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In the Military
Gregg K. Kakesako
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Pacific Fleet subs to get new commander
Rear Adm. Joseph A. Walsh will become the new commander of the Pacific Fleet's Submarine Force at Pearl Harbor. Walsh is currently serving as director of Submarine Warfare Division for the chief of naval operations at the Pentagon. He will replace Rear Adm. Jeffrey Cassias this summer.
Brig. Gen. Joe Chaves, who will continue as commander of the 29th Brigade Combat Team, says one of the most memorable moments during a 10-month Iraqi combat tour occurred last September when a joint defensive effort took out two insurgent mortar positions that had been harassing his operations at Logistical Support Area Anaconda near Balad.
That mission made use of a 27-foot Predator unmanned aircraft that fired Hellfire missiles. It also made national news. Chaves said working with 1st Brigade Combat Team and an Air Force crew "we were able to get a Predator over both sites and take out 11 insurgents who were shooting the mortars at us. At one site we killed five insurgents and at the other site we killed six."
It was a multi-service effort using the Predator. The base had been under constant mortar and rocket attacks from the two positions until the two Predator strikes.
Chaves will assume control of the entire Hawaii Army National Guard next month.
Chaves will replace Brig. Gen. Vern Miyagi, who last month was promoted to be the mobilization assistant to Adm. William Fallon, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command at Camp Smith, in early April. Miyagi's new job will mean a promotion to his second star as a major general.
Retired Gen. Eric Shinseki, Army chief of staff from 1999 to 2003, will share his life's journey -- "Growing up rich on Kauai: Character, Values and Leadership" -- in a presentation at Punahou School's Dillingham Hall from 6 to 7:30 p.m. March 8. A native of Kauai, Shinseki graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1965 and served for 38 years in a succession of military command and staff assignments worldwide, including two combat tours in Vietnam and over 10 years in Cold War and post-Cold War Europe. He now holds the Class of 1951 Chair on Leadership as a visiting professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Lt. Gen. Franklin Hagenbeck, who in 1973-74 served as executive officer for the 25th Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, has been nominated to become the 57th superintendent at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Hagenbeck, a 1971 graduate of West Point, has commanded the 10th Mountain Division. He will replace the retiring Lt. Gen. William Lennox, Jr. in June.
Currently, he is the deputy chief of staff, and in that capacity as the Army's chief of personnel, Hagenbeck visited with Schofield Barracks soldiers last month.
Army Special Forces Master Sgt. Sarun Sar, who already has earned the Silver Star, has been awarded two Bronze Star medals for his service in combat in Afghanistan. One of the bronze star awards was for valor. Sar was cited for successfully responding to attacks on his base camp near the Pakistan border. Sar led his men to achieve their mission of denying the enemy the chance to continue attacks on his base camp. "I didn't go out on these missions to be a hero, but to do my job of creating a better security environment for the Afghan people," said Sar.
"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.