An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : Media : News : News Article View
NEWS | June 14, 2022

Austin Impressed by Partnership and Professionalism Exhibited by U.S. Unit in Thailand

By Jim Garamone DOD NEWS

DoD News -- The U.S. military effort in Thailand is truly a joint endeavor and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III had the opportunity to see it as he met with soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines of the Joint U.S. Military Advisory Group – Thailand today.

The group – established in 1953 – works on a Royal Thai military compound in Bangkok. The service members also traverse the country working with Thai allies on everything from tactics and training to medicine and maintenance.

Austin met doctors, Marine security guards and airmen and soldiers working on training exercises.

"Thank you for what you do, representing the United States," the secretary said. "From this vantage point, this is a beautiful site, because it's, it's a wonderful display of jointness and professionalism. It's exactly what the United States military is all about."

Austin made the point that almost everything in the U.S. military is done by a joint team. "And jointness, as you know, is a thing that you can't just wave a magic wand and make happen at the 11th hour, when you need it. You got to live that way each and every day," he said. "So learn about each other. Learn about how you complement each other's efforts, and what part your service plays in the overall picture."

Austin asked if there were any Space Force Guardians in Thailand, and when he found there weren't he said "gotta fix that."

But it is not just the joint part of the unit that he focused on. He also spoke about the Thailand part. "In many cases, because of what you do, you come in contact with a range of people from this country and from other countries," he said. "You are what shapes their opinion of the United States of America. It's been my experience, that you are some of the best ambassadors of our country. People learn about America, through your eyes, through their experiences with you. And I hope that you never forget that."

Austin thanked the Thai hosts of the unit. "They're accommodating our needs and facilitating interoperability with them," he said. "We're grateful for that. By the same token, we bring a lot to the table to help them as well. Again, just like it's important for us to work together as for the various services, it's absolutely important that we work together with our allies here, so that we are interoperable. Again, that's another thing that you can't wait until the last minute, the 11th hour and expect to be successful."

During a conversation with the media traveling with him later in the day, Austin brought up the men and women of the unit again. "It's really impressive to see the display of jointness here," he said. "Army, air force, navy, Marines working together in a seamless fashion to represent the United States of America and help create capability for our partners here. So, our youngsters remain focused on the task at hand and they are serving the American people very, very well."
 

CONNECT WITH USINDOPACOM

ENGAGE & CONNECT MORE WITH PACOM

                                      

IN THE USINDOPACOM NEWS
USS Howard visits Otaru
SAGAMI WAN, Japan (Jan. 24, 2023) USS Howard (DDG 83) conducts small boat operations off the Japanese coast. Howard is assigned to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 71/Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy's largest forward-deployed DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet's principal surface force. (U.S. Navy photo by Ensign Morgan Bollinger)
Feb. 7, 2025 - USS Howard (DDG 83), forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, as part of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, arrived at Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan on February 7, 2025, for a scheduled port visit...

Readout of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's Call with Indonesian Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin
Readout graphic
Feb. 7, 2025 - Department of Defense Spokesman John Ullyot provided the following readout:...

USFJ Alliance Evolves: Multilateral Partnerships, training at core of C2 Modernization efforts
SASEBO, Japan (Nov. 6, 2018) - Assistant air officer Lt. Cmdr. Rich Mehlmann explains basic flight deck procedures to midshipmen and cadets from Republic of Korea Navy, Army and Air Force academies during a tour of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) at Commander Fleet Activities Sasebo. Wasp, flagship of Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, is forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan as part of the U.S. 7th Fleet.
Feb. 7, 2025 - The U.S.-Japan Alliance remains a cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, and the Alliance is now even more necessary amidst an increasingly severe security environment, according to government...

USINDOPACOM Commander addresses Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense
USINDOPACOM PRESS RELEASE GRAPHIC
Feb. 7, 2025 - Twenty-six Indo-Pacific nations participated in a virtual Chiefs of Defense forum hosted by Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command on February 4, 2025...

Readout of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's Call With Indian Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh
Readout graphic
Feb. 6, 2025 - Department of Defense Spokesman John Ullyot provided the following readout:...