Governor Ige’s new Military Affairs Liaison

Thomas Kahalu Lee, Jr. knows what it means to be a “Wounded Warrior.” He lost his right leg above the knee in Iraq but not his commitment to return to serve his island home.

Lee, 40, is the governor’s new Military Affairs Liaison, a post created by the Legislature last session to assist with community relations involving the military and state government. His job can include everything from dealing with quarantine issues for the pets of military families to understanding community concerns about fuel leaks at Red Hill and working to prevent them in the future.

“We’re honored to have Tom filling this first-ever position for Hawai‘i,” said Gov. Ige. “He’s a daily reminder in our office of how much he and others have sacrificed so we can have the freedoms we enjoy.”

Lee’s own inspiring story is one of bravery and perseverance, even though he would be too modest to call it that. A 1993 Moanalua High School graduate, he served with the Army in both Afghanistan and Iraq. However, his deployment in 2007 near Baghdad nearly cost him his life.

“It was 8 in the morning when we came under small arms fire,” he recalled. “Children were walking on the road on their way to school. After we shielded them so they could hide in a nearby building, an IED was detonated under our vehicle.” Lee received a Purple Heart based on the severe injuries he suffered, including a severed brachial artery and amputation of his right leg above the knee.

Does Lee worry about his fellow vets who have challenges with PTSD and other issues? “Yes, I’ve lost more friends to suicide than I lost in combat,” he replied quietly. “But I want to tell vets and anyone facing life as an amputee — have a sense of purpose and take ad-vantage of the services out there. You can overcome anything.”