After eleven years of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Obama administration is shifting U.S. attention to the Pacific in order to counter-balance China's rising clout and North Korea's sometimes erratic foreign policy.

To those ends, I Corps' leadership discussed how that affects local troops here, during a round-table discussion with reporters, last Friday.

The U.S. will increase its military cooperation with nations in the Asia-Pacific region. The pivot point for this rebalancing is JBLM.

"We are the leading force in this shift," Lt. Gen. Robert Brown, commander, I Corps, said.  "We are implementing national strategy; it is an exciting time."

In the Pacific region are three of the world's largest economies, four of the most populous countries, seven of the world's ten largest armies and five of the seven mutual defense treaties.

"As our Stryker Brigades return from Afghanistan, they will reorient to the Pacific," Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan, deputy commander, I Corps, pointed out.  "Training will be focused on combined arms maneuvering and humanitarian/disaster relief missions."

As I Corps begins its rebalance to the Pacific, it plans on participating in six exercises with six countries next year.

Joining Brown and Buchanan at the table were Maj. Gen. Richard Thomas, commander, Western Regional Medical Center and I Corps Command Sgt. Maj. John Troxell.

The four senior officials stressed that the goal of the rebalancing is to create enduring partnerships with this country's Asian partners, remain ready and resilient should a conflict occur in the area, and shape and win any military encounter.

But the dollars involved for the rebalancing have raised Congressional eyebrows.

A 110-page study conducted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a nonpartisan policy institute in Washington, found that the Defense Department "has not adequately articulated the strategy behind its force posture planning, nor aligned the strategy with resources in a way that reflects current budget realities."

Senators Carl Levin of Michigan, Jim Webb of Virginia, both Democrats, and John McCain of Arizona, a Republican, have raised concern.

The three Congressional leaders stated that Congress needed to be reassured that "force planning and realignment proposals are realistic, workable and affordable."

Brown said JBLM leadership is well aware of the current budgetary constraints facing the country.

"The Army has been asked to make reductions," he began.  "We are aware of the budget and the problems associated with it, and we are good stewards of the taxpayers' money."

Moving on to Afghanistan, Buchanan said a small legacy force of "enablers" would be left behind to train and build medical, counter IED (improvised explosive devices) and security capabilities.

"We've become very good at fighting an asymmetrical war," Troxell commented in speaking about Afghanistan.

And then turning to the upcoming rebalance to the Pacific, Troxell added, "We have the capacity and experience to build partnerships with our allies and help shape their security forces."

As to the scandal surrounding Petraeus and his biographer, Paula Broadwell, the Pentagon's just announced review of ethics training for its leadership found a great deal of support from JBLM's leadership.

Last week, Panetta asked Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey to evaluate ethics programs for the military's most senior officers.

"I never thought I'd hear the term ‘sex scandal' and Dave Petraeus in the same sentence," Thomas, who has served with Petraeus, said.

"I applaud the secretary and the chairman for going after any behavior that is in contrast to our values," Buchanan added.

Those values are under attack in light of the Petraeus scandal; the propriety of Marine Gen. John Allen's, top commander in Afghanistan, emails to Tampa socialite Jill Kelley; the judicial hearing in North Carolina for Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair, who is accused of sexually harassing subordinates; and the demotion of Gen. William Ward for his misuse of government money.

But these four cases do not speak for the Army.

"Every general I have served with from 2008 until, including my current boss and deputy, pride themselves on leading by example," Troxell clearly and unequivocally stated.

"If there are generals out there who think they're walking on water, it's because there are folks out there doing things for them they shouldn't be doing."

Thomas added that the Army will learn from the scandals.

"We examine what we're doing right, what we're doing wrong," Thomas said, "and that's what's going on now."