Welcome

The Center of Excellence in Disaster Management & Humanitarian Assistance, in collaboration with the United Nations, are proud to bring the Asia-Pacific Enhanced Peace Operations Program - Meeting of Regional Experts Seminar, Honolulu, Hawaii, 30 August - 3 September, 2004.

Opening Remarks
Mr. Gerard "Pete" Bradford, III
Director, Center of Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance

Aloha, and welcome. It is my distinct pleasure to introduce our distinguished guest to open this event, Brigadier General Charles W. Neeley, Chief of Staff for the Planning and Policy Directorate, the J5, for US Pacific Command. Before I do so, however, I would be remiss if I did not take just a moment to reflect on the legacy of Colonel Peter Leentjes. Peter passed away suddenly just a month and two days ago. His death was, and is still, a shock to all who knew him. Mostly because, in the words of a friend and colleague, Peter was like the energizer bunny: you just assumed he would go on, and on, and on. And in a way, he does, because Peter's strong, forthright personality can never be forgotten, whether you knew him for a day or for a year or for a lifetime. Peter will be missed. His commitment to peace and to improving the way peace support operations are planned and executed obliges us to continue his efforts. As it looks to address future challenges to our capacity building efforts, this meeting of regional experts represents a literal but also a symbolic juncture. We have a responsibility, in spite of our collective loss and grief, to apply all of our talents and sweat into wrestling with these complex issues, and this meeting represents a new beginning and a new chapter in the Asia Pacific Enhanced Peace Operations Capacity Building Program. Peter would do no less. But he would also do it with great charm. And so I believe it is appropriate that we dedicate our efforts this week to the memory of Peter Leentjes. We are fortunate today to have as our guest Brigadier General Charles Neeley. As the Chief of Staff for Plans and Policy, General Neeley serves as the advisor to the director of J5 on matters pertaining to political-military affairs, the formulation of strategic concepts, and the development of joint program recommendations for the Commander in Chief. General Neeley entered the Air Force in 1972 through Officers Training School. He has served in diverse operational and staff positions. Operationally, he flew on active duty, the Air National Guard, and the Air Force Reserve. As an Individual Mobilization Augmentee, he served in the comptroller and logistics career fields. He later went on to become the Team Chief for the Joint Contact Team Program in Warsaw, Poland, and then was selected to develop a course for the Air War College on Total Force Policy. His previous assignment in an Active Guard Reserve position was as the Reserve Advisor to the Commander and, Chief, Reserve Forces Division for the command.

Keynote Speaker
Brigadier General Charles W. Neeley, USAF
J5 Chief of Staff, U.S. Pacific Command

It is my pleasure to welcome you, some of you for the very first time, to Hawaii, the islands of aloha. Hawaii is the home of US Pacific Command, and I am honored to welcome you on behalf of Admiral Thomas Fargo, Combatant Commander, US Pacific Command. Thank you for coming so far to be with us this week. Over these past three years, the peace operations capacity building program sponsored by U.S. Pacific Command, and executed through the Center of Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, in coordination with the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping, has sought to reflect the expressed needs and desires of participating countries, with regard to the program's content and focus. With 15 successful events now behind us, it is time to once again examine where we are, and where this collaborative program needs to go in order to meet collective and individual national objectives. Your countries and organizations would not send you to these events if they did not feel them to be truly beneficial. In fact, it should interest you to know, the countries selected for representation here today were chosen because of their regional leadership capacity as troop contributors or emerging troop contributors. So, your larger assignment is to help to bring others along and act as mentors for those new to the peacekeeping arena. Individual, your nations would not have selected you to attend but for your interest in supporting peace and cooperation, and your capacity to share your knowledge and experiences with others. This is a non-attribution seminar so please do so freely! We are relying on your honest and open opinions. The purpose of this regional meeting is to conduct an examination of how to improve the preparation for and conduct of peace support operations. But it is also important to remind ourselves how far we have come. Several nations within the Asia Pacific region have a long history of continuous participation in peace support operations, some as far back as 1948. As significantly, other nations are now taking significant steps to be considered, in UN terms, emerging troop-contributing nations. Within the past few years alone we have seen a dramatic rise in the number of national peacekeeping training centers within the Asia Pacific region, and with their formation, increased focus and resources devoted to education and training of troops, civilian police and military observers. The effects of the improvements in our national and regional capacities are felt not only in the operations we send national contingents to, but they have a much broader and less easily defined and describable impact, to include improved understanding between nations, and in some ways directly and indirectly assist us in the ongoing global war on terrorism as well. We should continue to integrate our efforts and further develop synergies, which will strengthen our capacity, and we will reap the benefits. The past few years have seen a dramatic rise in the number of nations that support peace operations through many different ways and means. This commitment has not been decided upon lightly, and not without careful consideration of all of the pluses and minuses. The commitment for some has brought a measure of controversy. Resources are strained now more than ever before. International commitments are often weighed by a nation's citizens against those domestic benefits they perceived to be lost by the establishment of a peacekeeping training center, or through participation in a UN established or mandated mission. Training budgets are not infinite. But as long as the benefits accrued to a nation are greater than the costs, and peace is a goal worthy of sacrifice, then nations will continue to be a part of a peace support mission, in spite of the resource challenges. I am sure your discussion this week will be driven in part by the undeniable reality of resource constraint. One of the great opportunities this week will present to you, in addition to networking with your colleagues from the Asia Pacific Region and experienced practitioners, is a thorough examination of the status of the modern peacekeeping environment and the anticipated challenges for operations of the future. We are so busy in our regular day jobs that it is all we can do to keep up with the demands that are in front of us. So I know that you will indeed relish this time that will be devoted exclusively to addressing the current state of affairs in peacekeeping, anticipating the needs that will arise as a result of what is a constantly changing environment, and plan for meeting education and training needs that must be filled to successfully complete future missions. As you consider these requirements, let it not be forgotten that militaries are not in this alone: we have a responsibility to address the need for developing coordination mechanisms and integrated plans, and building relationships with the other components including the whole gamut of civilian institutions - the humanitarian community, political and diplomatic corps, and global financial institutions. After all, the primary mission of the military is establishing a peaceful and secure environment, which allows relief agencies to operate independently and without fear, helping them to return the country to the rule of law, economic stability, civilian control and redress of grievance. Each component has their own unique role to play, yet each must integrate their plans and activities with the others in order to achieve long-term, lasting success. These roles may overlap over time, and much as a baton is passed in a relay race, transitions must be well planned and rehearsed, smooth and flawless. I wish you a pound of productive conclusions for every ounce of collective effort expended. I am looking forward to hearing how you're efforts are coming along, and hope to see you at the icebreaker this evening. Thank you.


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