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Kamiya earns
promotion to general
The St. Louis graduate joins 2
By Gregg K. Kakesako
other locals who are active
Army generals
Star-BulletinArmy Col. Jason Kamiya, a 1972 St. Louis School graduate, has been selected for promotion to one-star general.
Kamiya, 45, will join two other Hawaii residents who are generals in the active Army. They are Brig. Gen. Joseph Peterson, a 1968 St. Louis alumnus; and Brig. Gen. Antonio Taguba, a 1968 graduate of Leilehua High School.
The highest ranking Asian American in the military is Gen. Eric "Ric" Shinseki, a former Kauai resident; he will be chief of staff of the Army until 2003.
Shinseki is the only Hawaii resident to wear four stars; six from Hawaii wear three stars.
Other Asian American generals in the reserves include Brig. Gen. Myron Dobashi, Hawaii Air National Guard commander; Brig. Gen. Clarence Agena, deputy adjutant general; Brig. Gen.-select Glen Sakagawa, 29th Infantry Brigade commander; and Maj. Gen.-select Dennis Kamimura, Pacific area Army Guard commander.
Kamiya is chief of staff for the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.
Kamiya's brother, Clayton, said that while growing up in Palolo Valley "Jason knew that he wanted to be a soldier. He was in JROTC while attending St. Louis and on the school's rifle team."
Kamiya -- whose father, Lawrence, served with the 100th Battalion in World War II -- attended Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash., and after graduation entered the Army as a second lieutenant.
After completing the Army's infantry basic officer's course, Kamiya served as a platoon leader and company executive officer with the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea.
During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990-91, he served as deputy operations officer with the 24th Infantry Division.
He commanded the 101st Airborne Division's 1st Battalion from 1992-94.
From 1997-99 Kamiya headed the Warrior Brigade at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Ft. Polk, La. He has been the 101st chief of staff since June 1999.
Kamiya holds a master's degree from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. His wife, Carmen, is from Kauai. They have two children.
