Regional Armies Gather To Discuss Collective Security

AUCKLAND, New Zealand—Army leaders from more than 25 nations gathered here for the 50th annual Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar (IPAMS) hosted by… AUCKLAND, New Zealand—Army leaders from more than 25 nations gathered here for the 50th annual Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar (IPAMS) hosted by the New Zealand Army and United States Army Pacific. The annual conference brought together senior landpower leaders from across the region to participate in open dialogue with their Indo-Pacific counterparts on a wide range of topics affecting the region, and provided a venue where attendees met face to face; fostering military-to-military cooperation on topics such as security cooperation, military deterrence, and regional stability. This year’s theme, “The Sum is Greater Than the Parts: Security and Deterrence in the Indo-Pacific,” captured the essence of why IPAMS matters now more than ever.

“Across this region, land forces are the backbone of deterrence, security cooperation, and the connective tissue that binds nations together,” Lt. Gen. Joel Vowell, deputy commander, U.S. Army Pacific, told reporters during a media roundtable. “When our armies train, communicate, and plan collectively, we generate a deterrence effect that is far stronger than any individual nation could achieve alone. Our discussions this week reinforce that truth,” said Vowell. The world has changed and so too has the Indo-Pacific New Zealand co-hosted this event in 2013. Since