The U.S. Embassy announced that the Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), Admiral Samuel J. Paparo is in Colombo from March 19-21. During his visit, Admiral Paparo will engage with senior Sri Lankan government officials and military leaders to reaffirm the enduring U.S.-Sri Lankan security partnership and share the U.S. vision for regional stability and security in the Indo-Pacific. Commander Paparo’s visit underscores the United States’ ongoing commitment to enhancing security cooperation with Sri Lanka and addressing shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific.

Adm. Sam Paparo, a native of Morton, Pennsylvania, graduated from Villanova University and was commissioned in 1987. He is the son of a former enlisted Marine and the grandson of a World War II enlisted Sailor. He has earned a Master of Arts in International Studies from Old Dominion University and a Master of Science in Systems Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School. A U.S. Naval Aviator, he is a TOPGUN graduate and has flown over 6,000 hours in the F-14, F-15 and F/A-18 and 1,100 carrier landings.

Operational command tours at sea include Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 195 in the Forward Deployed Naval Forces, Yokosuka, Japan, deploying in Kitty Hawk Strike Group; Commander, Carrier Air Wing 7, embarked in Dwight D. Eisenhower Strike Group and Commander, Carrier Strike Group Ten. On the ground, he commanded the Provincial Reconstruction Team, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, with the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Other operational assignments at sea include Fighter Squadron (VF) 14, flying the F-14 Tomcat with USS John F. Kennedy and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Strike Groups, and VFA-15, flying the F/A-18 Hornet with USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Enterprise Strike Groups. He also served on exchange duty with the U.S. Air Force flying the F-15C Eagle with the 71st Fighter Squadron, deploying multiple times to Saudi Arabia and Keflavik, Iceland. In joint operational service, he was Battle Director at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center, Al Udeid, Qatar.

Shore assignments include the staff of Commander, Naval Air Forces, as F/A-18 training, readiness and requirements officer. He served as commanding officer of VFA-106 and served on the Chief of Naval Operations staff as OPNAV N80 branch head. He served as executive assistant to Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, and then to the 31st Chief of Naval Operations.

He was Director of Operations, J3, U.S. Central Command. He was Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet/Combined Maritime Forces. His most recent assignment was Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet from May 2021 to April 2024.

Paparo assumed duties as Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in May 2024. He is the 27th commander of the nation’s oldest and largest combatant command. USINDOPACOM includes 380,000 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Guardians, Coast Guardsmen and Department of Defense civilians and is responsible for all U.S. military activities in the Indo-Pacific, covering 36 nations, 14 time zones, and 60 percent of the world’s population.