On Thursday (May 29), US Air Force Secretary Troy E. Meink delivered a speech at the graduation ceremony at the US Air Force Academy, addressing nearly 900 soon-to-be-commissioned officers, pointing out that the Indo-Pacific region will be a major focal point for military conflicts in the coming years. He stated that the strategic focus of the US military has shifted towards defending the homeland and deterring the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Meink emphasized, “The Indo-Pacific region will be the battlefield of your generation, and you will build the most lethal force in American history, or we will not succeed.”
“For the past 25 years, our focus has been on low-intensity conflicts in the Middle East, but that period has ended,” Meink said. He added that the military’s primary mission now is focused on homeland defense and strategic deterrence against the CCP.
Meink warned that the threat posed by the CCP in the Indo-Pacific region is “unprecedented,” unlike the Cold War of the late 20th century, the relatively peaceful period of the 1990s, or the global war on terrorism of the 2000s.
“Competition with China (CCP) today is broad and unpredictable, with no safety zone,” Meink also noted that many old assumptions about air and space capabilities must evolve and change.
Meink stated that the Air Force and Space Force must be prepared at all times for rapid deployment, to fight and win at any time, at any location, emphasizing that these forces will utilize the “most advanced systems on Earth.”
He also acknowledged that completing the four-year full course at the Air Force Academy is highly challenging but will serve as a crucial foundation for future mission execution.
He said, “As you look back on this time, you will see how it has prepared you for the future, shaping you into the ethical leaders needed by our Air Force and Space Force.”
Meink joined the Air Force in 1988 through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at South Dakota State University, with a complete military background. Before serving as Secretary of the Air Force, he was involved in long-term missions in the space domain and served as Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), overseeing the procurement of national satellite systems worth over $15 billion, demonstrating his profound experience in strategic defense and space technology.
In the current government’s military priorities, the establishment of the “Golden Dome Defense System” is also considered one of Meink’s important tasks. This system, jointly participated by the Air Force and the Space Force, aims to establish an integrated multi-layered missile defense network combining space, air, and ground capabilities to counter the growing missile and hypersonic weapon threats from countries like China, Russia, and North Korea.
In his speech at the Air Force Academy, Meink emphasized to the graduates that the Air Force is at the forefront of designing and building the “Golden Dome Defense System.” He said it will be the “most advanced defense system on Earth,” essential for ensuring future national defense security.
He concluded his speech by congratulating all the graduates, “Congratulations to you, the Class of 2025. Welcome to the ranks of the Air Force and Space Force, we rely on you.”