FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii (AP) — An Australian two-star general will become one of two deputy commanders of U.S. Army Pacific, which oversees more than 60,000 American soldiers in the Asia-Pacific region, Army Secretary John McHugh said Monday.
Maj. Gen. Richard Maxwell Burr of the Australian Defense Force will direct training and supervise the command's efforts to work with countries in south Asia, plus Australia and New Zealand.
McHugh told reporters Monday that the appointment is an extension of previous cooperation between Australia and the United States.
"The Australians have been one of, if not the most, critical partners in places like Afghanistan," McHugh said. "We've got a lot of great allies, but clearly Australia has been chief amongst them."
Maj. Gen. Roger Matthews, the command's other deputy commanding general, said Burr gives U.S. Army Pacific a regional expert who understands the intricacies of dealing with American allies in the region. Other allies have asked about similar opportunities, he said.
Burr will report to Lt. Gen. Francis Wiercinski, a three-star general and U.S. Army Pacific's top commander since March 2011. U.S. Army Pacific is responsible for most U.S. soldiers in the region, except those in South Korea.
The move is part of a broader U.S. strategy to focus attention on Asia and the Pacific.
