By Gerardo R. Partido
Variety News Staff

CONGRESSWOMAN Madeleine Z. Bordallo has met with Admiral Timothy J. Keating, the incoming commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, or PACOM, to briefly discuss Guam’s role in the U.S. military force realignment in the Pacific.
Keating is currently the commander of the U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command and the United States Northern Command headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado.
Keating succeeds Admiral William J. Fallon, who is now the commander of the U.S. Central Command.
PACOM has the largest military area of responsibility of any of the unified combatant commands of the United States Armed Forces, an area that encompasses Guam, Hawaii, and over 40 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
According to Bordallo, Keating is very familiar with Guam and regional security issues, and she is looking forward to his leadership of the Pacific Command.
“His command includes many areas where Guam’s role would be important to our nation’s response to emergencies and humanitarian missions. I told him that the people of Guam welcome him and that we are looking forward to the increased role for Guam in the years ahead,” Bordallo said in a statement.