General Charles Flynn Takes Command of U.S. Army Pacific

By Staff Sgt. Jennifer DelaneyJune 5, 2021

Gen. Charles A. Flynn, incoming U.S. Army Pacific commanding general, receives the command’s colors and assumes command of USARPAC from U.S. Navy Adm. John Aquilino, the commander of U.S Indo-Pacific Command, at a change of command ceremony June 4, 2021, at Ft. Shafter, Hawaii. Flynn assumed command from Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, who served as the USARPAC commander since November 2019. (U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Jennifer A. 
Delaney)
1 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Gen. Charles A. Flynn, incoming U.S. Army Pacific commanding general, receives the command’s colors and assumes command of USARPAC from U.S. Navy Adm. John Aquilino, the commander of U.S Indo-Pacific Command, at a change of command ceremony June 4, 2021, at Ft. Shafter, Hawaii. Flynn assumed command from Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, who served as the USARPAC commander since November 2019. (U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Jennifer A.
Delaney) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Jennifer Delaney)
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U.S. Army Gen. Charles A. Flynn, incoming commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific, gives remarks during the USARPAC change of command ceremony June 4, 2021, at Fort Shafter, Hawaii. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik M. Phan)
2 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Gen. Charles A. Flynn, incoming commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific, gives remarks during the USARPAC change of command ceremony June 4, 2021, at Fort Shafter, Hawaii. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik M. Phan) (Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S. Army Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, outgoing commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific, gives remarks during the USARPAC change of command ceremony June 4, 2021, at Fort Shafter, Hawaii. LaCamera, who served as the USARPAC commander since November 2019, will assume command of U.S. Forces Korea. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik M. Phan)
3 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, outgoing commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific, gives remarks during the USARPAC change of command ceremony June 4, 2021, at Fort Shafter, Hawaii. LaCamera, who served as the USARPAC commander since November 2019, will assume command of U.S. Forces Korea. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik M. Phan) (Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S. Navy Adm. John C. Aquilino, commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, gives his remarks at the U.S. Army Pacific change of command ceremony between Army Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, outgoing U.S. Army Pacific commander, and Gen. Charles A. Flynn, incoming U.S. Army Pacific commander, at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, June 4, 2021. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik M. Phan)
4 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Navy Adm. John C. Aquilino, commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, gives his remarks at the U.S. Army Pacific change of command ceremony between Army Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, outgoing U.S. Army Pacific commander, and Gen. Charles A. Flynn, incoming U.S. Army Pacific commander, at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, June 4, 2021. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik M. Phan) (Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. James C. McConville spoke about the importance of the U.S. Army’s presence in the Pacific theater during the U.S. Army Pacific change of command ceremony June 4, 2021, at Fort Shafter, Hawaii. McConville thanked Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, the outgoing USARPAC commanding general, for a job well done during his tenure and welcomed Gen. Charles A. Flynn, the incoming commanding general to the position. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik M. Phan)
5 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. James C. McConville spoke about the importance of the U.S. Army’s presence in the Pacific theater during the U.S. Army Pacific change of command ceremony June 4, 2021, at Fort Shafter, Hawaii. McConville thanked Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, the outgoing USARPAC commanding general, for a job well done during his tenure and welcomed Gen. Charles A. Flynn, the incoming commanding general to the position. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik M. Phan) (Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Scott A. Brzak, right, the U.S. Army Pacific command sergeant major, passes the unit's colors to Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, outgoing USARPAC commander during the change of command ceremony June 4, 2021 at Fort Shafter, Hawaii. The ceremony was hosted by U.S. Navy Adm. John C. Aquilino, U.S. Indo-Pacific commander. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jennifer A. Delaney)
6 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Scott A. Brzak, right, the U.S. Army Pacific command sergeant major, passes the unit's colors to Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, outgoing USARPAC commander during the change of command ceremony June 4, 2021 at Fort Shafter, Hawaii. The ceremony was hosted by U.S. Navy Adm. John C. Aquilino, U.S. Indo-Pacific commander. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jennifer A. Delaney) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Jennifer Delaney) VIEW ORIGINAL

Fort Shafter, Hawaii — Gen. Charles A. Flynn assumed command of U.S. Army Pacific from Gen. Paul J. LaCamera in a ceremony held June 4, 2021, on Historic Palm Circle at Fort Shafter, Hawaii.

Flynn comes to Fort Shafter after serving as deputy chief of staff for U.S. Army operations, plans and training at the Pentagon. He succeeds LaCamera, who was confirmed last month by the U.S. Senate to be the next U.S. Forces Korea commanding general.

Flynn’s return to Hawaii is a homecoming, as he commanded the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks from 2014-2016 and served as U.S. Army Pacific deputy commanding general from 2016-2018.

“From the President and the Secretary of Defense to the combatant commands and the Chief, our nation’s defense leaders have directed that we must think, act, and operate differently – and in so doing – we will as history’s taught us time and again – more effectively compete, deter, and if necessary, win in the Indo-Pacific.”

Adm. John C. Aquilino, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, presided over the ceremony and reflected on the significance of this command.

“U.S. Army Pacific Command is a vital part of our approach to generate a lethal, Combined Joint Force, distributed west of the International Date Line that can be protected, sustained, and capable of fully integrating with all of our allies and partners,” he said.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. James C. McConville expressed confidence that Flynn will lead U.S. Army Pacific’s men and women to continued success.

“I know that General Flynn will continue to make sure that this command and these soldiers are ready to fight tonight and continue the momentum of delivering new capabilities for the future. General Flynn is a proven leader that can work in an inter-agency, multi-national environment. He understands the importance of this region,” McConville said.

McConville also thanked Gen. LaCamera for his dedication and devotion to U.S. Army Pacific and the great team he assembled during his tenure.

“I could not be more proud of the men and women of the U.S. Army Pacific for all you have accomplished over the last couple of years, especially this last year despite many significant challenges,” said McConville. “You remained responsive to our allies and partners in times of crisis and natural disasters. You truly understand how critical your efforts are for a nation, and you maintained that sense of urgency no matter what adversity you faced.”

LaCamera, who took command of U.S. Army Pacific in November 2019, is slated to replace Gen. Robert Abrams as the next United Nations Command, R.O.K.-U.S. Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea commander.

“Maintaining a world class Army is critical to regional security in the Indo-Pacific. My predecessors and I were dedicated to that, and I know General Flynn will take it to the next level,” said LaCamera. “Our Soldiers are serving in some of the most remote and austere locations in the Indo-Pacific and building trust and capability with our allies and partners. We learn from each other; we build combat readiness together. Building trust with like-minded allies and partners is critical to preserving this free and open Indo-Pacific.”

In addition to commanding an infantry division in Hawaii, Flynn commanded troops at the battalion and brigade levels with the famed 82nd Airborne Division, serving combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Flynn is the 38th commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific, the largest service component command in the U.S. Army.