PACAF Hosts Joint Conferences

Military leaders from 20 countries joined together at JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Sept. 22-25 for two key strategic conferences. The PACRIM Airpower Symposium, formerly the PACAF Director of Operations Conference, and the Senior Enlisted Leadership Conference, brought participating countries together to discuss international cooperation on issues like humanitarian aid and disaster response, as well as force development and management to promote interoperability. PACRIM “focuses on increasing interoperability and efficiency in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief response,” said Maj. Gen. Paul McGillicuddy, Pacific Air Forces vice commander, in a release. The Senior Enlisted Leadership Conference allows participants to “discuss common issues that affect proper force development and force management,” PACAF Command CMSgt. Harold Hutchison said. The two conferences both focus on “establishing and enhancing cultural understanding, information sharing, and interoperability, and set the stage for participation by Indo-Asia-Pacific nations in other events such as exercises, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief operations, subject matter exchanges, and conferences,” making them a good fit to run concurrently, states the release.