WASHINGTON (AFNS) - Pacific Air Forces Commander Gen. Lori Robinson fielded questions from the Defense Writer’s Group during a breakfast at the Fairmont Washington Hotel Nov. 18.
The DWG is an assembly of national security reporters from major publications across the nation that convenes for question-and-answer sessions with top military and government officials several times throughout the year.
Robinson, who is responsible for the air component for U.S. Pacific Command, answered questions from the media regarding a variety of topics concerning PACAF, which is comprised of approximately 46,000 military and civilian personnel.
“As the Pacific Air Forces commander, I focus the command’s energy in the region for what I call the four ‘Ps,’ Presence, Partnership, Power Projection and People,” Robinson said. “Presence of our force in key locations throughout the region underpins the rules-based international order that provides the opportunity to engage in other countries and prepare for crisis.”
At any time, roughly 1,700 of those 46,000 military and civilian personnel are deployed around the globe supporting operations, considering Pacific Air Forces area of responsibility encompasses 52 percent of the Earth's surface, with more than 83 percent of that being water.
“Our presence enables partnerships, whether it’s the long-standing partnership with Japan and Australia -- or the growing partnerships such as the increased military-to-military relationship with the Chinese,” Robinson said.
That presence of joint military forces in key locations throughout the region underpins the international order and provides opportunities to engage with other countries while being positioned to respond to crises.
“In consistent presence, building partnerships, to me, equals power projection throughout the region, whether it was responding to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, or the flying of Red Flag Alaska for training,” Robinson said. “But it takes great people, and the Airmen – your Airmen of your United States Air Force – and their families are great ambassadors for our United States.”