Nadi, Fiji — Toso Vata, “go together,” resonated throughout the hallways and venues of the 48th Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar (IPAMS) and the 10th Senior Enlisted Leader Forum (SELF). The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) host senior leaders from across the Pacific Theater in Fiji from August 13-16, 2024, fostering a spirit of unity and collaboration.

SELF reached a milestone with a record attendance of 16 Senior Enlisted Advisors, providing a prime platform for collaboration and the exchange of innovative ideas.

The primary objective of SELF is to foster peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region through mutual understanding, open dialogue, and partnership. This forum provides Senior Enlisted Leaders a platform to exchange views and ideas, thereby developing and strengthening their relationships.

Senior Enlisted Advisors collaborated in diverse working groups, addressing a wide range of topics. These sessions fostered mutual understanding and broke down communication barriers, offering insights into the operational dynamics of various armies. This open dialogue not only highlighted similarities among military forces but also introduced innovative concepts and ideas for future collaboration.

Warrant Officer Class One Raymond Kareko, Land Component Sergeant Major for the New Zealand Army, shared his insights on the commonalities among different militaries. He elaborated on his experiences and understanding gained during the working groups, emphasizing the shared values and operational practices.

“What I found out is the fact that we have more things in common than we have in differences.” said Kareko. “We have an ethos, we have values, we have a profession of arms. We lead, we train, we instruct our teams and individuals.”

This year’s theme, ‘Joint & Combined Operations in the Indo-Pacific Region,’ highlights the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing regional security challenges. These efforts include peacekeeping operations, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief, leadership development, and climate change.

Senior Enlisted Leaders dedicated their efforts to addressing the critical responsibilities of Non-Commissioned Officers in the operational theater. They emphasized the paramount importance of fostering a shared understanding with our allies and partners, highlighting the collaborative spirit essential for mission success.

Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Schmidt, the United States Army Pacific (USARPAC) Senior Enlisted Advisor, was one of the speakers among the collective combined joint forces who shared their knowledge with the attendees.

“Forums like this for the Non-Commissioned Officer Corps are not only critical for us to build tactical interoperability,” Schmidt explained. “But professional and intellectual operability that’s key to building networks and partnerships within our region.”

Senior enlisted leaders also highlighted the importance of the Forum and how these lessons can be implemented into strategies that can be taken to improve on leadership training and operational efficiency.

Sgt. Maj. Andrew Porch, USARPAC’s public affairs sergeant major, emphasized the critical role of leaders in effectively communicating the intent behind military operations. He highlighted that understanding and accurately conveying the impact of these operations to soldiers is essential for mission success.

“I believe it’s key for our NCOs and forces to gain experience beyond the tactical and organizational levels,” said Porch. “Working at the strategic level and bringing that knowledge back to their formations helps explain the ‘why’ and ensures everyone is on the same page.”

With the SELF empowering senior leaders to take active roles in their respective countries, this forum will support broader goals of self-reliance, giving regional partners the opportunity to build on their own capabilities and systems reducing the dependency to rely on external forces; The efforts here made here builds a sense of ownership and responsibility for their own security.

Outside the working groups, the week-long event included team-building events and a tour of the RFMF’s training site which honored Schmidt with the ‘sevusevu’ on his behalf acknowledging the traditional Fijian welcome. This tradition welcomes guests into the Fijian culture, where the visitor is presented a gift, typically kava (a ceremonial drink made from the root of the kava plant), to the host as a gesture of respect and goodwill.

Building on experience senior leaders can enhance their ability to address security challenges independently while fostering a more stable and cooperative environment. Countries have the unique opportunity to be better equipped to manage their own affairs contributing to a more resilient and self-sufficient Indo-Pacific region.

Gen. Charles A. Flynn, the USARPAC commanding general, emphasized the significance of SELF, highlighting the crucial role of fostering relationships, exchanging ideas among partner nations, and building mutual trust.

“This IPAMS seminar, along with SELF is the largest land forces seminar in the Indo-Pacific region” Flynn said. “It’s an opportunity to exchange ideas, develop the relationships between our nations, and strengthen our existing bonds.”

As USARPAC aims to build on this year’s event, they will shift their focus to Malaysia, where they will co-host the Indo-Pacific Armies Chief Conference (IPACC) and SELF in 2025.