Strengthen alliance
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – 13th Air Force commemorates Maj. Gen. Hiroaki Maehara's visit with a picture in front of the 613th Air and Space Operations Center. Lt. Gen. Ted Kresge, Commander, 13th Air Force met with Maj. Gen. Maehara, Director of Plans and Operations, Koku Jieitai (Japan Air Self Defense Force), Oct. 17, 2011. This high-level meeting was one, in a series between 13th Air Force and Koku Jieitai leadership leading up to exercise Keen Edge in January 2012. Exercises and engagements such as this serve to strengthen the alliance between the United States and Japan; a cornerstone of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Exercise Keen Edge is a biennial Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff/bilateral Command Post Exercise that prepares U.S. Pacific Command sub-unified commands, service components, and Japan Self-Defense Forces for the defense of Japan.