The United States Pacific Command, or PACOM, controls the strongest military force in the Asia Pacific region, making it perhaps the region’s most important organization. Based in Hawai‘i, PACOM describes its mission as defending US interests in a geographic area that encompasses more than half of the earth’s surface and population. PACOM needs to manage complex relationships with American allies and also needs to determine how best to stand up to China’s growing challenge to US dominance in the region.