Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, takes off this week on a barnstorming tour of the Asia-Pacific region, where he sees a central role for land forces as the United States continues its effort to focus on the political situation on that side of the planet.

On his third tour of the region since taking over as the Army’s most senior officer a year ago, Milley from Aug. 15 to 23 will meet counterparts and other senior officials from South Korea, Japan and China. While he has visited South Korea as Army chief, Milley will make inaugural stops in Japan – a staunch, long-time U.S. ally in the region – and China – an increasingly aggressive potential adversary.

His meeting with Korean officials will include discussion of deployment of a Lockheed Martin [LMT]  Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) unit to the peninsula.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley

InChina, Milley will meet with the senior leadership of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to discuss a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues. He will also visit the PLA’s Academy of Military Science, a center for the development and teaching of doctrine in the PLA, to exchange views with faculty and students. 

Milley and PLA commanders will seek to identify ways to deepen practical cooperation in areas of mutual interest while also constructively managing differences, according to a statement from the Army.

In Korea, Milley will spend time with U.S. Army troops in several locations on the peninsula and receive an update on rotational brigade deployments, the combined U.S. and Republic of Korea 2nd Infantry Division, the relocation of U.S. Army units to Camp Humphreys, and plans to deploy a THAAD unit to protect South Korea from provocative North Korean ballistic missile threats.

During a stop in Japan, Milley will reaffirm the importance of the U.S.-Japan alliance as the cornerstone of peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region and discuss opportunities for closer collaboration between the U.S. Army and Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces.

Milley will end his visit in Hawaii where he will meet with U.S. Pacific Command leaders and visit Soldiers from the 8th Theater Sustainment Command and the 25th Infantry Division.