Posted on: Wednesday, July 21, 2004

Fargo among 5 command changes

By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer

This year's batch of military leadership changes, traditionally occurring with the greatest frequency over the summer, will result in the replacement of five of Hawai'i's most senior commanders — including Adm. Thomas B. Fargo, commander of U.S. Pacific Command.

A change of command for Fargo is scheduled for Nov. 8. A replacement has yet to be named to head up Pacific Command, which covers half the globe and 43 countries.

Fargo, 56, who will retire in January, is expected to remain in Hawai'i. Air Force Gen. Gregory S. Martin, commander of Air Force Materiel Command, has been mentioned as a possible replacement in what would amount to a shake-up of the long line of Navy admirals who have headed Pacific Command since 1947.

A U.S. defense official in Hawai'i said it's coincidental that so many top officers are leaving this year, adding that the retirements and reassignments are part of the normal rotation of duties. The changeover does not hurt readiness, he said.

"We're not one deep on the bench," said the official, who requested not to be identified because he was not authorized to comment. "Most of the guys that are assigned out here at the three- and four-star level come with significant regional experience."

Other changes include:

• Rear Adm. Barry McCullough, who commanded Navy Region Hawai'i and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific from March of last year to this June, now is in charge of the USS Enterprise carrier strike group. Capt. Michael Vitale, selected for promotion to rear admiral, is slated to take over the Pearl Harbor commands.

• Air Force Gen. William J. Begert, commander of Pacific Air Forces, relinquished command to Gen. Paul Hester at a change of command July 2 at Hickam Air Force Base. Begert, who is retiring, had been the air component commander for U.S. Pacific Command since May 2001.

• Lt. Gen. James L. Campbell, commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific at Fort Shafter since November 2002, has been nominated for assignment to the Pentagon as director of the Army staff. Campbell's nomination is in the Senate for approval. Maj. Gen. John M. Brown III, commanding general of U.S. Army Alaska, has been nominated to replace Campbell.

• Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Jerry C. McAbee is leaving as deputy commanding general of Marine Forces Pacific, commanding general of Marine Corps Base Hawai'i, and deputy commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force Hawai'i, and will be replaced Aug. 16 by Brig. Gen. George J. Trautman, deputy director for plans and policy at U.S. Central Command.

Published reports have suggested Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, in a shakeup of military tradition, may name the Air Force's Martin to the top job in the Pacific.

Similarly, U.S. Strategic Command, which overseas nuclear and space-based weapons, traditionally was run by a Navy admiral or Air Force general. Marine Lt. Gen. James E. Cartwright was confirmed for the post earlier this month.

All but one of the 20 Pacific commanders since 1947 have been Navy admirals. Army Lt. Gen. Harold T. Fields held the position briefly in 1994.

Sen. Dan Inouye, D-Hawai'i, has said Pacific Command is a "water command" and should be led by an admiral.

Fargo, a 1970 Naval Academy graduate who had the helm of U.S. Pacific Fleet, took over the job as Pacific commander in May 2002.

His two-year term ended in May, but he agreed to stay on longer.

The job of Pacific commander is part warfighter and part diplomat. Fargo traveled to Singapore in February, New Zealand in March, and the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia in June, where he discussed such issues as a Regional Maritime Security Initiative to better share intelligence with other countries to stem terrorism, drug trafficking and piracy.

The Pacific Command region includes five of the world's largest armed forces and concerns over North Korea, China-Taiwan relations, and the Philippines and Indonesia.

The exercise Summer Pulse '04 now under way includes the near simultaneous deployment of seven of the nation's 12 aircraft carrier strike groups across five theaters. Hawai'i defense officials have contradicted reports claiming all seven carriers will gather in the Pacific in a show of force to China, and instead say three will operate in the Pacific during the exercise: the USS Ronald Reagan off Ecuador; the USS John C. Stennis, which is headed to Southeast Asia; and the USS Kitty Hawk based out of Yokosuka, Japan.

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5459.