U.S. – Australia Relations

Commander of U.S. Pacific Command visits Canberra

Canberra — 30 July 2002

MSPA 383/02

CANBERRA -- Admiral Thomas Fargo today called on the Chief of the Defence Force, General Peter Cosgrove as part of his first trip to Australia since assuming duties as Commander of U.S. Pacific Command. Admiral Fargo succeeded U.S. Admiral Dennis Blair on May 2.

As the senior U.S. military commander in the Pacific and Indian Ocean areas, Admiral Fargo leads the largest of the unified commands of U.S. forces, directing U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force operations across more than 100 million square miles. He is responsible to the U.S. President and the U.S. Secretary of Defense through the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff. Admiral Fargo also acts as the U.S. military representative for collective defense arrangements in the Pacific.

Since his selection to Flag rank in 1993, Admiral Fargo has served as Director of Operations, U.S. Atlantic Command during the Haiti intervention; as Director, Assessment Division for the U.S. Chief of Naval Operations; and as Deputy Chief of U.S. Naval Operations for Plans, Policy and Operations. He served as Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet from October 1999 until last May.

While in Canberra, Admiral Fargo also visited the Australian Defence Force Academy and the Australian War Memorial.

Original document from www.defence.gov.au.

Last update: Friday, 22 August 2008 GMT+1000