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In the Military
Gregg K. Kakesako
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First C-17 heading to Hickam in February
The first of eight C-17 Globemaster cargo jets, which make up the first Air Force and Air National unit, will arrive at Hickam Air Force Base on Feb. 8. The active-duty portion of the more than 150-member unit will be the 535th Airlift Squadron, commanded by Lt. Col. Chris Davis. The other component will be the Hawaii Air National Guard's 204th Airlift Squadron, which will be led by Lt. Col. Scott Kinsey.
The unit will have 40 air crews, with three coming from the active Air Force and five from the National Guard. Each jet will be assigned five crews. Its maintenance section will have a similar mixture of active Air Force and National Guard personnel. The aircraft, air crews and mechanics will be housed at a new $190 million facility at Hickam.
The first C-17 will be named "Spirit of Hawaii, Ke Aloha." One C-17 can carry three Stryker armored vehicles, four Humvees and eight soldiers 2,720 miles.
The civilian attorney for the 20-year-old former 25th Infantry Division soldier convicted two years ago of killing an Iraqi civilian said he fired only because the victim "jumped" his leader.
On Tuesday, Virginia attorney Charles Gittins appealed the April 2005 sentencing of Pfc. Edward Richmond, a member of A Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment. The appeal was filed in the U.S. Army Court of Appeals in Arlington, Va.
Richmond was convicted of shooting and killing Muhamad Husain Kadir on Feb. 28, 2004, and sentenced to three years for voluntary manslaughter.
In his written appeal, provided by Gittins, Richmond said his squad leader, Sgt. Jeffrey Waruch, told his unit before the mission the soldiers could fire and kill any men fleeing the village. Waruch's squad's mission on Feb. 28 was to set up traffic control points at the northern and southern access to the village. No Iraqis were allowed to leave or enter the village while it was being searched. Kadir was detained in the village. Richmond's appeal says Kadir resisted when flexicuffs were being placed on him.
Maj. Gen. Gale Pollock, chief of the Army Nurse Corps and commander of the Tripler Army Medical Center, was recognized last week with the Baylor Alumni Association distinguished alumni award. She graduated from Baylor in 1986 with a master's degree in health-care administration from the Army-Baylor graduate program at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. She also earned a bachelor of science in nursing in 1976 from the University of Maryland, a master of science in business administration in 1984 from Boston University, and a master's degree in national resource strategy in 1997 from the National Defense University.
U.S. Naval Academy officials will hold an admissions information forum beginning at 1 p.m. Jan. 29 at the Wo International Center on the Punahou School campus. Speakers will include Don Nelson, Annapolis assistant director of admissions; and Lt. Courtenay Smith, admissions officer for Hawaii. The event is open to middle and high school students, families and high school guidance counselors.
"In the Military" was compiled from wire reports and other sources by reporter
Gregg K. Kakesako, who covers military affairs for the Star-Bulletin. He can be reached by phone at 294-4075 or by e-mail at
gkakesako@starbulletin.com.