The third annual Land Power in the Pacific Symposium and Exhibition kicked off at the Sheraton-Waikiki Hotel in Honolulu, May 19.

LANPAC is a professional development forum sponsored by the Association of the United States Army Institute of land Warfare.

During the three-day symposium, U.S. Army Pacific, Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, and Special Operation Command Pacific, alongside joint and regional partners discussed and showcased the critical role of Pacific land forces.

"Military-to-military engagements among the land forces of the pacific are being acknowledged as the foundation to the national level relationships, the country-to-country relationships, and this is not to be underestimated," said Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, USARPAC commanding general. "It is these connections between land forces, in some cases, keeping together what is already a strained relationship among countries."

The Indo-Asia Pacific region stretches across 16 time zones representing more than 50 percent of the world's population. Five of the seven U.S. mutual defense agreements are held in the Pacific along with seven of the 10 world's largest armies. Out of the 36 countries in the USARAPC area of operation, 20 partnered-countries were represented including five chiefs of armies or land forces.

Approximately 50 exhibitors hosted displays and held demonstrations for the nearly 1,000 people in attendance on opening day. LANPAC provides a distinctive opportunity for partner nations and leaders to talk face-to-face while discussing each country's unique capabilities and continued commitment to partnerships.

"We exceed new opportunities for changing relationships among countries," said Brooks. "Multilateral events are occurring more frequently where before bilateral events occurred in the pacific region." Brooks continued by saying, "Opening doors that were previously closed and guarded are now open and we are seeing change as a result."

This year's LANPAC presented the first senior enlisted leaders forum lead by USARPAC's Senior Enlisted Advisor, Command Sgt. Maj. Bryant Lambert. The forum focused on leadership development, training and educating noncommissioned officers, and strengthening the NCO Corps in countries with a lesser amount of enlisted members.

Live stream coverage for the rest of the LANPAC Symposium and Exhibition can be found at: https://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/6421, Wednesday, May 20 and at https://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/6423, Thursday, May 21. Coverage can also be found on the U.S. Army Pacific Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/USARPAC.