Fort Shafter, Hawaii— U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) is hosting the inaugural Pacific Land Forces Team Readiness Challenge (PLFTRC), an international best squad competition bringing together elite teams from across the Indo-Pacific and beyond. The event will take place on Oahu, Hawaii, with reception, staging, onward movement, and integration scheduled for April 27–30, followed by the competition from May 1–6.
Participating nations include Malaysia, the Philippines, Fiji, Mongolia, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Each country has fielded a squad to compete in a series of physically and mentally demanding events designed to test readiness, teamwork, and interoperability.
The PLFTRC marks a new era of cooperation and partnership among land forces in the region. The competition aims to sharpen skills, forge unbreakable bonds, and set the standard for excellence among participating Soldiers. By working together, partner nations enhance joint capabilities and deepen enduring relationships, ensuring a secure and stable Indo-Pacific.
"The upcoming PLFTRC is about more than just navigating the jungle or hitting targets under stress,” said Command Sgt. Major Jason Schmidt, the USARPAC senior-enlisted leader. “It's about forging human interoperability that makes our combined forces the most lethal elements in the world.”
This event pioneers a scalable and effective model for enhancing joint readiness and partner capacity in the Pacific. USARPAC’s investment in the Partner Enlisted Leader Professional Development Strategy yields tangible results in interoperability, lethality, and alliance cohesion.
Throughout the week, squads will face a variety of challenges, including marksmanship, physical fitness, tactical problem-solving, and team-based tasks. The competition will also feature opportunities for cultural exchange, further strengthening the bonds between participating nations.
“When you see noncommissioned officers and Soldiers from nine different nations sweating, shooting, and problem-solving together, you are watching them build an unbreakable foundation of trust,” Schmidt said. “That trust is exactly what deters our adversaries and keeps the Indo-Pacific free and open."
The PLFTRC is a testament to the collective resolve of the region’s premier land forces. Unified, interoperable, and lethal, these professional warfighters stand ready to defend a free and open Indo-Pacific.
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