ADMIRAL ROBERT F. WILLARD IS THE 22ND COMMANDER OF THE UNITED STATES PACIFIC COMMAND. HE ASSUMED THE DUTIES IN A CEREMONY AT CAMP H M SMITH IN HAWAII. "AS BOTH AN ECONOMIC ENGINE IN ITS OWN RIGHT AND AS A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE FOR U.S. AND WORLD COMMS OUR NATIONS INTERESTS ARE HERE. AND FOR OUR NATION PACIFIC COMMAND HAS AN ESSENTIAL PRESENCE IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION." FOR PACOM'S 21ST COMMANDER ADMIRAL TIMOTHY J. KEATING THE CEREMONY BRINGS TO A CLOSE AN ILLUSTRIOUS 42 YEAR MILITRAY CAREER. AS AN F-18 HORNET PILOT THE ADMIRAL LOGGED 5,000 FLIGHT HOURS AND 1200 LANDINGS ON AIRCRAFT CARRIERS. HE SAYS HE WON'T EVER FORGET TEH SERVICE AND DEDICATION HE WITNESSED DURING HIS COMMAND. "EVERY WHERE WE GO THE COAST ARE THERE PLEDGING THEIR LIVES THEIR SAILORS AND I HAVE TO SEE THAT EVERYDAY." SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ROBERT GATES WAS ON HAND TO THANK THE ADMIRAL FOR HIS SERVICE AND PIN ON THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL. THE SECDEF PRAISED ADMIRAL KEATINGS ROLE IN SUSTAINING PEACE IN POWER IN THE PACIFIC. "THIS IS ON TOP OF PROVIDING NEARLY 30 THOUSAND TROOPS, MANNING FIVE COMBAT CARRIER READY STRIKE GROUPS AND 44 SHIPS PARTICPATING IN 3 EXPEDITIONARY STRIKE GROUP SUPPORTING OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ." ADMIRAL WILLARD IS WELL KNOWN TO MANY IN THE PACIFIC FOR COMMANDING U.S. PACIFIC FLEET THE WORLD'S LARGEST FLEET COMMAND. NOW AS PACOM COMMANDER HE LEADS THE LARGEST U.S. COMBATANT COMMAND. NICK TOVO CAMP SMITH HAWAII.