The East-West Center Board of Governors has selected Ms. Suzanne Puanani Vares-Lum to be the institution’s next president. The appointment concludes an extensive search to succeed outgoing president Dr. Richard R. Vuylsteke at the beginning of the new year.
A former Major General in the US Army, Vares-Lum, who goes by Suzy, is the first woman and first Native Hawaiian to lead the Center since it was founded in 1960.
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About East-West Center: Mission and Organization
Off the Hawaii Air National Guard Facebook page
Congratulations to the top-performing Airmen from the 292nd Combat Communications Squadron, who are recipients of the 2021 Information Dominance Awards!
Senior Airman Edilito Ranchez took home the AF Outstanding Cyber Systems Airman Award at the National Guard Bureau level. Additionally, Tech. Sgt. Christopher Brun was selected to receive the AF Outstanding Cyber Systems NCO Award at 254th Combat Communications Group level.
Both Airmen were distinguished amongst their peers for overwhelming achievements that directly impacted their organization, community and several national initiatives over this past year.
“I am regularly impressed by these two Airmen,” said Lt. Col. Todd Curtright. “Tech. Sgt. Brun just returned from a lengthy TDY to Italy, where he supported some of our most important allies in NATO, including Polish service members, during a personnel recovery exercise. Newly promoted Senior Airman Ranchez came off active orders doing great work for the County of Maui as a contact tracer with the joint task force to join the European Deterrence Initiative, where he also supported our NATO allies, bolstering the security and capacity of our partners.”
Ranchez helped support the state’s COVID-19 relief efforts and coordinated lifesaving contact tracing data for thousands of commuters throughout the Hawaiian Islands, and helped with the distribution effort of personal protective equipment. He also played a role in the Air Force’s largest airlift mission of evacuating 74 thousand Afghan evacuees. In addition, Ranchez helped provide for the care of more than 50 unaccompanied minors, providing much-needed relief during a dire situation.
As a client systems specialist, Ranchez’s expertise is critical to virtually all ANG functions, as he provides support for information technology used to carry out the mission daily.
“I was not expecting to win at the Air National Guard level,” said Ranchez, “this was only possible with all the support of my peers and proper training from my supervisor.”
Brun is a cyber transport systems specialist and has worked full-time in the 292nd CBCS for most of his military career. Since joining the HIANG in 2013, Brun has applied his skills toward a job in a local university and has shared his expertise with apprentice Airmen.
“It was an honor to get put in for the award,” said Brun, “as we work hard every day and knowing that it gets noticed, it’s surprising to hear that I won at the level that I won at the group level.”
He has served in a deployed environment and has enhanced the security of network systems with his robust set of cyber competencies.
“Having them recognized at this level is a wonderful validation of the amazing things they do every time they put on the uniform,” said Curtright. “I’m very thankful to their supervisors for putting such strong packages together.”
From the Task and Purpose website
By refusing to abide by the Defense Department’s mandate that all service members get vaccinated for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the governor of Oklahoma and the head of the state’s National Guard have endangered the lives of countless troops and prolonged this miserable pandemic.
Yet Pentagon leaders do not seem to appreciate that this act of defiance is extremely dangerous, especially if other states follow suit.
Army Brig. Gen. Thomas Mancino, the Oklahoma National Guard’s newly installed adjutant general, recently issued a memo at the behest of Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt that exempts Oklahoma National troops from the Defense Department’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Your knees are a wonder. Did you know they are the biggest, strongest, joints in your body?
The 154th Composite Group hosted many family days/open houses over the years. It was always great to bring family and friends to the unit to see what you did on drill weekends.
Oct. 1, 2021, marked the 20th anniversary of TRICARE For Life (TFL). Congress created TFL as Medicare-wraparound coverage in 2001 in order to extend TRICARE coverage to Medicare-eligible military retirees and their family members. Prior to the establishment of TFL, military retirees and their family members lost their TRICARE coverage when they became eligible for Medicare. Today, there are about 2.1 million beneficiaries using TFL, according to the Department of Defense.
So, how do you qualify for TFL? We recently caught up with Anne Breslin, the TFL program manager at the Defense Health Agency, to ask about who is eligible for TFL. If you want to learn more about TFL, check out the Q&As below.
The Kūkā‘ilimoku is the official e-newsletter of the 154th Wing, Hawaii Air National Guard. The first issue came in September 1957 and continues as an e-newsletter today.
Today we feature the November 1964 Kūkā‘ilimoku issue. This issue includes the following stories:
* 154th Fighter Group awarded PACAF Base Commander’s Fire Prevention Award
* Unit updates
* Promotions: including Jose Aquino, Valentine Kaloa
Too much of certain foods can make it harder for your liver to do its job. Over time, that may lead to inflammation, which in turn could cause cirrhosis.
There were no Veterans Day ceremonies again this year. The Oahu Veterans Council created a video – a virtual Veterans Day ceremony – honoring those who have served. Maj. Gen. Suzanne Vares-Lum, United States Army (Ret.) serves as the emcee. One of the program directors is Col. Edward Cruickshank, United States Army (Ret.).
During the 1980s, the 201st Combat Communications Group recruiters created recruiting brochures. These brochures listed benefits and had photographs of unit members and equipment. They were a important part of the recruiting process.
For 2022, Medicare premiums will increase an average of 14.5%. That means the average Medicare user will pay $170.10 monthly, a $21.60 increase from the 2021 monthly premium of $148.50.
When your stomach’s healthy, it’s coated in a layer of sticky mucus. This protects it from the harsh acid that breaks down your food. If something upsets this balance, you end up with more stomach acid and not enough mucus. Over time, that acid gnaws away at the tissue that lines your stomach. The painful and sometimes bloody open sore it causes is called an ulcer. Some are tiny, while others are over an inch long.
Off the Hawaii Air National Guard Facebook page
Congratulations and happy birthday to the HIANG Royal Guard, which was reorganized on this day in 1962.The ceremonial unit has roots that dates back to the 19th century and was originally assigned to protect the Royal Family. Today, the unit carries on that legacy and remains devoted to serve the state of Hawai’i and the people who make upt his precious community.
Off the Hawaii Army National Guard Facebook page
Hawaii Army National Guard soldiers serve their communities at home, and have been an integral asset during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following authorization for 5- to 11-year-olds to receive the vaccine, Hawaii National Guard (HING) Joint Task Force (JTF) service members partnered with the Department of Health and Department of Education to provide non-medical support to public schools administering the vaccines.
Their duties included checking in and registering keiki (who had parental consent), post vaccination support, and set-up and takedown of equipment. This is just one of many events the HING JTF has provided services for during the COVID-19 vaccination process.
If you have questions about vaccinating your keiki please contact their pediatrician or your family doctor. Public schools across Hawai‘i are offering vaccines on campus for keiki ages 5 to 11; check in with your keiki’s school to find out when and where they are being offered.
Retiree News 