U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge headed to the Pacific for his winter break travels.

Etheridge, a Lillington Democrat, joined a congressional delegation for a 12-day visit to Hawaii, Guam, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand, Barb Barrett reports.

The group received a briefing from military leaders at the U.S. military’s Pacific Command in Hawaii. In Guam, they looked at infrastructure in place to receive 8,000 Marines being moved there from Okinawa, Japan, as part of an Army restructuring.

In Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand, Etheridge met with prime ministers and foreign ministers to discuss economic development and agricultural trade issues.

The group returned Friday.

Rep. Robin Hayes is back from China and Guam.

The Concord Republican took a Congressional trip to examine military installations. Hayes is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Barb Barrett reports.

The bipartisan group was led by committee Chairman Ike Skelton, a Missouri Democrat.

In China, they toured a destoyer and visited with the Chinese artillery division that controls both the conventional and nuclear missile forces. Skelton said the group went to forge relationships with Chinese military leaders.

The delegation also went to Guam, where 8,000 U.S. Marines and their families will soon be moved from Japan.