Pacific Marines led by Brig. Gen. Daniel L. Shipley, deputy commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, hosted a delegation of the Singapore Army, led by Brig. Gen. Tan Cheng Kwee, Chief of Staff - General Staff, Singapore Armed Forces, at the first MARFORPAC - Singapore Army Staff Talks, Sep. 20-21, 2023.
The MARFORPAC-SGP Staff Talks were designed to establish a forum for MARFORPAC and the Singapore Army to improve coordination of bilateral exercises, operations, and professional exchanges as well as discuss areas of mutual interest.
“The establishment of the MARFORPAC-Singapore Army Staff Talks is a clear indication of the desire to bring our longstanding relationship further, and gives us a standing platform to steer the bilateral interactions and professional exchanges between our forces,” said Brig. Gen. Tan.
During the inaugural event, members from both militaries shared information on their respective services to gain greater understanding of each other's capabilities and modernization efforts. Representatives from both delegations also broke out into smaller committees to address ways to integrate and align efforts in capabilities development as well as exercises and training.
“Building on our three decades of engagement, our mutual interests have evolved to require a formal, annual event to share knowledge and experience as each of our militaries work to expand our respective capabilities through modernization efforts,” said Brig. Gen. Shipley. “These staff talks are the result of our strong relationship and will continue to serve as a platform to exchange information and further advance our services.”
Both the U.S. Marine Corps and the Singapore Armed Forces are dedicating significant effort to advance in several focus areas including: innovating new and adaptive processes and systems, integrating advanced technology systems with operations across the full spectrum of conflict, and strategic decision-making in a dynamic, all-domain environment.
U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, is the largest operational command in the Marine Corps, and the Nation’s expeditionary force-in-readiness in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Marines serve alongside the joint force and like-minded Allies and partners to preserve and maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region.