CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii -- U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Daniel Yoo relieved U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Bryan P. Fenton as commander of Special Operations Command during a change of command ceremony at the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) headquarters, May 12.
Guest speaker Gen. Raymond Thomas, commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, in his remarks said, “We remain very committed to this theater and PACOM’s objectives, and greatly appreciate the active and effective integration of special operations forces which occurs every day out here and across the vast expanses of the Pacific.”
The command conducted 44 joint combined training exercises focused on training multi-national special operation forces for its partners in pursuit of shared security goals in the Pacific theater. Additionally, Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC) participated in five major exercises: Tempest Wind, Pacific Sentry, Balikatan, RIMPAC and Cobra Gold to ensure special operations forces readiness and the continued development of force capabilities.
Prior to his arrival at SOCPAC Yoo served as the Director of Operations of U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). Yoo will be the first Marine commander to assume command of the Theater Special Operations Command.
“I look forward to becoming a part of the SOCPAC-PACOM team and continue the momentum that Bryan Fenton and the SOCPAC team has contributed to (shared) objectives,” said Yoo, a native of Fairfax, Va.
Fenton, who grew up in Seymour, Tenn., took command of SOCPAC in June 2016.
“In the region, SOCPAC teams are on point for PACOM, SOCOM and the Nation right now. Seventeen locations more or less on any given day, almost 2000 folks forward deployed,” Fenton said in his remarks, thanking SOCPAC personnel for their accomplishments.
“Thank you for what you do, thank you for what your families do each and every day – the fact that we sleep safe in our beds every night is because you stand ready to answer the call anytime, anywhere.”
Fenton will be promoted to Lieutenant General and become the first Special Forces operator to be selected as a PACOM Deputy Commander, its 32nd.
“Bryan Fenton is the first-ever special operator to be the PACOM Deputy Commander. I think this point not only proves what kind of outstanding leader General Fenton is, but it also demonstrates the value that I place on the work by our SOCPAC warriors. And considering our global fight against the scourge to humanity known as ISIS, I think the time is right for this historic appointment,” said Harris.
SOCPAC coordinates, plans, and directs all special operations in the Pacific theater and serves as the functional component for all Special Operations missions throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.
In addition SOCPAC participated in multilateral exercises, military-to-military engagement, tactical skill training in different geographic diverse areas in order to support PACOM objectives of deter aggression, respond to crisis, and defeat threats to the United States and its interests.