Press Release : Austin Impressed by Partnership and Professionalism Exhibited by U.S. Unit in Thailand

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III visits servicmembers stationed in Bangkok, Thailand, June 13, 2022. Austin is visiting the kingdom for counterpart visits that continue to take important steps toward modernizing the U.S.-Thai alliance and expanding the depth and breadth of our military cooperation. (DoD photo by Chad J. McNeeley)

The U.S. military effort in Thailand is truly a joint endeavor and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III had the opportunity to see it as he met with soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines of the Joint U.S. Military Advisory Group – Thailand today.

A man in business attire faces a woman in a military uniform. Both are wearing face masks.

The group – established in 1953 – works on a Royal Thai military compound in Bangkok. The service members also traverse the country working with Thai allies on everything from tactics and training to medicine and maintenance.

Austin met doctors, Marine security guards and airmen and soldiers working on training exercises.

“Thank you for what you do, representing the United States,” the secretary said. “From this vantage point, this is a beautiful site, because it’s a wonderful display of jointness and professionalism. It’s exactly what the United States military is all about.”

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III meets with service members.

Austin made the point that almost everything in the U.S. military is done by a joint team. “And jointness, as you know, is a thing that you can’t just wave a magic wand and make happen at the 11th hour, when you need it. You got to live that way each and every day,” he said. “So learn about each other. Learn about how you complement each other’s efforts, and what part your service plays in the overall picture.”

Austin asked if there were any Space Force Guardians in Thailand, and when he found there weren’t he said “gotta fix that.”

But it is not just the joint part of the unit that he focused on. He also spoke about the Thailand part. “In many cases, because of what you do, you come in contact with a range of people from this country and from other countries,” he said. “You are what shapes their opinion of the United States of America. It’s been my experience, that you are some of the best ambassadors of our country. People learn about America, through your eyes, through their experiences with you. And I hope that you never forget that.”

A man in business attire speaks in front of a group of uniformed service members standing at parade rest.

Austin thanked the Thai hosts of the unit. “They’re accommodating our needs and facilitating interoperability with them,” he said. “We’re grateful for that. By the same token, we bring a lot to the table to help them as well. Again, just like it’s important for us to work together as for the various services, it’s absolutely important that we work together with our allies here, so that we are interoperable. Again, that’s another thing that you can’t wait until the last minute, the 11th hour and expect to be successful.”

During a conversation with the media traveling with him later in the day, Austin brought up the men and women of the unit again. “It’s really impressive to see the display of jointness here,” he said. “Army, air force, navy, Marines working together in a seamless fashion to represent the United States of America and help create capability for our partners here. So, our youngsters remain focused on the task at hand and they are serving the American people very, very well.”

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Nop Meechukhun
National News Writer at The Pattaya News from September 2020 to October, 2022. Born and raised in Bangkok, Nop enjoys telling stories of her hometown through her words and pictures. Her educational experience in the United States and her passion for journalism have shaped her genuine interests in society, politics, education, culture, and art.