Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

Air Force general nominated to Pacific Rim post

General Martin's career spans 34 years. He entered the Air Force in June 1970 with a commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy; in addition to flying 161 combat missions in Southeast Asia, he commanded the 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron, the 479th Tactical Training Wing, and the 33rd and 1st fighter wings. He also served as Vice Director of the Joint Staff's Force Structure and Resources Directorate, Director of Operational Requirements for the U.S. Air Force, and Principal Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. Before assuming his current position as the Commander, Air Force Materiel Command in August 2003, General Martin served as the Commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Allied Air Forces Northern Europe. General Martin is a command pilot with more than 4,500 flying hours in various aircraft, including the F-4, F-15, C-20 and C-21.

U.S. Pacific Command is the headquarters responsible for all American air, ground and maritime military forces in the Asia-Pacific region. U.S. Pacific Command is the largest geographical command in the Department of Defense. It encompasses 43 countries bordered by two oceans, encompassing an area that covers over 100 million square miles from the West Coast of the United States to the East Coast of Africa.
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:FeicmoSoxfEJ:www.pacom.mil/news/news2004/040819uspacom.shtml+Gen.....

Air Force General Gregory S. “Speedy” Martin flew 161 combat missions in Southeast Asia a key front in the campaign against terrorism.

On the campaign against terrorism, the Australia and the US agreed that South East Asia was a key front, affirming the importance of working with regional governments against a common threat.
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The appointment of Air Force General “Speedy’ Martin” could be an indication Bush is implementing his plan to fight a new or different war every 70 days

This weekly added that the U.S. Department of Defense has set a new objective: to transfer military manpower to far distant regions within ten days, dominate enemy forces within thirty days from that day, and finally, prepare for another battle within 30 days from the end of that domination. Such an operational plan has materialized in a report titled “Research of Operational Possibility,” which was categorized as “Confidential” in 2003, reported Defense News.
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?bicode=060000&biid=2004060395378
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In a twist, Air Force general nominated to Pacific Rim post


For 57 years, Navy has been in charge
By James W. Crawley
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
August 20, 2004

Breaking with 57 years of military tradition, an Air Force general has been nominated to lead the Navy-dominated Pacific Command, which oversees military operations from San Diego to the Indian Ocean.

Gen. Gregory Martin, a fighter pilot, would succeed Adm. Thomas Fargo, controlling more than 300,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines and holding military responsibility for more than half the world.

If his nomination is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Martin will be one of 10 combatant commanders who report directly to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and the president.

Nineteen four-star admirals, including notables such as the late U.S. Grant Sharp, who was a San Diego resident, and Adm. John S. McCain Jr., father of Arizona Sen. John McCain, have held the post since it was created in 1947.

Having an Air Force general who understands the role of air power may provide a different view of the Pacific Rim than an admiral more familiar with naval strategies, said Brookings Institution defense analyst Michael O'Hanlon.

"A fresh eye is healthy," he said.

Although an Air Force nominee is unusual, "It's the quality of the person, not the color of his suit," O'Hanlon said.

Martin, of Fort Myer, Va., flew 161 combat missions in Vietnam in F-4 Phantoms based in Thailand. He commanded a fighter squadron and training unit and several training and fighter wings as he rose through the officer ranks. He commanded U.S. air units in Europe before heading the Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

He would replace Fargo, a San Diego native, who has been Pacific commander since May 2002 after a stint in charge of the Pacific Fleet.

Rumsfeld has called for changing the way the military operates. Last year, Marine Corps Gen. James Jones was moved from commandant to head U.S. forces in Europe and NATO, a post that had traditionally been held by an Army general.

Martin, a four-star general, would be based at the command's new Hawaii headquarters overlooking Pearl Harbor.



James W. Crawley: [phone]; [e-mail]

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20040820-9999-1n20pacific.html