HONOLULU--The Association of the U.S. Army sponsored the second annual Land Power in the Pacific symposium and exposition at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel in Honolulu, April 8-10.
The LANPAC symposium is a forum that brings together several key leaders, commands, and other national and local organizations focusing on the land-power capabilities throughout the Pacific region.
The AUSU president, Gen. (ret.) Gordon Sullivan, opened the 2014 LANPAC symposium with remarks on why the land-power forces were important in the Pacific.
"The U.S. military has been in the Pacific region for well over 100 years," he said. "More than six of the world's most powerful military forces are in the Pacific." Sullivan continued to say that the U.S. presence is valuable to have in the Pacific region to uphold long-standing alliances and partnership while more emphasis?' are shifted toward the Pacific region.
Gen. Vincent Brooks, commanding general of USARPAC said that he was impressed by the symposium's venue.
"It?'s not often that you get the land-forces commanders -- Marines, U.S. Army, Special Operations Command, Regional Armies and businesses in one room," said Brooks. "LANPAC will give insight on whole government approaches."
He also emphasized how the LANPAC symposium offered an opportunity to discuss issues in the Pacific face-to-face, as well as unique capabilities that each land force added to the support of the Pacific. He also added how the symposium helped to strengthen the bonds between countries and international community.
Brooks added the symposium was hosted in Hawaii because of its historic ties to the region, it has the largest concentration of U.S. land-forces in the Pacific, and it is the closest state to the U.S. regional partners.
While the symposium and exposition is still in its infancy stage, Sullivan said he expects to see it to continually grow.
"The U.S. forces land-power symposium is one of a kind. Nowhere else will you find anything like this," said Sullivan.
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