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LEADERSHIP
Commander
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ABOUT USINDOPACOM
History
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Indo-Pacific Health Security Alliance - IPhsa
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JTF-MICRONESIA
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JTF - RED HILL
TALISMAN SABRE 2025 Dual Carrier Operations
TALISMAN SABRE 2025 Dual Carrier Operations
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TALISMAN SABRE 2025 Dual Carrier Operations
TALISMAN SABRE 2025 Dual Carrier Operations
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JBER F-22s land in Tinian during REFORPAC
JBER F-22s land in Tinian during REFORPAC
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George Washington Conducts Flight Operations
George Washington Conducts Flight Operations
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31st MEU Boat Company Secures Beach Landing Site during Exercise Talisman Sabre 25
31st MEU Boat Company Secures Beach Landing Site during Exercise Talisman Sabre 25
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169th CES firefighters complete vehicle burn training
169th CES firefighters complete vehicle burn training
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USS George Washington conducts flight ops during Talisman Sabre in Timor Sea
USS George Washington conducts flight ops during Talisman Sabre in Timor Sea
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Talisman Sabre 25
Talisman Sabre 25
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USS George Washington Conducts Flight Operations
USS George Washington Conducts Flight Operations
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Talisman Sabre 25 - CJLFX
Talisman Sabre 25 - CJLFX
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USS America (LHA 6) Conducts Flight Operations during Exercise Talisman Sabre 25
USS America (LHA 6) Conducts Flight Operations during Exercise Talisman Sabre 25
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George Washington Conducts Fueling-at-Sea Evolution with Badlands Trader
George Washington Conducts Fueling-at-Sea Evolution with Badlands Trader
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Fleet Activities Okinawa Enhances Readiness During Citadel Protect Exercise
Fleet Activities Okinawa Enhances Readiness During Citadel Protect Exercise
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31st MEU | LAR conducts a force on force
31st MEU | LAR conducts a force on force
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ROKAF Black Eagles soar over Camp Humphreys
ROKAF Black Eagles soar over Camp Humphreys
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Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni Change of Command Ceremony
Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni Change of Command Ceremony
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USS America (LHA 6) Conducts Flight Operation
USS America (LHA 6) Conducts Flight Operation
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Cope Angel 2025: U.S and Japan sharpen search and rescue skills
Cope Angel 2025: U.S and Japan sharpen search and rescue skills
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31st MEU | Boat Company Conducts Ship-to-Shore Movement
31st MEU | Boat Company Conducts Ship-to-Shore Movement
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VMFA-242 aircraft conduct flyover of USS America in Coral Sea
VMFA-242 aircraft conduct flyover of USS America in Coral Sea
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USS San Diego conducts flight ops in Coral Sea
USS San Diego conducts flight ops in Coral Sea
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3/12 Executes a HIMARS Dry-Fire Training at Camp Fuji
3/12 Executes a HIMARS Dry-Fire Training at Camp Fuji
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Mine Matters
Mine Matters
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USS George Washington conducts flight ops in Philippine Sea
USS George Washington conducts flight ops in Philippine Sea
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USS America (LHA 6) Conducts Flight Operation
USS America (LHA 6) Conducts Flight Operation
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USS John Finn departs Yokosuka
USS John Finn departs Yokosuka
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Salaknib 25 | Operation Maneuver
Salaknib 25 | Operation Maneuver
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USS George Washington conducts flight operations in Philippine Sea
USS George Washington conducts flight operations in Philippine Sea
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U.S. 7TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY
U.S. 7TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY
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31st MEU | Live-fire deck shoot aboard USS San Diego
31st MEU | Live-fire deck shoot aboard USS San Diego
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George Washington Conducts Helicopter Operations
George Washington Conducts Helicopter Operations
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Khaan Quest kicks off with an opening ceremony
Khaan Quest kicks off with an opening ceremony
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USS Annapolis (SSN 760) returns to Naval Base Guam
USS Annapolis (SSN 760) returns to Naval Base Guam
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USS George Washington conducts flight ops in Philippine Sea
USS George Washington conducts flight ops in Philippine Sea
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Nimitz Conducts Flight Operations
Nimitz Conducts Flight Operations
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31st MEU | F-35B Lightning IIs conduct rapid flight operations
31st MEU | F-35B Lightning IIs conduct rapid flight operations
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Sailors man the rails aboard amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7), as the ship pulls into Pearl Harbor
Sailors man the rails aboard amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7), as the ship pulls into Pearl Harbor
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Travis AFB sends KC-46 across the Pacific to train with Misawa F-16s
Travis AFB sends KC-46 across the Pacific to train with Misawa F-16s
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KAMANDAG 9: MRF-D 25.3 and PMC conduct a counter-landing live-fire defense
KAMANDAG 9: MRF-D 25.3 and PMC conduct a counter-landing live-fire defense
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Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane Performs joint flight operations with French Navy off the coast of Tahiti
Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane Performs joint flight operations with French Navy off the coast of Tahiti
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506th EARS Refuel A-10s across the Pacific
506th EARS Refuel A-10s across the Pacific
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Salaknib 25 | Final Assault
Salaknib 25 | Final Assault
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QUART: HMLA-369 Conducts Deck Landing Qualifications Aboard USS Harpers Ferry
QUART: HMLA-369 Conducts Deck Landing Qualifications Aboard USS Harpers Ferry
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MRF-D 25.3: 2nd Bn., 1st Marines, conduct raid with VMM-363 during Southern Jackaroo
MRF-D 25.3: 2nd Bn., 1st Marines, conduct raid with VMM-363 during Southern Jackaroo
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QUART: CH53s Conduct Deck Landing Qualifications Aboard USS Harpers Ferry
QUART: CH53s Conduct Deck Landing Qualifications Aboard USS Harpers Ferry
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31st MEU | F-35B night flight operations
31st MEU | F-35B night flight operations
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MRF-D 25.3: 2nd Bn., 1st Marines, VMM-363 conduct air assault rehearsals during Predator’s Walk
MRF-D 25.3: 2nd Bn., 1st Marines, VMM-363 conduct air assault rehearsals during Predator’s Walk
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Conducts Vertical Replenishment Training
Conducts Vertical Replenishment Training
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Activated Reserve Marines Conduct Live Fire MOUT during Korea Viper 25.4
Activated Reserve Marines Conduct Live Fire MOUT during Korea Viper 25.4
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PACAF F-16 Demo Team conducts final flight after 30 years of enhancing U.S. relations worldwide
PACAF F-16 Demo Team conducts final flight after 30 years of enhancing U.S. relations worldwide
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KAMANDAG 9: VMM-364 Inserts Marines into Basco Island, Philippines
KAMANDAG 9: VMM-364 Inserts Marines into Basco Island, Philippines
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Operational Test Launch GT 253 is a 'Glory Trip' for wing
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Nimitz Conducts Flight Operations
Nimitz Conducts Flight Operations
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Governor's Memorial Day Ceremony
Governor's Memorial Day Ceremony
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KAMANDAG 9: 3d LCT conducts high explosive battle drills
KAMANDAG 9: 3d LCT conducts high explosive battle drills
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Activated Reserve Marines Conduct CBRN Response Training with U.S. Army during Korea Viper 25.4
Activated Reserve Marines Conduct CBRN Response Training with U.S. Army during Korea Viper 25.4
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USS America (LHA 6) Conducts Flight Operations
USS America (LHA 6) Conducts Flight Operations
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Nimitz Conducts Flight Operations
Nimitz Conducts Flight Operations
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Four Chaplains: Norwegian Foot March
Four Chaplains: Norwegian Foot March
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U.S., Japan display interoperability during Friendship Jump 2025
U.S., Japan display interoperability during Friendship Jump 2025
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PACOM Stories
Lethality: U.S. Army Alaska Snipers Conduct Stress Shooting Drills
19 April 2018
From Senior Airman Curt Beach
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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Breathing heavily and hands shaking, a Soldier squeezes the trigger, and a round fires from the chamber of his M2010 rifle. His fellow sniper tracks the round’s path with a spotting scope, as it pierces the brisk Alaska air before connecting with a seven-by-seven-inch target, dead-center more than 700 meters away.
For Specialists Arturo Dominguez and Eric Haugh, snipers assigned to the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment (Airborne), 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK), this is just another day at the office, as they conduct stress shooting.
Haugh, a native of Graham, Washington, and Dominguez, a native of Okeechobee, Florida, are snipers gearing up for the 10th Annual Czech Republic World Sniper Competition April 23 through 27.
“They’re going to put us through a lot of challenges and courses to challenge us both mentally and physically,” Dominguez said. “What we’re doing today is stress shooting, which incorporates physical training and gets our heart rate up, making it tougher to hold steady while shooting, simulating a stressed environment.”
Haugh and Dominguez had been deployed to Forward Operating Base Gardez, Afghanistan, for nearly six months when their leadership hand-picked them to represent U.S. Army Alaska in the marksmanship competition.
“Shooting regularly is very important because it’s a perishable skill,” said Sgt. 1st Class Tyler Virgin, non-commissioned officer in-charge of the Sharp Shooter Program, assigned to the 1-40th. “You can learn it in a week and not touch your gun for the next two months, and then have to relearn everything. So, we’re trying to close that gap and allow these guys to perfect their craft.”
After being selected, Dominguez and Haugh returned to JBER and began dedicated sniper training, where they’ve been shooting every day for six weeks.
“This is one of the most rigorous trainings we’ve had in a long time,” Dominguez said. “It’s awesome that Haugh and I get to come out here and learn from two shooters with different experiences and background. It’s really helping us refine our skills and get ready for this competition. We found out some U.S. Soldiers stationed in Italy were going to be there too, so it’s going to be awesome to compete against our fellow brothers.”
The expert marksmen first met at United States Army Sniper Course at Fort. Benning, Georgia, a seven-and-a-half-week-long course that educates snipers to be adaptive Soldiers – critical and creative thinkers armed with the technical, tactical and logistical skills necessary to serve successfully at the Sniper Team level to ensure mission accomplishment without compromise.
“Wars are won at the team and the squad level,” Virgin said. “The more capable you are on the battlefield, the more you expand a commander’s capabilities. So, we replicate everything you would see in a hostile environment, refining these two guys into the best marksmen they can be and increasing their lethality on the battlefield.”
Snipers operate most effectively in small teams, making them less likely to be detected. Ideally, one sniper shoots while the other spots for him. Working together as such a team is relatively new for the sharpshooters.
“We’ve been in the same section for almost three years, but we’ve been on different teams,” Dominguez said. “I had my own spotter/shooter, and he had his own spotter/shooter. We always work together when it comes to a field environment, but we’ve never gotten to call each other’s shots or wind, until recently when we got sent back from Afghanistan. It’s new because everybody has their own different dialogue. Eric has his way of communicating which is different than mine, so this gives us an opportunity to mesh our styles and better signal one another. We’ve been giving each other feedback and functioning well.”
The duo will be relying heavily on each other as they work together to perform land navigation during the day and night, fire their weapons from varying positions and conditions, including from helicopters, and work to de-escalate a hostage scenario.
“It’s such a blessing and an honor to be invited to this competition,” Haugh said. “It’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In the austere conditions we operate in, sometimes you miss, and sometimes God allows your round to hit the target. We’re going to go out there and do what we do, and represent USARAK and the nation as best we know how.”
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