Adm Sam Paparo Speaks to Veterans

by COL Arthur N. Tulak

ADM Paparo spoke to Veterans from several different organizations on 27 November at the Oahu Veterans Center. The event was coordinated by the OVC and Chapter 858 of the Vietnam Veterans Assn. Companions Staedel and Tulak were in the audience.

ADM Paparo, a native son of Pennsylvania, is the son of an enlisted Marine, and the grandson of a WWII enlisted sailor. Commissioned though NROTC at Villanova Dominion University, he is the perfect example of the meritocracy that is the United States Military. He assumed command of U.S. Pacific Fleet on May 5th this year from ADM John C. Aquilino, selected to command U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

ADM Paparo spoke about the unbroken thread of the military ethos represented in the room as he addressed the many Vietnam Veterans, saying that they had been trained and educated by the WWII generation, and they in turn had educated and trained him and the service members of his generation. This unbroken thread extends to his own family, as one of his sons is currently an Ensign in the Navy, learning to fly at NAS Pensacola.

Many of the Veterans present expressed their anger, frustration, and dismay over the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, followed by America’s ignominious and painful withdrawal from Afghanistan this year, and their own memories of the fall Saigon. ADM Paparo was able to relate to this pain, anger, dismay, and frustration over the national surrender in Afghanistan, as he had taken part in the very early phases of the war in 2001, taking out a surface-to-air missile site in Kandahar . He later commanded the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan in 2007, giving him “boots on the ground” experience, in addition to his operational and combat experience in the Balkans and Iraq.

ADM Paparo also compared today’s world situation to that America faced in the 1960s and 70s, when we faced off against the global spread of Marxist and Leninist socialism from a totalitarian Soviet Union. He then described the growing threat of Communist China, now once again pushing Marxism and Leninism in a similar manner. A question on the minds of many of the Veterans was asked more than once, namely, about the likelihood of a Communist Chinese invasion of Taiwan, and what the American response would be. ADM Paparo reminded the audience that President Biden had recently stated publicly that the United States had a commitment to come to the defense of Taiwan, and explained our obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, which requires that the United States help Taiwan to prepare to defend itself, which it does through training and arms sales. He highlighted that there are American forces in Taiwan now, training and advising the Armed Forces of the Republic of China.

The Admiral was asked to comment on the utility of continuing the U.S. policy of “Strategic Ambiguity” (as to whether it would come to the defense of Taiwan in the event of a Communist Chinese invasion), a policy stance that ADM Phil Davidson in his testimony before the U.S. Congress suggested may have outlived its usefulness, and the opposing view that what is needed is “Strategic Clarity” that the U.S. will defend Taiwan, a view that has strong support from Senator Tom Cotton and LTG Ret. Keith Kellogg, former adviser to VP Mike Pence. ADM Paparo explained that “Strategic Clarity” has already been established by the Chairman of the Military Committee of the PRC, and the Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Xinping, who has stated that he is quite willing to use military force to Above: ADM Sam Paparo, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, speaks to Veterans at the Oahu Veterans Center. Note the Commandery flag on take Taiwan, and will be ready to do so by 2027. From the U.S. the left of the photo. perspective, our strategic and enduring commitment is to the International Rules-Based Order, which includes Taiwan. Maintaining that rules-based order is vital to America’s enduring strategic interest.

At the end of his remarks, RDML, Ret. Alma Grocki, President of the Keehi Memorial Organization, thanked ADM Paparo for taking the time out of his holiday weekend to address the Veterans.