Stay ready, leaders tell Pacific Marines

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII—U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific has a new commander—and some fresh warnings from the commandant. 

Lt. Gen. William Jurney passed the Pacific mantle to Lt. Gen. James Glynn on Thursday in a sunny outdoor ceremony framed by V-22 Ospreys, a missile launcher, the turquoise waters of Kane’ohe Bay, and the Ko’olau mountain range. 

“It’s all about the fight. It’s all about preventing the fight, but we all know that that’s probably not likely. There’s a fight coming. And our job is to be ready for that fight,” Marine Commandant Gen. Eric Smith said during the ceremony. “You don’t get here on accident. You’re hand-selected to come here based on your integrity, your vision, and your warfighting expertise.” 

Praising Jurney for his “absolutely brilliant mind” and “the most incredible humility,” U.S. Indo-Pacific command head Adm. Samuel Paparo said Jurney was able to implement sweeping Force Design changes in the region “while maintaining those eternal elements that are so timeless for the Marine Corps,” from crisis response to “honor, courage, and commitment.” 

Jurney took command of MARFORPAC in September 2022, two and a half years after then-commandant Gen. David Berger first announced his plans to overhaul the service with a focus on the region. Smith later pledged to continue those changes during his time as commandant. 

Marine Corps Forces Pacific includes roughly two-thirds of the Marine Corps, including the California-based I Marine Expeditionary Force and the Japan-based III Marine Expeditionary Force. Jurney said in his remarks that he often told those Marines, “You’re either getting better or you’re getting worse.” 

“If you think you’re staying the same, our adversaries are working harder than us, and by default, you are in fact getting worse,” said Jurney, who also praised his Marines for “turning concepts into reality” and “keeping the main thing the main thing.” 

“They stand ready to fight, and to fight and win on behalf of our nation, and on behalf of our nation’s commitment to our allies and to our partners,” he said. 

Glynn arrived on the island from Quantico, Virginia, where he served as deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs. Though he was stationed here as a young lieutenant, it took “more than 30 years” and a job as “the guy that cut the orders” to be able to make it back, he joked. 

But, Paparo said, Glynn “was chosen for this time.” 

“Your background as a special operations Marine, your combat experience, everything that brought you to this day before, has brought you to this moment, to carry on the work of Bill, but also to bring it through the prism of what makes you special and what makes you ready to lead” he said. 

Jurney retired after the change of command with 37 years of service. He declined Defense One’s requests for an interview.