The Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade and Evolution of the Japanese Self-Defense Force in Regional Security
About the Author
Patrick Ripton (2001-2005, Okinawa and Shiga ALT) is a U.S. Army Officer stationed at Fort Knox, KY. He is currently the Battalion Executive Officer, 1-409th Brigade Engineer Battalion, First Army. He holds Masters Degrees in Engineering Management from the Missouri University of Science and Technology, and Military Operation Studies from the US Army Command and General Staff College. After JET, he spent a year working as a research analyst for the Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco, and then commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 2009. He is currently completing work on a Master’s thesis on the Japanese Self Defense Force’s new Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade. His interests include international strategic studies, the U.S. Japan security alliance, and Okinawan society and politics.
About JETs on Japan
The JETs on Japan Forum is a partnership between USJETAA and Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA (Sasakawa USA) that features selected articles of JET alumni perspectives on US-Japan relations. The series aims to elevate the awareness and visibility of JET alumni working across diverse sectors and provides a platform for JET alumni to contribute to a deeper understanding of US-Japan relations from their fields. The articles will be posted on USJETAA’s website to serve as a resource to the wider JET alumni and US-Japan communities on how alumni of this exchange program are continuing to serve as informal ambassadors in US-Japan relations.
