Pacific Pathways

U.S. and Malaysian Soldiers conduct patrols at Keris Strike 14

Indonesian soldier applies camouflage paint to his face during Garuda Shield 14

From August to November, one Pathway was completed as a proof of concept. About 820 personnel from the 2-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team were sent to complete three exercises:[3]

• The Keris Strike exercise in Malaysia[4]
• The Garuda Shield exercise in Indonesia
• The Orient Shield exercise in Japan

In 2015, three Pathways were completed, numbered 15-1, 15-2, and 15-3.

Royal Thai Army soldiers demonstrate how to properly handle and neutralize a king cobra to U.S. Army soldiers during Cobra Gold 15

From January to May, about 880 personnel from the 2-25 Stryker Brigade Combat Team completed three exercises for Pathway 15-1. The exercises completed were:[3]

• The Cobra Gold exercise in Thailand
• The Foal Eagle exercise in South Korea
• The Balikatan exercise in the Philippines

U.S. soldiers patrol the woods during Pacific Pathway 15-2

From June to October, the 3-25 Stryker Brigade Combat Team sent about 840 personnel to complete these three exercises, including two previously completed during the Pathway 14:[5]

• The Hamel exercise in Australia
• The Garuda Shield exercise in Indonesia
• The Keris Strike exercise in Malaysia

In June and July, about 420 personnel from the 1-25 Stryker Brigade Combat Team completed three exercises for Pathway 15-3:[3]

• The Khan Quest exercise in Mongolia
• The Orient Shield exercise in Japan
• The Hoguk exercise in South Korea

In 2016, Pathways 16-1, 16-2, and 16-3 were completed to increase Army readiness, increase Joint and interagency access and expand regional ally and partner collaboration and interoperability.[6][2]

Helicopters Loaded on Vessel During Pacific Pathway 16-1

From December 2015 to May 2016, about 835 personnel from the 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team completed the following three exercises:[3][7]

• The Cobra Gold exercise in Thailand
• The Foal Eagle exercise in South Korea[2]
• The Balikatan exercise in the Philippines

During the months of May to September, about 700 personnel from the 2-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team completed four different exercises:[3][7]

• The Hanuman Guardian exercise in Thailand
• The Salaknib exercise in the Philippines
• The Garuda Shield exercise in Indonesia
• The Keris Strike exercise in Malaysia

From July to September, these four exercises were completed:[7]

• The Tiger Balm exercise in Hawaii, United States; This was a "Reverse Pathway" with Singapore, meaning that instead of the United States Army visiting Singapore, the Singapore Army visited the United States.[2]
• The Arctic Anvil exercise in Alaska, United States (Reverse Pathway with the Canadian Army)
• The Orient Shield exercise in Japan
• The Rising Thunder exercise in Washington, United States (Reverse Pathway with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force)[2]

In 2017, three Pathways (17-1, 17-2, and 17-3) were completed.

From February to May, these three exercises were repeated from Pathways 15-1 and 16-1:[8]

• The Cobra Gold exercise in Thailand
• The Foal Eagle exercise in South Korea
• The Balikatan exercise in the Philippines

U.S. and Indonesian soldiers saluting during the closing ceremony of Garuda Shield 2017

During the months of July to September, the following three exercises were completed:

• The Tiger Balm exercise in Singapore;[9] In Pathway 16-3, this exercise was a Reverse Pathway in Hawaii. In this iteration it was completed in Singapore.
• The Keris Strike exercise in Malaysia
• The Garuda Shield exercise in Indonesia

From July to September, these four exercises were completed:

• The Talisman Saber exercise in Australia
• The Hanuman Guardian exercise in Thailand
• The Orient Shield exercise in Japan[10]
• The Rising Thunder exercise in Washington, United States (Reverse Pathway with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force)

Three Pathways were completed during the year of 2018. They were Pathways 18-1, 18-2, and 18-3.

Between February and May, the following three exercises were completed:[11]

• The Cobra Gold exercise in Thailand
• The Key Resolve exercise in the Republic of Korea
• The Balikatan exercise in the Philippines

From June to September, these five exercises were completed:[12]

• The Hamel exercise in Australia
• The Garuda Shield exercise in Indonesia
• The Orient Shield exercise in Japan
• The Keris Strike exercise in Malaysia
• The Hanuman Guardian exercise in Thailand

This Pacific Pathway was the first Army National Guard-led Pathway, conducted by the 76th IBCT from the Indiana Army National Guard, the 96th Troop Command from the Washington Army National Guard, and the 116th CBCT from the Idaho National Guard.

First land-based missile launch performed at RIMPAC exercise

From May to September, the following exercises were completed:[13]

• The Tiger Balm exercise in Hawaii, United States (Reverse Pathway with the Singapore Army)
• The RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific) exercise in Hawaii, United States[14][15]
• The Valiant Shield exercise in Guam
• The Rising Thunder exercise in Washington, United States (Reverse Pathway with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force)

Two of these exercises were Reverse Pathways, and the other two were traditionally naval exercises that the United States Army joined in through the Multi-Domain Task Force (or MDTF) led by 17FAB as a part of the Army's pilot program for multi-domain operations.

Three Pathways were completed in 2019 to include an extended presence Pathway, an MDTF Pathway, and a total force Pathway.

Soldiers from 5-20 Infantry conduct combined security mission at the Palau Intl. Airport

U.S. and Philippine Service Members train side-by-side during Salaknib 2019

General Pornpipat Benyasri and Lt. Gen. Gary Volesky greet Lt. Col. Scott Siegfried during the opening ceremony of Cobra Gold 19

From January to May, the following exercises were completed:[16][17]

• The Hanuman Guardian exercise in Thailand[18]
• The Cobra Gold exercise in Thailand[19]
• The Salaknib exercise in the Philippines[20]
• The Balikatan exercise in the Philippines[21]
• The Palau exercise in Palau[22]

The 19-1 Pathway was the first extended presence in a priority nation, with four months in the Philippines. 19-1 also was the first dynamic force employment of the Pathways task force with a "spoke" to Palau from the Philippines.[23] Pathway forces for 19-1 were provided by 25ID, 1-2SBCT, and 25CAB.

A US Army UH-60 Blackhawk flies over Yamaguchi Bay during Orient Shield 2019

19-2 consisted of two exercises from July to September focused on the multi-domain task force led by 2 ID DIVARTY and 17 FAB. The exercises in 19-2 were:[13]

• The Talisman Saber exercise in Australia, which was officially launched on July 8, 2019 on board the USS Ronald Reagan.[24] A Chinese Type 815G spy ship also watched over the exercise, seeming to gather information about the interactions between the participating militaries.[25][26]
• The Orient Shield exercise in Japan

Illinois Guardsmen prepare for international partnership at Rising Thunder

19-3 consisted of the following exercises:

• The Hamel exercise in Australia
• A dynamic force employment to Fiji[27]
• The Garuda Shield exercise in Indonesia
• The Tiger Bomb/Lightning Strike exercise in Singapore
• The Rising Thunder exercise in Washington, United States (Reverse Pathway with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force)

Forces for Pathway 19-3 were provided by 2-25IBCT, 16CAB, and 33IBCT from ILARNG.