Members of the House Armed Services Committee met with ambassadors from six Asian and Pacific nations on Wednesday for a roundtable discussion regarding the Defense Department’s planned shift to the Asia-Pacific region. The roundtable is part of a larger rebalance oversight initiative led by Seapower Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.), and Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii). In a joint statement released Nov. 13, Forbes and Hanabusa said they were encouraged by allied and partner ambassadors who helped them better understand the Asia-Pacific’s security developments. “Strong and consistent alliances and partnerships are the key to America’s interests in the region. … US policy towards the Asia-Pacific region remains a bipartisan effort, and we look forward to our ongoing dialogue as the [House] Armed Services Committee continues its important oversight,” they wrote. HASC Chairman Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.), and HASC Ranking Member Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), also participated in the discussion, as did representatives from Australia, Japan, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, and New Zealand.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.