In a significant demonstration of military collaboration, Joint Forces from the United States and Pacific nations engaged in a landmark training exercise at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.
The Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC) rotation, a large-scale joint training exercise involving overt 5,300 personnel, took place from November 1-10 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. This historic event involved the largest airdrop in Hawaii’s history, showcasing the growing military cooperation between the United States and its Pacific allies.
“The JPMRC rotation is a large-scale training exercise that enables collaboration,” a spokesperson highlighted, underscoring the diverse participation from the U.S., New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, and Thailand. The exercise, part of the U.S. Army Pacific’s first Regional Combat Training Center (CTC) in the Indo-Pacific, marked the first such center established by the U.S. Army in over 50 years.
Maj. Alex Sakovich, 15th Operations Support Squadron, JPMRC lead planner, stated, “It all started as an on-island partnership with the 25th Infantry Division that has grown in recent years.” He elaborated on the exercise’s evolution, emphasizing the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific region and the need for such large-scale training exercises.
Arkansas’s 19th Airlift Wing, including the 41st Airlift Squadron and the 19th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, played a pivotal role in the exercise. Their participation underlines the involvement the Little Rock Airforce Base (LRAFB) in international military exercises, enhancing strategic deterrence and operational readiness.
“Airlift logistics is important because funding and focus is usually on weapons, but sometimes what’s missing is, ‘How do we get stuff out there?’” said Maj. Evan Kurosu, 204th Airlift Squadron, JPMRC deputy planner, emphasizing the critical role of logistics in modern military operations.
The exercise’s achievements included the delivery of 966 paratroopers and 1.8 million pounds of cargo, the first mass personnel airdrop into Hawaii, and the first back-to-back airdrop operations from 11th Airborne Division Soldiers. Maj. Michael Hank, 204 Airlift Squadron chief of tactics, stated, “This exercise was the largest homegrown Mobility Air Forces exercise that the 154th Wing and 15th Wing has ever hosted.”
Effective communication across different time zones was key to the success of JPMRC. “Tying all these people across 12 different time zones made communication critical,” Sakovich noted, highlighting the logistical challenges overcome during the planning and execution phases.
Training scenarios across Hawaii emphasized teamwork and the total force construct. Maj. Hank encapsulated the spirit of the exercise, saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,” underscoring the value of collaboration in achieving complex military objectives.
This joint training exercise serves as a powerful symbol of the enduring partnership and strategic commitment among nations in the Indo-Pacific region, fostering a unified approach to regional stability and preparedness.
