Navy SEAL Takes Over Joint Task Force Micronesia

The Micronesia Pivot

You know things are getting real in the Pacific when a Navy SEAL is handed the keys to a regional command with more islands than some people have socks. On May 15, 2025, Rear Adm. Joshua Lasky relieved Rear Adm. Greg Huffman as the top dog of Joint Task Force-Micronesia (JTF-M) during a change-of-command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz in Guam. This is more than a routine swap of parking spots at the admiral’s club—it signals something bigger.

Lasky, a seasoned SEAL with a chest full of campaign ribbons and hard-earned wisdom from America’s shadow wars, now leads a unit responsible for a vast chunk of the Pacific Ocean. JTF-M, created in June 2024, is tasked with overseeing U.S. military operations from Guam to Palau and everywhere in between. Think of it as the U.S. military’s new island-hopping headquarters—and now it’s being run by a frogman.

Rear Adm. Joshua Lasky: Steel and Saltwater

Lasky, like his peers, didn’t just wake up one morning wearing a trident. He earned it the hard way—through BUD/S in 1999, followed up with deployments with SEAL Teams 2, 4, and 10. He’s commanded Naval Special Warfare Group 4 and held joint leadership billets in Afghanistan and the Middle East. This isn’t his first rodeo. If you were going to pick someone to manage a region where diplomacy walks hand-in-hand with deterrence, you’d want someone who’s done more than push paper at the Pentagon, and that’s Josh Lasky. 

The SEAL community isn’t known for putting on airs. Their leaders tend to have one foot in the water and one in the mud—grounded but ready to launch. Lasky fits the mold. His battlefield résumé and deep joint operational experience suggest a guy who’s just as comfortable planning precision strikes as he is handing out water filters after a typhoon.

A Little About Joint Task Force-Micronesia

Joint Task Force Micronesia, or JTF-M, is the Pentagon’s newest outfit in the Indo-Pacific—a big deal in a region that hasn’t seen a two-star command since World War II. Stood up in June 2024, this unit is tasked with managing U.S. defense operations and humanitarian missions across a wide swath of ocean and island nations that are suddenly front and center in Washington’s security playbook. The fact that we’ve put this kind of command presence back in Micronesia for the first time in over 70 years tells you everything you need to know about how seriously the Department of Defense is taking this stretch of the Pacific.

The mission of JTF-M is broad but clear: synchronize military operations across land, sea, air, cyber, and space. It’s about more than simply having a US presence in the region—it’s about being ready to fight if necessary, and help when it’s needed. JTF-M’s area of responsibility includes the U.S. territories of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Wake Island, as well as the independent nations of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands. These nations, bound by long-standing Compacts of Free Association, are crucial allies sitting in the middle of a strategically volatile region.

JTF-M is focused on three primary areas: homeland defense, disaster response, and foreign humanitarian assistance. That means protecting U.S. territories from emerging threats, supporting local governments during natural disasters like typhoons, and delivering aid with a whole-of-government approach. Think more than just boots on the ground—think engineers, doctors, and strategic planners working in sync with the State Department and USAID. When a crisis hits, these folks are the ones who’ll be there first.

Now, why is this important? One word: China. Beijing’s been ramping up its military capabilities and playing aggressive games across the South and East China Seas. The U.S. isn’t about to sit back and let the balance of power tip too far. Guam has been called the “tip of the spear” for a reason. It’s not just a forward base—it’s a launchpad for American resolve. And with JTF-M in place, the U.S. has a stronger, more flexible command right in the heart of the action, able to respond rapidly to any threat that pops up.

Headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz in Guam, JTF-M shares some infrastructure with Joint Region Marianas but is charting its own course. Lasky’s team is already deepening ties with local communities and governments, and the response so far has been positive. After Typhoon Mawar battered Guam, JTF-M played a central role in the recovery effort, showing that this isn’t just about military might—it’s also about being a good neighbor.

In short, Joint Task Force Micronesia is a real-world answer to real-world problems—rising tensions, natural disasters, and the need for a reliable American presence in a region that’s seen its fair share of storms, literal and figurative. Under Lasky’s leadership, this command is poised to make a lasting impact, serving both as a shield and a helping hand in one of the world’s most strategically critical areas.

A SEAL at the Helm: Strategic Implications

Putting a SEAL in charge of this region is a move that speaks volumes. SEALs are built for uncertainty, and we live in uncertain times. They plan for worst-case scenarios and adapt mid-mission. That mindset is crucial in a region where disaster response, counter-influence ops, and maritime deterrence all sit at the same table.

Lasky’s command may well be a preview of future joint-force leadership—agile, cross-domain, and not afraid to get its boots wet. The Indo-Pacific theater is no longer about big gray ships playing chicken on the high seas. It’s about hybrid threats, forward posture, and knowing when to flex and when to build bridges.

In his own words, Lasky described defending the region as a “living legacy” built on “trust, shared history, and a common purpose.” That kind of language is diplomatic—but coming from a SEAL, it also feels like a warning: “We’re here, we’re watching, and we’re not just tourists.”

What Comes Next?

Under Lasky’s watch, JTF-M’s mission is fourfold:

• Homeland Defense: Guam and nearby territories aren’t just outposts—they’re front lines. Think missile defense and infrastructure hardening.
• Disaster Response: The Pacific doesn’t just get storms—it gets biblical events. When the typhoons hit, JTF-M coordinates the cavalry.
• Partnerships: Micronesia’s ties to the U.S. date back decades. Lasky will be reinforcing those bonds while keeping an eye on Chinese influence campaigns.
• Readiness: This isn’t peacetime posturing. It’s about making sure the U.S. military is ready to move fast and strike hard if the need arises.

Moving Forward

This is more than a typical command change—it’s a shot across the bow of the Pacific. The U.S. is reinforcing its strategic presence, and it’s doing it with a warfighter who doesn’t need a map to know where the next crisis might flare up.

Rear Adm. Lasky is doing more than steering the proverbial ship. He is the ship—a vessel built for speed, precision, and getting the job done when the stakes are high.

The SEALs have landed—not in the dead of night, but in full daylight, with orders in hand and their eyes on the horizon.