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IN THE MILITARY

By Clayton Kamiya, Special to the Star-Bulletin
Col. Jason Kamiya is pinned as a one-star brigadier general
by retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey, left, head of the National
Drug Control Policy office, and Kamiya's wife, Carmen,
in a ceremony Dec. 11 at the Pentagon.

Col. Kamiya promoted
to brigadier general

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By Gregg K. Kakesako
Star-Bulletin

Col. Jason Kamiya, 1972 St. Louis School graduate, earlier this month was pinned as a one-star brigadier general during a Pentagon ceremony.

Kamiya, whose father, Lawrence, served with the 100th Battalion in World War II, is the deputy director for strategy plans and policy directorate in the office of the deputy chief of staff for operations.

Attending the Pentagon ceremony were family members Carmen Kamiya, his wife; his two daughters, Kelly and Jamie; father, Lawrence; his mother, Regina; and brother, Clayton.

Beginning April 1, an estimated 1.4 million military retirees 65 years and older, including 10,500 in Hawaii, will be eligible to receive pharmacy benefits.

These beneficiaries will not pay enrollment fees or annual premiums for their TRICARE pharmacy benefits. However, they will have to pay modest co-payments when they use the National Mail Order Program and retail network pharmacies.

Democratic Rep. Neil Abercrombie, who helped to shepherd the change through Congress this year, said the improved benefit is "part of our effort to redeem the pledge made to military personnel when they enlisted years ago."

Retired Army Col. Edward Schowalter, a Korean War Medal of Honor recipient, recently was presented the Republic of Korea War Service Medal, originally awarded by the government of South Korea in 1951, but not recognized by the United States until August 1999.

Schowalter, a veteran of three wars, served in the Merchant Marine during World War II. He was an Army officer in the Korean War and completed two tours of duty in Vietnam. For his heroism in Vietnam he was awarded the Silver Star.

Pinning on the medal at the Fort Shafter ceremony was his son, Lt. Col. Steve Schowalter, who works for the operations division of the U.S. Army Pacific.

Brig. Gen. Gene LaCoste, director of Army safety and commander of the U.S. Army Center, was recently in the islands to present certificates of appreciation to members of the city's ocean safety division for their help in making the Army's new water safety film.

The city plans to use the film to counter the recent rash of drownings and water mishaps.

Three island Naval Reserve officers have been nominated to the grade of rear admiral at Pearl Harbor. They are:

James Allan, supply corps, who is assistant deputy chief of staff for logistics, fleet supply and ordnance with the Pacific Fleet

Maurice Hill, senior health care executive, who is the Pacific Fleet's dental officer

James Walley, civil engineer corps, who is vice commander for contingency engineering and reserve programs, at the Pacific Division's Naval Facilities Engineering Command.