IN THE MILITARY

Stopping in Kaneohe
on their way home

By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Six F-18 aircraft yesterday stopped off at the Kaneohe Marine
Corps Air Station en route from Iwakuni, Japan, to their home base
in Miramar, Calif. Surprised pilots had to stand by their planes
after learning they needed to be inspected by customs officials
since Wake Island, another stopping point, is
considered a foreign port.

Island reservists called
to active duty in Bosnia

By Gregg K. Kakesako
Star-Bulletin

Two Hawaii-based Army Reserve soldiers are part of the contingent of more than 13,000 citizen soldiers who have been called to active duty for nine months to support the U.S. mission in Bosnia.

Capt. Gina Salvia, a military intelligence officer, is the second Pacific Army reservist to support NATO's Bosnia operations.

Under the current presidential call-up, "Operation Joint Forge," Salvia with the 368th Military Intelligence Company left Sept. 11 for Fort Benning's mobilization station for processing for the nine-month tour. She will be assigned to Molesworth Royal Air Force Base in England.

Already on active duty is Warrant Officer Glen Kamanao, a linguist from the 368th. He was sent to Kosovo.

As a counterintelligence officer, Salvia -- who is employed by Northwest Airlines -- will be responsible for retrieving and disseminating reports.

The "Brothers in Valor" memorial at Waikiki's Fort DeRussy was recently cited by the Building Industry Association as a Merit Award winner.

The award was in the nonresidential landscaping category. Architect for the memorial was Gene Ashina with the work done by Universal Construction.

The memorial, which honors four Japanese-American World War II units (the 100th Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service and the 1399th Engineers), consists of four landscaped quadrants dedicated to each of the Army units.

It was one of 33 entries in the association's Hawaii Renaissance Remodeling Competition.

Lt. Gen. William P. Smith, U.S. Army Pacific commanding general, will preside over the investiture ceremony Sept 15 at the Hale Koa Hotel for World War II veteran William Paty, who parachuted into Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944, as the new civilian aide to the secretary of the Army for the Pacific area.

Also recognized at the same ceremony will be Christina Kemmer, vice president for civic affairs with Communications Pacific, the new civilian aide to the Army secretary for Hawaii.

Paty and Kemmer will serve as unpaid liaisons with Army Secretary Louis Caldera.

Sen. Daniel Akaka wants to extend the provisions of a 1992 law he authored that would allow members of the National Guard and the Army Reserve, who have completed six years of service, to be eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs home loans.

The current authorization will expire in four years and Akaka now wants to make the program permanent.

New commanders

USS Cheyenne (Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine): Cmdr. William Stacia relieved Cmdr. Jeff Zerbe. The Cheyenne is the newest submarine in the Pacific Fleet.

Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station (in Wahiawa): Capt. Donald Kerrigan replaced Capt. Julie Keesling, who moved to the staff of the commander in chief of the Atlantic Fleet.

100th Battalion/442nd Infantry (Pacific Army Reserve): Lt. Col. Ron Lee succeeded Lt. Col. McKinley Collins, who was reassigned to the 322nd Civil Affairs Group.

Pacific Army Reserve: Maj. Gen. Curtis Loop replaced Maj. Gen. Kelly Lau as deputy commanding general. Lau retired.

U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory: Col. David Pagono took over the reins from Col. James "Jim" Colvin Jr., who has been assigned as G4 at the Third Army at Fort McPherson, Ga.