Abstract

On 30th May, United States Secretary of Defence James Mattis announced during a change of command ceremony in Pearl Harbour, Hawaii that the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) would be renamed the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). According to Secretary Mattis, the name change was done in recognition that “all nations large and small are essential to the region, in order to sustain stability in ocean areas critical to global peace.” The renaming exercise would also recognise the increasing connectivity of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The name change, although symbolic, is the clearest sign of the growing importance of the Indo-Pacific arena to the United States.

In this lecture, RDML Joey Tynch will share his thoughts and insights on the engagements that the United States Navy conducts with partner nations throughout the South/ South-east Asia region and the importance placed on deepening these relationships through the vital mission set of Task Force 73 as well as Destroyer Squadron 7.

About the Speaker

Rear Adm. Joey Tynch is a native of North Carolina and graduate of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He was commissioned through Aviation Officer Candidate School in July of 1988.

Tynch has over 4,300 flight hours in the H-60. His aviation assignments include quality assurance officer (QAO) at Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 2; Fleet Replacement Squadron Instructor Pilot and QAO at HS-10; Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 combat search and rescue officer; officer in charge and Sea Hawk Weapons and Tactics Instructor (SWTI) at Pacific Fleet HS Weapons and Tactics Unit and SWTI and maintenance officer at HS-6.

Shore tours include National War College and Secretary of the Joint Staff (SJS) where he also played a key role in the inter-agency training for the civilian surge in Afghanistan during 2009-2010 and in the fall of 2011, he returned to Afghanistan to assess and report on the security, stability and governance of the eastern border provinces to assist the Headquarters International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) campaign plan. While on the Office of Chief of Naval Operations staff, he served as executive assistant to the director of the Navy Staff and Deputy Director of the Navy Staff.

He has completed three tours as commanding officer starting with HS-8, 2006-2007, in Afghanistan as commander of Provincial Reconstruction Team, Kunar Province, 2008-2009 and as captain of USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) in Sasebo, Japan, 2013-2015.

Tynch’s most recent flag assignment was the Allied Joint Force Command, Naples, Italy, where he served as assistant chief of staff for Operations (J3).

In June 2018, he assumed the duties as Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73/ Singapore Area Coordinator, leading 20 bilateral and multilateral security cooperation exercises with 14 nations in South and Southeast Asia, and overseeing more than 50 ships and operational naval logistics forces in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans, forward deployed Littoral Combat Ships, and a Navy region ashore.

His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medals, Navy Commendation, and Achievement Medals, the Combat Action Ribbon, Army Combat Action Badge, and various unit and campaign decorations. He was selected as the Naval Helicopter Association’s (NHA) Instructor Pilot of the Year in 1998 and the NHA’s Pilot of the Year in 2005.