On January 28, 1986, the tenth mission of the space shuttle Challenger ended in tragic disaster. We remember the seven astronauts who lost their lives that day, including Christa McAuliffe, who was chosen by NASA to pioneer its Teacher in Space program.
STS-51-L crew: (front row) Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair; (back row) Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnik. (NASA image)
As part of the 50th Anniversary of Vietnam Commemoration Events,
the Hawaii National Guard will host a commemorative event on
Thursday, May 25, 2017 at 10:00 A.M.
Located at 29th Infantry Brigade Readiness Building
to honor former and current Hawaii National Guard Soldiers and Airmen
that served during the Vietnam War Era.
A no-host lunch begins shortly after the ceremony and tour.
If attending, please email hingvietnam@gmail.com
no later than February 28, 2017 with your name, contact info, and unit/rank at discharge or call Captain Lorajan Kaonohi at 808-672-1520
to receive an official invitation.
Webmaster Comments: The planning committee’s biggest challenge is the lack of contact information. All who served should contact CPT Kaonohi with your contact information. Reconnect with those who served with you at this event. Spread the word about the event – your support will help make this a memorable event.
This year, Chinese New Year – The Year of the Rooster – begins on Saturday January 28 and lasts until February 15th, 2018.
The new year, also known as the Spring Festival, is marked by the lunisolar Chinese calendar, so the date changes from year to year.
Each Chinese New Year is characterised by one of 12 animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese zodiac is divided into 12 blocks (or houses) just like its western counterpart, but with the major difference being that each house has a time-length of one year instead of one month.
This year it’s the Year of the Rooster, the tenth animal in the cycle. The next Year of the Rooster will be in 2029.
People born in the Year of the Rooster are characterised as honest, energetic, intelligent, flexible and confident. But according to Chinese astrology, the year of your sign is believed to be one of the most unlucky years of your life.
The general image of people in this zodiac sign is of always being hardworking, resourceful, confident and talented. In addition, their active, talkative and engaging ways make them popular with people. They are happiest when they are in company, enjoying the spotlight. Although they were born with enviable skills, they still have several shortcomings, such as being seen as vain and arrogant and a tendency to brag about their achievements.
恭喜发财 – Gōngxǐ fācái
Happiness and prosperity!
When it comes to food, LA has something for everyone. From fresh, organic cuisine and elegant sushi, to greasy burgers and incredible street tacos, you’ll undoubtedly find your kind of food in Los Angeles. Plus, the people-watching is always incredible: Hey… it’s that guy! From that show!
Senators John McCain (R-Arizona) and Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) are considering another round of base closure and realignment, which would be the first since 2005. McCain, who serves as SASC chairman, said Tuesday that “Senator Reed and I are seriously considering the issue of BRAC” during a hearing on future military budgets. Reed is the ranking Democrat on the committee.
The failure of Congress over the past decade to consider BRAC, McCain said, is “an act of cowardice,” which he compared to the automatic spending caps of the Budget Control Act of 2011. “It’s authentication that we can’t make the tough decisions ourselves,” McCain admitted.
The comments on BRAC were part of a larger committee discussion on how to raise US military spending. Senator Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) raised the BRAC issue, saying “we’re impeding some of [the military’s] progress” by protecting bases in Congress members’ home states. “I think it has to be considered,” McCain concluded, “as all things should be on the table
Related: The Long Road for BRAC from the February 2016 issue of Air Force Magazine
Many veterans are very excited about the news that the military exchange system — the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), Marine Corps Exchange, Navy Exchange and Coast Guard Exchange — will soon open to all honorably discharged veterans for online shopping.
But while the plan is pretty clear cut, there still has been some confusion.
The expansion is for online shopping only. The rule change doesn’t allow veterans to use the Exchange in person — that privilege is still reserved for retirees and 100 percent service-connected disabled veterans. Instead, the expansion is only for online shopping. A system in works by the Defense Department will certify each new user as being qualified by checking them against records. It’s unclear how that system will look. And although it’s certainly possible for family members to shop under a veteran’s login, in theory this is only for veterans, not dependents.
It doesn’t include all items carried by the Exchange. Officials note that the new benefit excludes the purchase of tobacco, alcohol and uniforms. While tobacco and alcohol aren’t available at the Exchange online ever, uniforms are. Still, users will not be able to purchase items in that category.
It won’t start for awhile. The online shopping benefit is slated to start next November, just in time for Veterans Day. That means you can’t access it yet.
The expansion does not include the commissary. Most veterans know that the commissary and Exchange are two different systems operated in two different ways. The commissary is not a part of the Exchange expansion, and does not have an online retail component. So why don’t they open the commissary to veterans? Because instead of bringing in extra money, it would cost taxpayers more
History will come to life at Ford Island as the Battleship Missouri Memorial hosts “Living History Day” on Saturday, January 28, 2017. Festivities will feature fun and educational exhibits and activities from a collection of historical attractions, organizations, and active military commands, including:
Displays of military vehicles, memorabilia and weaponry
Bands playing patriotic music
Oral history presentations
Re-enactors in historical period dress and costumes
Static displays from active-duty military units
Vintage aircraft flyover
The daylong celebration will also commemorate two important anniversaries for America’s last and most famous battleship – the 73rd anniversary of the USS Missouri’s launch into service in 1944 and the 18th anniversary of its opening as the Battleship Missouri Memorial in Pearl Harbor.
Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi’s article about this event
Special Thanks to Stephen Lum for forwarding this article to Retiree News.
Con artists, scammers, predatory companies – whatever you call them – they’re out there, and they would be happy to make you their next “customer,” if they can find you.
Eric Friedman, director of the Office of Consumer Protection in Rockville, Maryland, says some of the scams his office has encountered include everything from skimming devices on ATMs and gas pumps that steal credit card and bank information to overly aggressive towing firms. Regarding the latter, he is referring to tow trucks that hide and wait for consumers to unwittingly park in the wrong place before swooping in to tow the vehicle within seconds and charge a hefty fee for consumers to get their car back.
In fact, Maryland’s Montgomery County just passed a law designed to address predatory towing practices.
Still, you are more likely to be conned out of your money in other ways. As Friedman says, “Crooks are clever, but they are also looking for the easiest way to scam consumers.”
And some people are more at risk of being targeted than others. Could you be one of them? Take a moment to review the common scenarios.
L-R: Wayne Kanemoto, Louisa Serikaku, Earl Maltezo and Robert Lee
HILO, Hawaii – Louisa Serikaku, was presented with a Patriot Award December 7 by Hawai‘i Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Chair, Robert Lee and the Hilo area Chair Wayne Kanemoto, in recognition of awesome support provided to an Air National Guard Airman.
Serikaku was nominated for being highly supportive of the National Guard by her employee 2nd Lt. Earl Maltezo, 291st Combat Communications Squadron, Hawai‘i Air National Guard.
Forwarded on behalf of the Weapons Family:
It is with heavy hearts that we inform every one of the death of our fellow guardsman MSgt Cirilo Valera (CV). He passed on December 22, 2016. MSgt Valera was assigned to the 154 CAMS Munitions Services Branch from 1962-1991 and as an Armament Mechanic/Loader on the F-102, F-4 and F-15.
He was not just our co-worker and mentor, but our good friend as well.
Obituary will be published on 29 January 2017
Arrangements:
2 February 2017
Mililani Cemetery
Private viewing: 0830-0930
Public viewing: 0930-1030
Services to follow
Burial will be at a later date at the Schofield Cemetery
Thanks to Billy Chang and Kyle Kamikawa for sharing this information.
From the Samantha Brown website
There’s nothing worse than making mindless travel mistakes.
If you spend much time traveling, you’ve inevitably made bonehead travel mistakes that put a huge damper on your trip. Here are a few things to keep in mind in the days (and weeks!) before heading out on your next adventure.
Airman is the online magazine of the United States Air Force. The Defense Media Activity produces the magazine for the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs.
Read the latest postings at http://airman.dodlive.mil
View back issues http://airman.dodlive.mil/category/archive/
President Donald Trump will nominate Heather Wilson to be the next Secretary of the Air Force, according to a White House press release issued Monday. Wilson has been the president of the South Dakota School of Mines since 2013. Before that, she served five terms in the US Congress, representing New Mexico’s 1st District.
During her congressional career, Wilson served on the Energy and Commerce Committee, the Armed Services Committee, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. In 2008 she chose not to run for re-election to the House in order to pursue an open Senate seat from New Mexico. She lost in the Republican primary and retired from the House in 2009.
Wilson graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1982 as a member of the third class graduating women. She was a Rhodes scholar, earning a master’s and doctorate in international relations at Oxford University. She served in the Air Force until 1989, when she joined the National Security Council and worked on issues related to European defense.
If confirmed, she will be the first Academy graduate to serve as Secretary of the Air Force, according to the White House.
“Heather Wilson is going to make an outstanding Secretary of the Air Force,” Trump said. “Her distinguished military service, high level of knowledge, and success in so many different fields gives me great confidence that she will lead our nation’s Air Force with the greatest competence and integrity.”
This past Sunday in his weekly Rearview Mirror column in the Honolulu Star Advertiser, Bob Sigall posted an article about Hawaii’s relations with the military.
20170122-honsa-hi-close-relationship-t-us-military
Special Thanks to Stephen Lum for forwarding this article to Retiree News.
