Congress on Tuesday approved plans to offer new veteran ID cards to honorably discharged service members, in an effort to more easily prove their military service.
The measure passed through the Senate and House without objection, but took several years to get through Congress. The Obama administration has expressed reservations about the need for the new IDs, but has not threatened to veto the legislation.
Aaron Pollick continues do an outstanding job on his Hawaii Army National Guard – Historical Facebook page.
In his most current post, Aaron comments:
To my amazement something I thought I would never see, I’m very passionate about Hawaii Guards history and very few individuals have this craving desire, it’s a non-gratifying interest to many, however today I take my hat off to MSG Dana Mueller, a dedicated individual that has the passion, desire, and the love of the Hawaii Guard. His exhibitions are at the Hawaii National Guard’s 298th Regional Training Institution School in Waimanalo.
There are a number of underlying problems and health conditions that can lead to knee pain. Some happen suddenly and others may develop slowly and gradually worsen.
SPC Ronald E. Bright on keyboards with the 111th Army Band Combo. SSG James Ahloy on sax. Hawaii National Guard photo.
click on photograph to enlarge
First Sergeant Ronald E. Bright served for 30 years with the Hawai‘i Army National Guard. He was a member of the 111th Army Band. During his tenure, the band transitioned to a very entertaining show band. The members sang and did song and dance routines. And there were those Christmas concerts…..
This 1993 pūpūkahi provides an overview of 1SG Bright’s service with the 111th Army Band. Ron Bright pūpūkahi article
Related:
This morning’s Star Advertiser article describes Ron Bright’s impact on his students.
This 1999 Honolulu Star Bulletin article more background on Ron Bright as the Hawai‘i Alliance of Arts Education honored him for his lifetime commitment to public school education.
Mahalo to contributing editor Stephen Lum for providing the 1993 pūpūkahi article and the photograph
click on photograph to enlarge
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor may be the world’s greatest air superiority jet, but the supercruise fighter came with some major structural flaws that are still being addressed.
One $350-million programme in particular is making a mix of five major structural changes to 162 aircraft, including a mid-fuselage and engine bay retrofit, just so each can reach its promised service life of 8,000 flight hours.
Another ongoing effort, known as the reliability and maintainability maturation programme (RAMMP), is buying 10,824 upgrades kits through 2020 at a cost of more than $1.7 billion. The kits deal with various deficiencies, from the landing gear light that doesn’t always work to a $30 million upgrade of the cockpit’s primary multifunction display.
If you’re with someone who could be having a heart attack, you should never delay in getting help — even if you only suspect there is a problem.
Watch out for these heart attack symptoms — and learn what to do about them
After revelations that a compromised contractor login abetted a grandiose breach of federal employees’ background investigations, now comes word that Defense Department suppliers score below hacked retailers when it comes to cyber defense.
The new industry-developed cyber rankings — and the recent Office of Personnel Management hack — raise questions about the extent to which cybersecurity is a shared responsibility between government agencies and contractors.
Left to right: Paul Putzulu, State Fusion Center; Maj Gen Arthur “Joe” Logan, Adjutant General, Connie Lau, President and CEO, Hawaiian Electric Industries, Stephen M. McMenamin, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Hawaiian Electric Industries
Hawaiian Electric Company and the Hawai‘i State Fusion Center, under the direction of the State of Hawai‘i Department of Defense, today committed to collaborate on safety and security to safeguard the people of Hawaii.
The two organizations signed a (MOU) to share information about cyber-criminal activity, terrorism, and natural or human-caused disasters as a way of further protecting the people of Hawai‘i and essential infrastructure and assets like the utility grid.
The Hawai‘i State Fusion Center includes federal, state, local, territorial, and private sector partners who are committed to sharing actionable intelligence for the safety and security of Hawai‘i and the nation.
The MOU was signed by Maj. Gen. Arthur “Joe” Logan, state adjutant general and homeland security advisor who directs fusion center activities, and Connie Lau who chairs Hawaiian Electric’s board and is president & CEO of HEI, Inc. “We see the Hawaii State Fusion Center as a unique ‘neighborhood watch’ where public and private organizations can share and receive information about threats – from terrorism to inclement weather – that could affect Hawaiian Electric’s ability to deliver safe and reliable service to all our customers,” said Stephen M. McMenamin, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president and chief information officer. “This includes information about our power generation and distribution systems. It does not include private information of our customers.”
The Fusion Center is structured to empower front-line law enforcement, public safety, fire service, emergency response, public health, critical infrastructure protection, and private sector security personnel to understand local implications of national intelligence, thus enabling local officials to better protect their communities. In addition, the HSFC directly supports territorial partner American Samoa and coordinates with the Guam-based Marianas Regional Fusion Center, the sole Asia-Pacific regional Fusion Center partner.
In today’s longevity economy, retirement as we know it is disappearing.
A 22-year-old citizen-soldier from Hawaii “crushed” the competition at the 2015 Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition at Camp Williams, Utah, the Hawaii National Guard said.
Specialist Cruser Barnes, a University of Hawaii-Manoa kinesiology student and scout with Troop A, 1st Squadron, 299th Cavalry Regiment, was named Soldier of the Year after winning the grueling three-day national test in late June, which stressed competitors both physically and mentally.
Wesley K. Endo, 69, of Mililani, a retired schoolteacher and swim coach at Mililani High School, an Army veteran and an Army National Guard retiree, passed away on May 29, 2015. He was born in Wahiawa.
He is survived by wife Sandra, son Brandon W., daughter Jennifer, parents Paul and Sumiko, and brother Ted.
Visitation: 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel. Services: 6:30 p.m. No flowers.
Antone “Tony” Amaral Jr., 84, of Hilo, a retired maintenance mechanic/ plumber for the Army’s Pohakuloa Training Area, former maintenance supervisor for Kilauea Military Camp in Volcano and a Hawaii Army National Guard veteran, passed away on June 9, 2015. He was born in Hilo.
He is survived by wife Lorraine, son Antone “Tony,” daughter Roxcie Waltjen and four grandchildren.
Visitation: 6 p.m. Thursday at Dodo Mortuary Chapel. Services: 7 p.m. Additional visitation: 8 a.m. Friday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hilo. Mass: 10 a.m. Burial to follow at Homelani Memorial Park, Section 7. Casual attire. Flowers welcome.
Roy Tsugio Amano, 71, of Hilo, a retired employee of the former Verizon/Hawaiian Tel Co. and a Hawaii Army National Guard veteran, passed away in Oregon on April 18, 2015. He was born in Hilo.
He is survived by wife Hazelynn, daughters Lynne and Karis, brother Richard and sisters Terue “Terry” Shimabuku, Betty Ikehara and June Strong.
Visitation: 2 p.m. Saturday at Dodo Mortuary Chapel in Hilo. Services: 3 p.m. Casual attire.
Smoke alarms are an important tool for preventing home fire deaths. If you have a fire in your home, working smoke alarms provide an early warning so you can quickly escape. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half.
If your smoke alarm is more than 10 years old, it’s time to replace it. Smoke alarms are one of the best safety devices to protect yourself, your family, and your home. Before you buy and install a home smoke alarm, follow these USFA tips:
* Choose smoke alarms that communicate with each other, so if one alarm sounds, they all will;
* Put smoke alarms on every level of your home, in every bedroom, and in the hallway outside of each sleeping area;
* Place smoke alarms on the ceiling or high on the wall. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for the best place for your alarm; and
* Use only qualified electricians to install hardwired smoke alarms.
For more information about smoke alarms, take a look at this USFA public safety announcement.
