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Ohana Day recognizes
Hawaii soldiers

Gov. Linda Lingle will attend the state's second Ohana Day, which honors all servicemembers for their efforts and support in the war against terrorism, Dec. 11 at Wheeler Army Airfield.

Ohana Day events, which will begin at 10 a.m., will include a visit with Santa, music by the Air Force band, games, entertainment by the Hawaii Pacific University dancers, free lunches, popcorn and shave ice.

More than 14,000 servicemembers are either deployed or preparing for deployment. The largest group of citizen soldiers since World War II are in Texas preparing for a year in Iraq beginning in February.

The 29th Brigade Combat Team, with more than 2,000 island reservists, will take a break from its training at Fort Bliss on Dec. 20. About 300 members of the brigade, however, won't be leaving Texas during the break.

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STAFF SGT. TERRY WELCH Col. B. Shannon Davis, commander of Task Force Wings, touched the identification tags of Lt. Col. Michael McMahon, commander of 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, at a memorial ceremony yesterday on Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. McMahon was one of three Schofield soldiers and three civilians who died Nov. 27 when their cargo plane crashed.

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Citizen soldiers of the Army Reserve's 100th Battalion report that they are looking forward to their Christmas leave beginning Dec. 20, leaving behind the cold and snow at Fort Bliss. Maj. Mike Peeters, the battalion's executive officer, said "the tactics, techniques and procedures are similar to the environment in Iraq and will pay big dividends once we enter that theater."

Peeters said the 29th Brigade Combat Team, which the 100th is part of, is "evolving very well" and make a strong impression on their active-duty trainers.

"There has been a lot of positive things said about the 100th Battalion and our strong foundation of trained troops. Although all of the brigade is doing well, the 100th Battalion has made a tremendous impression on key leaders who have witnessed our boys in action."

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The 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, "America's Battalion," from Kaneohe Bay formally took control of Area of Operations Trinity in central and eastern Afghanistan on Nov. 25, relieving the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, unfurling its red and gold colors in a combat zone for the first time in over a decade.

Army Col. Gary H. Cheek, commander of Task Force Thunder, said: "I cannot tell you how honored I am to serve with all of you here today. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that as a field artillery colonel in the United States Army I would serve alongside infantryman from the United States Marine Corps. I have been deeply touched by the great quality of your leaders and the great spirit of your men. No greater honor have I had in my entire career.

"The real key is the population, the Afghan people who are out there," Cheek said. "It is our interaction with them that is going to win the war. It means the insurgents have nowhere to turn to for support. The people are not going to give them shelter or give them food."

The rifle companies of America's Battalion control an area roughly the size of West Virginia, and Afghanistan's parliamentary elections loom as the next goal for this battalion, according to Lt. Col. Norm Cooling, commander of the nearly 1,000 Kaneohe Marines.

Cooling said he was happy to be working with the 25th Infantry Division, based out of Schofield Barracks. "They're our Oahu ohana. We just had to go to the other side of the world in order to work with them," Cooling said.

"We go where the fight is and we win it. The fight here, we recognize, is not only against the Taliban and other anti-Afghan forces, but also a battle for the trust of the people."