FORT WORTH, Texas –
– Navy Reserve Commander U.S. 7th Fleet (NR COMSEVENTHFLT) hosted more than 100 Sailors from active, reserve and integrated commands during the 2016 Asia-Pacific Symposium at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NAS JRB) Fort Worth, Oct. 7-8. The symposium examined the geo-political landscape in the Asia-Pacific region with the current military environment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR). The Asia-Pacific Symposium is designed to enhance the operational readiness of Reserve Sailors by providing training and exposure to the U.S. 7th Fleet AOR.
Speakers included experts from the military, non-governmental organizations, governmental organizations and educational institutions who addressed a number of topics relevant to the U.S. 7th Fleet mission and area of responsibility.
“The topics in these symposiums build on each other such that new unit members gain an understanding of the Navy's impact in the region,” said CDR Edricke Peyton, one of the Reserve organizers of the symposium. “The presentations give context and meaning to what our sailors do day-in and -out in support of 7th Fleet.”
Individual briefings were followed by panel discussions intended to actively engage attendees. Academic and military intelligence experts and diplomats discussed the alignment of strategic partnerships and the economic and political landscape.
"We were extremely impressed with the level of interaction we had with the attendees," said Andrew S. Erickson, Ph.D., professor of strategy at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. “The Asia-Pacific Symposium aids in shaping the strategic direction of our Navy’s presence. With the Western Pacific full of both challenges and opportunities, having the U.S. Seventh Fleet forward-focused is extremely important. Navy Reserve Commander U.S. Seventh Fleet plays an integral role in this area of operation.”
U.S. Seventh Fleet
Commanded by Vice Adm. Joseph P. Aucoin, Seventh Fleet is approximately 20,000 Sailors strong, making it the largest of the U.S Navy’s forward deployed fleets. The Seventh Fleet area of operation covers more than 124-million square kilometers in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and supports more than 5,000 ships and submarines, and 140 aircraft.
Navy Reserve Commander U.S. Seventh Fleet
Established in 1974, NR COMSEVENTHFLT is located on NAS JRB Fort Worth and maintains approximately 200 Sailors ready for forward-deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet.