APOC 17-3 Group Photo
This week 144 U.S. and international Fellows participated in the Asia-Pacific Orientation Course (APOC) 17-3 at the Daniel K Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu. The five-day course which concluded on Friday, Aug. 25, and included Fellows from Australia, Canada, China, France, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan.
APOC is designed to provide an overview of regional states and trends in the security, economy, politics, defense, and information arenas. Faculty members address these areas in the context of the major sub-regions: Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia and Oceania.
DKI APCSS Deputy Director retired Brig. Gen. Jim Hirai welcomes the 144 Fellows attending the Asia-Pacific Orientation Course (APOC 17-3). Thirty-nine of the 144 Fellows are also participants in the Regional Leadership Development Program – Pacific, a Joint, multi-national activity sponsored by USARPAC targeting mid-career military professionals.
According to the Course Manager Professor Bill Wieninger, “APOC 17-3 was my favorite APOC of 2017. The course introduced two new plenary topics (one on North Korea and one on the South China Sea) which were extremely well received, and we look forward to continued innovation in APOC 18-1. Fellows were very impressed with the depth of faculty Subject Matter Expertise and the professionalism with which the entire Center conducts a course. The knowledge and networking they leave with will enhance their careers and US National Security for decades to come.”
To achieve this the course provided a diverse group of plenary presentations and electives, as well as SME-guided seminar discussions.
The class, normally geared towards U.S. Fellows, this time had a ratio of 80 percent U.S. and 20 percent international. The Fellows were predominately military with 67 percent military and 33 percent government civilians. With 28 percent female, this is the highest ratio of male-female for this particular course.
DKI APCSS faculty member U.S. Army Col. James Minnich provides an overview on Korea during the Asia-Pacific Orientation Course (APOC 17-3).
Also, for the first time, 39 members of the Regional Leaders Development Program – Pacific were embedded in APCOC as part of their three-week program.
APOC is one of six formal courses at DKI APCSS that follow a model of participant-centered learning.
The center is a Department of Defense institute that addresses regional and global security issues. Military and civilian representatives, most from the United States and Asia-Pacific nations, participate in a comprehensive program of executive education, professional exchanges and outreach events, both in Hawaii and throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Lindsy Dufore and Dontae Kirk, both participants in the Regional Leadership Development Program – Pacific, share their thoughts during a plenary session.
The Center supports U.S. Pacific Command by developing and sustaining relationships among security practitioners and national security establishments throughout the region. DKI APCSS’ mission is to build capacities and communities of interest by educating, connecting and empowering security practitioners to advance Asia-Pacific security. It is one of the Department of Defense’s five regional security studies centers.
Since opening in 1995, more than 11,000 alumni representing over 122 countries and territories have attended DKI APCSS courses and workshops.
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