COL Bryan Suntheimer, currently the Hawai‘i Army National Guard Chief of Staff, will become the J4 Mobilization Assistant at United States Pacific Command. He will replace BG Martha N. Wong, a HIARNG member currently serving in the J4 position. There is no established start date for his new assignment.
The position is a general’s billet and he has a certificate for promotion to brigadier general. COL Suntheimer’s pinning ceremony will be prior to his start date.
Congratulations to COL Suntheimer!
Variously known as the Fourth of July and Independence Day, July 4th has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution (1775-83).
In 1775, people in New England began fighting the British for their independence. In June 1776, representatives of the 13 colonies then fighting in the revolutionary struggle weighed a resolution that would declare their independence from Great Britain.
On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later its delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence was on July 8, 1776. Delegates began to sign the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776.
Interestingly, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, both signers of the Declaration of Independence and presidents of the United States, died on July 4, 1826 – exactly 50 years after the adoption of the declaration.
The first description of how Independence Day would be celebrated was in a letter from John Adams to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776. He described “pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations” throughout the United States. However, the term “Independence Day” was not used until 1791.
In 1870, Independence Day was made an unpaid holiday for federal employees. In 1941, it became a paid holiday for them.
From 1776 until the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with typical festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues.
If you haven’t seen this clip yet, it’s well worth a few minutes of your time, especially for those who have served or have family/friends who have served. U.S. Representative Tammy Duckworth exposes and publicly shames a recipient of U.S. taxpayer funds.
It is one of those rare Congressional exchanges that’s both dramatic and compelling: During a recent House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), who lost her legs and use of her right arm when she served in Iraq, dressed down an IRS contractor who used his military disability status to receive government contracts reserved for disabled vets.
The catch? Braulio Castillo, the CEO of Strong Castle, Inc., claimed disability based on an injury he sustained at the U.S. Military Preparatory School nearly 30 years ago. The Times reports that Castillo broke his foot at the prep school, but went on to play football in college.
Duckworth pounced. It’s worth watching the whole thing. The second comment below the video says it all, “I think he was the only one in the room who didn’t really get it.”
View the video http://ow.ly/mBZrX
Thanks to Fred Hyun and several others who forwarded this link.
The Hawai‘i National Guard Enlisted Association (HNGEA) will hold a fund raising car wash on Sunday, July 28, 2013 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. The car wash location is the Audi showroom at 2770 Waiwai Loop, on the corner of Lagoon Drive and North Nimitz Highway.
Funds raised will subsidize the HNGEA annual scholarship awards, unit membership events, and to support the HNGEA – EANGUS delegation team.
Car wash tickets are $10.00 and you can get tickets from HNGEA unit representatives or unit First Sergeants. You can buy a ticket at the car wash.
Come out and support the Hawai‘i National Guard Enlisted Association!
Defense Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS) is implementing a new password security system for its MyPay online pay program. If you use MyPay, go to these pages to learn more about the password changes. The new system requires a lengthy 15 to 30 character password with the use of special characters. Plus, we have to change passwords every 60 days.
YES this applies to retirees because your Guard/Reserve retirement payments are issued by DFAS.
The first link below has the implementation dates according to the last 2 digits of your Social Security number. http://www.dfas.mil/mypayinfo/password.html
The second link provides the password requirements. http://www.dfas.mil/mypayinfo/password.html
Want to know more about the F-35 Lightning II – go to https://www.f35.com/
The Air Force would have to call up the Guard and Reserve in any armed conflict beyond those its already fighting because of sequestration, Air Combat Command boss Gen. Mike Hostage said in a July 27 interview. Hostage said he’s got just enough ready Active Duty forces available to meet existing and near-term combat needs in “named operations” such as Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and the nuclear mission, but no more. “Where I’ve taken a risk is a contingency,” he said. “If Syria…Iran…or North Korea blows up, I don’t have a bunch of excess forces I can immediately shift to that conflict. I’m going to have to pull them from other places.” He explained that the Air Force is “looking at using mobilization authority to have greater access to Guard and Reserve forces. The problem is, that’s very expensive, and if sustained over a long period of time, we’ll likely have some political and economic ramifications that may make it hard to continue that.” However, “we’re going to give it a try because I fundamentally don’t have enough Active Duty operational forces to meet the requirement, given the sequester.”
Miles Tamura and Clifford Kobashigawa attend Col Reynold Hioki’s pinning ceremony. They were Traditional Guardmembers who served with the 201st Combat Communications Group. Miles retired several years ago from his job with the Navy. Cliff just retired from Kamehameha Schools after many years of service.
Cliff reported that two other Hawai‘i Air National Guard retirees continue with Kamehameha Schools. Ford Chinen works in human resources, a natural follow-on to his career with the Human Resources Office. Sidney Keliipuleole is part of the staff who are working Kamehameha’s Kaka‘ako developments.
Col Duke Pirak will assume command of the 154th Operations Group on Wednesday, July 3, 2013, starting at 1600. The Change of Command Ceremony will take place at the Missing Man Memorial (behind the Hickam O’Club). Col Pirak comes the Hawai‘i from the Oregon Air National Guard. Col Glen “Knockers” Nakamura, the former 154 OG commander is already serving as the 154th Wing Vice Commander.
Maj Regina Berry will assume command of the 154th Force Support Squadron on Saturday, July 13, 2013, starting at 0800. The Change of Command Ceremony will take place in Building 3317, (the Dining Facility). Lt Col Sharnell Valeho, the current commander, will become the State Family Program Director. She takes over for MAJ Queschae Blue-Clark, who took an active duty tour with the Army at Schofield Barracks.
Maj Dane Minami will assume command of the 154th Security Forces Squadron on Saturday, July 13, 2013, starting at 0900. The Change of Command Ceremony will take place in Building 3317, (the Dining Facility). The current commander, Maj Nicholas Mitsunaga, will continue his career with the Air Force Reserve.
Congratulations to all!
Defense Department officials will move forward in making benefits available to all military spouses, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said in a statement issued after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act. Read more http://ow.ly/mu1bp
Medicare provides health insurance to nearly all Americans age 65 and older, and covers a significant portion of hospital stays, doctor’s visits and prescription drug costs for retirees. Here’s how to make sure you are taking advantage of all that Medicare has to offer. Read more http://ow.ly/msPiR
STOP! Before you pass on this article because, “it doesn’t apply to me.” Think again. You may not have served in a war zone, but you probably know a friend, relative or co-worker who did.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disease posted an article titled “27 Things about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.” Please read on http://ow.ly/mrTkz
Governor Neil Abercrombie recently signed Senate Bill 933 into law as Act 164. Act 164 extends for five years the general excise tax exclusion for amounts received by a managed care support contractor of the TRICARE program for the actual cost or advancement to third-party health care providers. If the TRICARE contractor, currently UnitedHealthcare Military & Veterans, previously TriWest Healthcare Alliance, did not get this exclusion, the costs would probably be passed on to TRICARE beneficiaries. This Act is effective July 1, 2013.
The United States Department of Defense established the TRICARE program as the managed care component of the military health system. The TRICARE program is a federal government program that provides health care services to over nine million Americans, composed of active duty, reserve, and retired members of the United States uniformed services, their family members, and survivors, including approximately one hundred fifty thousand current and former service members and their family members who reside in Hawai‘i.
Read the bill http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2013/Bills/GM1267_.pdf
There’s no denying it: Most of us are going to need some form of long-term health care during our golden years. And costs of such care are rising. Read more http://ow.ly/mlSFo
