Operation Pathways planners coordinate next campaign across the Indo-Pacific

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 for U.S. Army Pacific’s Summer Pathways Planning and Coordination Conference (P2C2), aligning future operations across the Indo-Pacific.

Hosted by the USARPAC G37, the forum serves as the Army’s primary venue for coordinating Operation Pathways, bringing together organizations from across the joint force to synchronize exercises, resources, and campaign objectives multiple years ahead. “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.”

Over the week, planners synchronized more than 50 bilateral and multilateral exercises across 25 countries, advancing combatant commander objectives and supporting USARPAC’s FY27 priority to “Be Ready” by projecting combat-credible land forces forward. Working groups 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, reinforcing unity of effort across the theater and strengthening land power integration with allies and partners.

“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.”

Organizers described the Summer P2C2 as underscoring USARPAC’s commitment to safeguarding the security, freedom, and prosperity of the United States and its allies and partners through persistent campaigning, integrated planning, and strengthened alliances designed to help the Army compete, deter aggression, and, if required, prevail.