The Australian Army’s Trilateral Senior Level Seminar concluded yesterday with a wreath laying ceremony at the Coral Sea Memorial, Anzac Park, Townsville.
The solemn occasion followed two days of discussion groups and presentations between the Australian Army, the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force, the US Army Pacific and the US Marine Corps Forces Pacific.
The Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Angus Campbell, DSC, AM, said the Trilateral Senior Leaders Seminar brought together military leaders from the Pacific for substantial discussion on further collaboration between our armies.
“It has been a pleasure and a privilege to host my Japanese and American counterparts for the Trilateral Senior Level Seminar,” Lieutenant General Campbell said.
“Throughout the seminar our Army, the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force, the US Army and the US Marines have shared insightful, frank and open discussions.
“We have talked about how we will continue to work together in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as well as security operations; and importantly, we have discussed how we might build additional trilateral training effort in our region in the future.”
The Trilateral Senior Level Seminar is an initiative that began in 2013 and, until now, has been hosted by the US Army Pacific in Hawaii.
Lieutenant General Campbell said he looked forward to future trilateral seminars with enthusiasm.
“The last few days in Townsville have been very productive for building cooperative pathways between our respective militaries.
“I am confident the close relationship between our three nations will continue to deepen over time.”
Senior representatives attending the seminar included: Chief of Staff Japanese Ground Self Defense Force General Kiyofumi Iwata; Commanding General, US Army Pacific General Vincent Brooks; Commander, US Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, Lieutenant General John Toolan; and Commanding General US Special Operations in the Pacific Rear Admiral Colin Kilrain.
The senior representatives, after participating in a leader to leader forum, toured various units of the Australian Army’s 3rd Brigade, including the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, The Royal Australian Regiment, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment and the Combat Training Centre.
The senior representatives were joined by some 90 uniformed members from their respective militaries, who participated in group discussions on how our three nations could constructively engage in the Indo–Pacific region.
In a moving ceremony held at the Anzac Park Coral Sea Memorial, General Iwata, General Brooks, Lieutenant General Toolan and Lieutenant General Campbell laid wreaths in commemoration of the Japanese, American and Australian fallen in World War Two. The ceremony symbolically acknowledged the past, while looking to the future as friends and partners in our region.
Imagery from the Trilateral Senior Level Seminar and the wreath laying ceremony can be found HERE.