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IN THE MILITARY
UH, Navy, Heco
By Gregg K. Kakesako
develop solar, money-
saving system
Star-BulletinA unique partnership between the University of Hawaii, the U.S. Navy and Hawaiian Electric Co. has resulted in development of a photovoltaic system that will save the Navy 3,150 kilowatt hours per year, or $315 annually.
The solar power system, installed on the roof of the Ford Island boat house in Pearl Harbor, was dedicated this morning and will generate 2 kilowatts from a series of solar cells which are integrated with roofing materials.
Heco said the roof-top system, which eliminates the need for separate solar panels, will generate enough electricity to power an average home.
More than 1.200 high school students will spend their spring break wearing Army camouflage uniforms while attending the annual Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps' camp at Schofield Barracks.
The annul spring camp involves Army and Air Force student cadets from 21 island high schools Saturday through next Thursday.
Brig. Gen. David Barno, 25th Infantry Division assistant commander, will be the guest speaker at Saturday's 5 p.m. opening ceremonies. Closing ceremonies will be held at 1 p.m. March 30 and will feature State Education Superintendent Paul LeMahieu.
The cadets' training will include rappelling from a 56-foot tower, maneuvering through an obstacle course and rope bridges and figuring out land navigation exercises. The students will be taught by soldiers from the Army's 25th Infantry Division and the Hawaii Army National Guard.
Officials at the Johnston Atoll Chemical Disposal System facility have destroyed 92 percent of the chemical weapons and 3.5 million pounds of the chemical agent stored on the island, located 800 miles southwest of Hawaii.
Still to be destroyed are 14,519 8-inch projectiles, 13,302 land mines, and 66 1-ton containers.
Recently, the facility completed 42,678 projectile casings, six days ahead of schedule.
Gary McCloskey, project manager, said four projectiles could not be opened and will be temporarily stored until they can be destroyed during a later campaign reserved for processing rejects.
Retired Navy Capt. Glenn Arthur recently presided over the retirement ceremony of the attack nuclear submarine USS William H. Bates, which was taken out of service at Pearl Harbor after a quarter century of service.
Arthur, who was also a Connecticut state representative, was the Bates' first skipper. The submarine was named after U.S. Rep. William Bates of Massachusetts, who served from 1950-1969.
Legal officers representing the 25th Infantry Division and U.S. Army Hawaii were among 46 active duty and reserve component commands honored recently for providing outstanding legal assistance.
Recipients of the 1999 Army Chief of Staff Award for Excellence, they were judged on the quality of legal service provided to Army soldiers, their dependents and retirees.
The Army says that 200 Army lawyers provided legal assistance last year to 180,000 clients. They handled wills and powers of attorney, filed income tax returns, notarized documents and took care of other personal legal matters.
American Samoa's Lt. Gov. Togiola Tulafono was recently in Hawaii to finalize U.S. Navy support of the American Samoa centennial April 15-21.
More than 20 U.S. Navy sailors who are originally from American Samoa will be part of the U.S. delegation, which also includes the San Diego-based guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur, the Hawaii-based U.S. Coast Guard cutter Kukui, a joint Navy-Marine Corps band and dignitaries from the Navy and other military services. The U.S. Navy's history in American Samoa began in Oct. 10, 1839, when Lt. Charles Wilkins sailed into Pago Pago Harbor on the island of Tutuila aboard the USS Vincennes as part of a U.S. expedition.
Moving up
Pearl Harbor: Capt. Fred Byus relieved Capt. Mark Kenny as commander of Submarine Squadron 7.
