Major Pacific Exercise Underway

RIMPAC 2010,the world's largest multinational maritime exercise,is now underway off the coast of Hawaii.The 22nd biennial exercise,which began in 1971,is hosted by the Navy's Pacific Fleet(PACFLT).Participating are 32 ships,5 submarines,170+ aircraft and 20,000 personnel from 14 countries,including Australia,Canada,Chile,Colombia,France,Indonesia,Japan,Malaysia,the Netherlands,Peru,South Korea,Singapore,Thailand and the US.
The theme of RIMPAC 2010 is "combined agility,synergy and support."Extending into July,it encompasses side-by-side training activities ranging from salvage operations,to interdiction and missile firing,culminating with a scenario phase.Admiral Patrick Walsh,PACFLT Commander,is leading RIMPAC 2010.

The Admiral's Suggestions

President Obama ordered the study of the prison camps on Guantanamo Bay on 22 January.Admiral Walsh made some suggestions for improvement,along with certifying that the camps were humane.He called for more socialization for the prisoners.He would like to see more recreation opportunities for the prisoners together,as well as intellectual stimulation and group prayer.The mental dimension needs to be part of the dialogue of what it means to be humane,Admiral Walsh commented.

Admiral Examines Prison Camps

Admiral Patrick Walsh,Vice-Chief of Naval Operations,has been surveying the situation at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba.The seven prison camps there hold enemy combatants from the Global War on Terror.With his Defense Department team,the admiral found that the camps currently meet all standards of humane treatment.They are in compliance with Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners of war.Over more than 13 days,Admiral Walsh and the team conducted more than 100 interviews,as well as announced and unannounced inspections.They talked to a number of detainees.Admiral Walsh said the chain of command consistently seeks to go beyond the minimum standards of Article 3.There are still about 245 detainees in the camps,which President Obama has ordered closed within a year.