PACOM Has New Boss

Oct. 23, 2009

Adm. Timothy Keating relinquished command of US Pacific Command to Adm. Robert Willard during an Oct. 19 ceremony at PACOM headquarters at Camp Smith, Hawaii. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said of Keating, who has led the command since March 2007, that he provided the “deft touch, a diplomat’s sensibilities, a scholar’s sense of the past, and a commercial tycoon’s business savvy” that are needed to lead a military organization in the Pacific region. Keating is retiring after some 42 years in the Navy. Willard last served as commander of the US Pacific fleet. (AFPS report by Donna Miles; PACOM blog report)

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