Senators on Wednesday confirmed Adm. Samuel Paparo as the next leader of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, replacing Adm. John Aquilino. Paparo currently serves as commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet and will be in charge of American military strategy and operations for the West Pacific combatant command. His confirmation was advanced by a voice vote along with 25 other senior military promotions.
During his confirmation hearing, Paparo listed China, Russia, and North Korea as the most pressing threats to U.S. military interests in the Pacific. He is a TOPGUN graduate with over 6,000 hours flying various aircraft and 1,100 carrier landings. Paparo’s confirmation was delayed due to background work by the Senate committee following a hold in December.
Paparo’s military career has spanned 37 years, and he comes from a military family background. INDOPACOM oversees more than 380,000 American servicemembers stationed overseas and is responsible for all U.S. military activities in 36 nations.
