Recent Events Test Pacific Command Agenda

FAIRFAX, Va., Nov. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Internal and external forces are changing how the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) carries out its missions and are challenging the U.S. strategic rebalance toward the Asia-Pacific region. Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, USN, PACOM's commander, says the budgetary uncertainty of the past two years is "a business model that we wouldn't want to continue to repeat." In addition, uncertainty in North Korea and the spread of terrorism are major concerns for the command.

PACOM is no exception to the budgetary pressures affecting all aspects of military operations for planners and decision makers. The Budget Control Act, sequestration and the lack of a fixed budget around which services can plan are causing inefficiency as well as an inability to allow the military to move the joint force into the future, Adm. Locklear says. Continuing resolutions generate spending patterns based on previous plans, inhibiting innovation, he adds.

More serious effects occur when Congress makes budget decisions late in the year, the admiral offers, because the services have limited places and a shorter time period in which to make cuts and meet targets. As a result, the services must enforce spending reductions in operational and readiness accounts. "We see the force that we have to use, in some cases, is less ready and less accessible," Adm. Locklear declares.

Among the external forces affecting PACOM's mission is the spread of terrorist activities. In recent weeks, the command's attention to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has increased. Adm. Locklear allows that PACOM has spent more time with its allies and partners examining ISIL's implications on the Asia-Pacific region. One focus area is the potential spread of the group's ideology into the region; another concern is that ISIL's foreign fighters might return to the region and sow their brand of terrorism throughout the area.

In addition, North Korea's unstable regime remains PACOM's top concern recently, Adm. Locklear posits. The rogue state refuses to abide by U.N. requirements, opting instead to continue to pursue the development of nuclear weapons and missile delivery systems that could threaten both the region and the U.S. homeland.

While the admiral believes that North Korea is the most dangerous threat to global security, other threats also could upset the peace and security of the Asia-Pacific region. For example, natural disasters that tax the resources of nations likely will increase in effect as the area's population continues to grow. While the chances of fighting a major conflict in the region are fairly remote, the chance of dealing with a large humanitarian disaster relief mission is virtually ensured, the admiral tells his staff.

Many nations in the region, especially those in Southeast Asia, increasingly recognize the importance of U.S. oversight for the security picture in the Asia-Pacific region, Adm. Locklear points out. "There is a growing recognition that it's important to their peace and prosperity, that there's really nothing they should fear from the United States. We've been there doing this with them for about 70 years, and most everybody—including China—has benefitted by the fact that the U.S. government has provided stability for the region," he explains.  

Read more of Robert K. Ackerman's interview with Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, USN, in the November 2014 issue of SIGNAL Magazine.

SIGNAL Magazine is published by AFCEA International. The association, established in 1946, is a non-profit membership association serving the military, government, industry and academia. Join online.

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