Marines

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Japan Self Defense Force Maj. Gen. Shinichi Aoki, left, commanding general, Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, shakes hands with Indonesian Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Nur Alamsyah, commander, 2nd Marine Forces, during the Pacific Amphibious Leaders Symposium (PALS) 2018 in Honolulu, Hawaii, May 22, 2018. The purpose of PALS is to bring together senior leaders of allied and partner militaries with an interest in amphibious operations and capability development in order to foster stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Patrick Mahoney)

Photo by Cpl. Patrick Mahoney

Japan builds upon amphibious relationships in Indo-Pacific during PALS

22 May 2018 | Lance Cpl. Thomas Miller U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific

HONOLULU -- Leaders from 22 allied and partner militaries gathered to discuss the value of amphibious operations during the Pacific Amphibious Leadership Symposium, or PALS, in Honolulu, Hawaii, May 22, 2018.

The purpose of PALS is to enhance amphibious interoperability, crisis response capabilities and mutual international relationships in the Indo-Pacific region.

The symposium is designed to foster greater stability and prosperity by facilitating multilateral/ bilateral discussions and engagements to plan, foster and encourage amphibious development.

“We’re sharing ideas with 22 [militaries], you can bet somebody is trying something new,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. David H. Berger, commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific. “So you can accelerate your learning, you can build your readiness if you are humble enough to accept other countries who are on the same path as you are, and that’s the whole purpose of this.”

“This conference is very [beneficial] for us to first know each other and share the information concerning amphibious operations or amphibious circumstances surrounding the [Indo-Pacific] region,” said Japan Self-Defense Force  Maj. Gen. Shinichi Aoki, commanding general, Amphibious Raid Deployment Brigade, or ARDB. “If we could share the information and [get to] know each other we [can] discuss much [deeper] and exchange not only our technique, but also doctrine level, it is very [beneficial] for us.”

The mission of the ARDB is to conduct joint operations in order to defeat enemy forces and secure areas in cooperation with other ground units, or by own its own effort.

Aoki discussed the newly formed ARDB and the developing role it will play in the interoperability of amphibious forces in the Indo-Pacific region.

“It is very important for us to exchange the ideas or share the information,” Aoki said. “Especially the theme of this symposium is a kind of trend we have to focus on or we have to face the trouble or problem or challenge, so it is [beneficial] to affect our doctrine or operations.”

  

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