2025) – Senior land force leaders from the United States, Japan, Australia, the Philippines, and the U.S. Marine Corps gathered at Fort Shafter for the annual Land Forces Dialogue (LFD), a strategic forum dedicated to advancing combined deterrence, regional security, and multilateral cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.
Hosted by U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC), the dialogue brought together Gen. Ronald P. Clark, Commanding General of USARPAC; Gen. Yasunori Morishita, Chief of Staff of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force; Lt. Gen. Simon Stuart, Chief of Army, Australian Defense Force; Maj. Gen. Leodevic B. Guinid, Commanding General of the Philippine Army; Brig. Gen. Vicente Blanco III, Commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps; and Lt. Gen. James Glynn, Commanding General of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific for the triannual summit.
The event commenced with an honors ceremony at Historic Palm Circle, where the U.S. Army Band and Salute Battery provided ceremonial support as Soldiers rendered honors to the arriving delegations. The red-carpet ceremony reflected the unity and respect shared among longstanding Indo-Pacific allies.
“The Land Forces Dialogue shows how far we’ve come—together—in just six months,” said Gen. Clark. “What we’re doing here is about more than coordination; it’s about building trust, driving innovation, and integrating our efforts to create real deterrent effects, together, in time and space.”
Held in conjunction with the Land Forces Pacific (LANPAC) Symposium, the LFD provided a classified forum for senior leaders to align on key objectives, including regional campaigning, information sharing, exercise coordination, and integration of operational capabilities across land forces.
Throughout the day, leaders explored persistent engagement, interoperability, innovation, and force design transformation themes.
Participants discussed the operational benefits of continuous multinational training, citing examples of large-scale joint exercises involving thousands of personnel. They also emphasized the importance of advancing data-sharing frameworks, improving command-and-control integration, and embedding experimentation into future campaign planning.
While individual remarks varied, a common thread emerged: unity, agility, and trust are central to achieving a credible and effective deterrent posture in the Indo-Pacific. Leaders acknowledged the urgency of moving faster, collaborating deeper, and aligning strategic transformation efforts across partner forces.
The Land Forces Dialogue highlights the importance of strengthening alliances and partnerships, a key line of effort in the U.S. National Defense Strategy. By reinforcing strategic trust among like-minded nations, the LFD enhances regional readiness and contributes directly to integrated deterrence.
USARPAC continues to lead multilateral military engagement across the Indo-Pacific region, bringing together allies and partners to address evolving threats and preserve security through combined strength.
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