U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Major Eric Cook assumed responsibility as the USINDOPACOM command senior enlisted leader. Cook, a native of Ewing, Illinois, entered the Marine Corps in 1994 and most recently held the position of command senior enlisted leader at U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific.
“To the greater INDOPACOM team, it is an absolute honor to be your teammate, I look forward to it, and I will continue to earn it each and every day,” said Cook. “During my time here, I will work on three things, a fighting spirit, a will power, and a level of discipline that makes all of it work.”
The ceremony was held concurrently with the Senior Enlisted Leader Symposium Indo-Pacific, a three-day event hosted at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu. SELSIP brings together senior enlisted leaders from the region to strengthen regional trust, build shared understanding of complex security challenges, and advance strategic leadership capabilities for optimal readiness.
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a former USINDOPACOM SEL David Isom, who served in his role at USINDOPACOM from 2022 to 2025, was a guest speaker at the ceremony. He is the first Sailor to hold the position of SEAC since its creation in 2005. The SEAC is a distinct military position and rank designated as the most-senior enlisted service member by position in the U.S. Armed Forces. Appointed by the Chairman, the SEAC provides critical guidance on joint and combined total force integration, enlisted development, force health, and readiness.
Senior leaders across the enlisted force play a significant role in representing their commander, communicating the commander’s goals and direction to the enlisted workforce, while simultaneously representing the enlisted personnel’s views and concerns to the commander. They guide enlisted members on personnel policies, programs, ideas, and opportunities pertinent to their well-being, allowing them to focus on performing their mission and enhancing their careers. Designated senior enlisted leaders also occupy a unique position outside the chain of command that allows them to stand back from the organization, figure out what works and what does not, and then influence change.
USINDOPACOM is committed to enhancing stability in the Indo-Pacific region by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, deterring aggression and, when necessary, prevailing in conflict.
