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IN THE MILITARY
Brig. Gen. Tice
By Gregg K. Kakesako
moves up to
assist Adm. Blair
Star-BulletinBrig. Gen. Mike Tice, commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard's 154th Wing at Hickam Air Force Base, has been selected as the new reserve forces mobilization assistant to Adm. Dennis Blair, Pacific Forces commander.
Tice will pin on his second star once he assumes his new duties at Camp Smith. His deputy, Col. Walter Kaneakua, retired June 1 to take a position with Aloha Airlines.
The Hawaii Air National Guard is now seeking to fill both Tice's and Kaneakua's positions.
Steven Spielberg's TV drama about the Marine Corps, "Semper Fi," which is still considering Hawaii as a shooting location, will not be part of NBC's fall lineup. However, it is planned as a possible midseason replacement after January. NBC already has purchased 11 episodes.
The Spark M. Matsunaga Veterans Affairs Medical and Regional Center has a new seven-passenger van donated by the Hawaii chapter of the Disabled American Veterans.
The current van, donated by DAV five years ago, has logged more than 100,000 miles. Last year, the van provided 748 veterans with transportation to VA facilities, often providing airport transportation for neighbor island veterans seeking treatment at Tripler Army Medical Center and the veterans facility there.
Apparently, there won't be any more base-closure commissions until there is a new president in the White House.
The Senate, by a 63-35 vote last week, tabled an effort to approve two more rounds of base closings as part of the 2001 defense authorization bill.
Proponents argued that $25 billion would have been saved if more bases were closed in 2003 and 2005. The savings could have been used to cover $20 billion of the services' unfunded priorities.
Democratic presidential contender Al Gore supports closing more bases, but Republican George W. Bush says a review of current facilities and needs should be undertaken before any more bases can be considered excess.
Rear Adm. Townes III, Navy Region commander at Pearl Harbor, left Monday to assume command of the USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier now in the Persian Gulf.
As commander of an aircraft carrier battle group, Townes will be responsible for 10,000 sailors, 10 ships and an air wing.
He will be replaced by Rear Adm. Robert Conway Jr. as Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific commander at Pearl Harbor.
Military events
