Operation Pathways planners coordinate future Indo-Pacific campaign

FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii — More than 200 military planners from over 70 commands, joint organizations, allied nations, and State Partnership Program participants convened July 20–24, 2026, for U.S. Army Pacific’s Summer Pathways Planning and Coordination Conference (P2C2), a theater-wide effort to synchronize future operations across the Indo-Pacific.

Hosted by the U.S. Army Pacific G37, the conference serves as a key operational planning forum for Operation Pathways, aligning exercises, resources, and campaign objectives years in advance. “Operation Pathways 3.0 is our campaigning framework that delivers deterrence through mission rehearsals, experimentation, and forward positioning,” said U.S. Army Col. Dave Butler, USARPAC G37 director. “You can’t understand Operation Pathways by looking at a single exercise. You have to see the entire campaign.”

Participating organizations included Headquarters, Department of the Army G-3/5/7, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Transportation Command, Army Futures Command, the National Guard Bureau, and U.S. Army Reserve Headquarters. “P2C2 is the engine that drives Operation Pathways,” said Lt. Col. Hobin Lee, chief of the USARPAC G372 Branch. “This is where we synchronize operations, activities, and investments into one unified campaign.”

Throughout the week, planners synchronized more than 50 bilateral and multilateral exercises across 25 countries to support combatant commander objectives and U.S. Army Pacific’s fiscal year 2027 priority to “Be Ready” by projecting combat-credible land forces forward. Deliberations refined courses of action, aligned operations and resources across warfighting functions, and identified challenges affecting execution across the theater.

“There is nothing more important than P2C2 because it directly contributes to our campaigning,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Giles J. S. Cornelia, USARPAC deputy commanding general for Strategy and Plans.

This iteration also synchronized the FY27–FY29 Operational Pathways Campaign Plan, strengthening unity of effort across the region and reinforcing land power integration with allies and partners. The conference highlighted the expanding role of the Reserve Component in the campaign. “This is my fifth time attending as the Reserve Component representative, and I’ve seen tremendous growth in how the Army Reserve and National Guard contribute to Operation Pathways,” said U.S. Army Col. Rob Meehl, director of the Army Reserve Engagement Cell. “We’ve evolved from providing individual augmentees to deploying units that build readiness. USARPAC is committed to ensuring Reserve Component units return home better trained than when they arrived while maximizing the value of every deployment.”

The Summer P2C2 underscored persistent campaigning, integrated planning, and strengthened alliances aimed at protecting the security, freedom, and prosperity of the United States and its allies and partners, enabling the Army to compete, deter aggression, and, if necessary, prevail in conflict.