In early May, General Samuel Paparo, who assumed office as the new commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, following in the footsteps of his predecessor General Aquilino, is a Navy fighter pilot born and raised in Pennsylvania. Just like Aquilino, Paparo is a graduate of the TopGun program and holds advanced degrees from prestigious universities, showcasing his prowess both in academics and combat. Let’s delve into General Paparo’s military career.
Taking over as the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command on May 3, 2024, Admiral Samuel Paparo is a native of Morton, Pennsylvania, born in 1964. His father was a US Marine Corps member, and his grandfather served in the US Navy during World War II.
After graduating from Villanova University in 1987, Paparo enlisted through the Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS) program at the Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida, marking the start of his third-generation military career in the family.
Paparo later graduated from the renowned US Navy Fighter Weapons School, known as “TopGun,” before becoming a naval carrier-based fighter pilot and being appointed as an instructor in attack fighter tactics.
Furthermore, Paparo earned a Master of Arts in International Relations from Old Dominion University and a Master of Science in Systems Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School.
As of October 2020, Paparo had flown over 6,000 hours on F-14, F-15, and F/A-18 fighter jets and completed over 1,100 carrier landings.
In October 2009, Paparo assumed the position of Deputy Commander of the US Navy’s Carrier Air Wing 7 (CVW-7) aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier strike group. In August 2011, he became the Commander of CVW-7, overseeing 8 squadrons comprising 1,500 personnel, until December 2012.
Subsequently, Paparo has held various roles, including Commander of the US Navy’s 10th carrier strike group, Commander of the US Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain overseeing all US Navy forces in the Middle East, and Operations Director at the US Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, among others.
Paparo has participated in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.
In May 2021, Paparo was promoted to Admiral in the US Navy and began serving as the 64th Commander of the US Pacific Fleet, responsible for overseeing US Navy forces in the Indo-Pacific region. His predecessor in this position, Admiral John Aquilino, went on to assume the role of Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command.
In May 2024, three years senior to Paparo, General Aquilino retired, paving the way for Paparo to succeed him as the 27th Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command.
The US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) is the oldest and largest combatant command in US history, comprising 380,000 personnel from all six branches of the military, as well as civilian staff at the Department of Defense. The command is responsible for all US military activities in the Indo-Pacific region, covering 36 countries, 14 time zones, and 60% of the world’s population.
In July 2023, General Paparo was nominated to be the next Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, a nomination confirmed by the Senate in February 2024. During the Senate hearings, General Paparo emphasized the need to strengthen US military presence in the Indo-Pacific region to counter the growing threats posed by China.
General Paparo identified Communist China, Russia, and North Korea as the most pressing military threats to US interests in the Pacific region, with particular concern over the Chinese threat.
During a hearing, he stated, “If confirmed, I will ensure that we maintain our edge to keep us stable today, tomorrow, next week, and for decades to come.”
He emphasized the use of artificial intelligence and analytical algorithms to differentiate between micro-aggressions and preemptive strikes by China to address potential small-scale conflicts or sudden military actions against neighboring countries.
General Paparo concluded by highlighting the importance of swift decision-making and action against rapid moves by a major power like China to provide decision-makers, the Commander-in-Chief (the President), and Congress the necessary time and space to act, especially in the face of imminent violence, such as a potential Chinese military invasion.
During a naval conference in February, General Paparo reiterated that the Chinese threat is the most severe, emphasizing that the People’s Republic of China is the only nation actively seeking to reshape the international order with the capability to do so.
He remarked, “Their (China’s) extensive and illegal claims to waters and land…expose the absurdity of their assertions when you look at their map versus their conduct under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.”