CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii -- Lt. Gen. James F. Glynn relinquished command of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific and Fleet Marine Force, Pacific to Lt. Gen. Roger B. Turner during a ceremony aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Aug. 11, 2026.
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Photo by Lance Cpl. Jose Villasenor
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Joy M. Kitashima, right, the command senior enlisted leader of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, delivers the unit colors to Lt. Gen. James F. Glynn, the outgoing commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, during the MARFORPAC change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, Aug. 11, 2026. Representing two-thirds of the Marine Corps’ operating forces, MARFORPAC serves as the nation’s primary expeditionary force-in-readiness across the U.S. Pacific Command area of responsibility, the largest geographic combatant command in the Department of War, where Pacific Marines operate alongside joint forces and international partners to preserve a free and open Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jose Villasenor)
Glynn, a native of Albany, New York, commanded MARFORPAC since September 2024. He is a 1989 U.S. Naval Academy graduate and will retire this fall after 37 years of service. During his tenure, MARFORPAC advanced Force Design capabilities across the Indo-Pacific, operationalized an Unmanned Systems Strategy, and validated the headquarters as a stand-alone service component during Exercise Pacific Sentry 25. The command expanded its use of data analytics toward an AI-enabled headquarters and established Marine Rotational Force Southeast Asia to strengthen regional partnerships.
“The remarkable and talented professionals of this command accomplished everything you see today – more than 75,000 Marines, Sailors and civilians across the Pacific,”
Glynn said. He thanked Hawaii's residents for their hospitality, calling the command's Marines and Sailors “guests on these islands,” and closed with a challenge to the force:
“Do not rest on what you have built. Keep standing forward – and be what right looks like, whether or not anyone is watching.”
Turner, a native of Laurel, Maryland, graduated from the University of Maryland and commissioned in 1989. He most recently served as commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, Japan. Acknowledging the legacy left by Glynn, Turner said,
“We've got big shoes to fill for Carol and I, and we're grateful to do it,” and pledged to be “the most responsive, the most joint and the most innovative component.”
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Photo by Lance Cpl. Chloe Zimmerer
U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Roger B. Turner, right, the incoming commander for U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, and Lt. Gen. James F. Glynn, the outgoing commander for MARFORPAC, pose for a photo after the MARFORPAC change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Aug. 11, 2026. Representing two-thirds of the Marine Corps’ operating forces, MARFORPAC serves as the Nation’s primary expeditionary force-in-readiness across the U.S. Pacific Command area of responsibility, the largest geographical combatant command in the Department of Defense, where Pacific Marines operate alongside joint forces and international partners to preserve a free and open Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Chloe Zimmerer)
Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Eric M. Smith, the ceremony's reviewing officer, praised both leaders. “If you're going to replace a Jim Glynn, you do it with a Roger Turner,” Smith said, adding that both are “spectacular in their leadership skills, in their technical capabilities, and in their interpersonal skills.”
The ceremony featured marching units, the MARFORPAC Band, a combined color guard, and the traditional passing of the colors, signifying the transfer of authority from Glynn to Turner. Distinguished guests included Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, along with senior allied and partner-nation leaders and Hawaii elected officials.
MARFORPAC is the largest operational command in the Marine Corps, comprising two-thirds of its active-duty combat forces, known as the "Pacific Marines." Forward-postured throughout the Indo-Pacific, they stand ready to respond to crises and, if called, to fight and win.
For additional information, contact U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific Communication Strategy and Operations at marforpaccommstrat@usmc.mil.
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