|
In the Military
Gregg K. Kakesako
|
Legislature to honor fallen troops
A joint session of the House and Senate of the state Legislature will be held at 2 p.m. March 25 to honor 31 service members with Hawaii ties who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan during the past year.
During the 90-minute session, the Hawaii Medal of Honor will be presented to the families or their representatives.
The medal was conceived two years ago by Rep. Mark Takai, a Hawaii Army National Guard medical officer.
Lt. Col. John Sutherland, a U.S. Army Reserve officer assigned to U.S. Pacific Command since 2000 as a Southeast Asian foreign area officer specializing on Vietnamese issues, has been selected to be the first U.S. service member to attend the first training course for international high-ranking military officers at the National Defense Academy in Hanoi from March 4 to June 3.
Sutherland, a 24-year veteran, speaks Vietnamese and has traveled with three different Pacific Command commanders, visiting several countries in the region including Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand.
The Military Reserves Retiree Association will hold its bimonthly meeting on March 15, from 9:45 a.m. to noon starting at Wheeler Army Air Field. Parking will be on the right side of the main gate, or as directed by the gate sentry. Attendees will be bused on a tour of the various facilities they are entitled to use as part of their retirement benefits. The meeting and tour are open to retired military personnel and their spouses from the military reserves and National Guard. Additional information may be obtained by phoning 261-8752 or 739-2208.
"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.