Army considers
replacing Makua

A Schofield brigade's
conversion could alter
future training plans

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By Gregg K. Kakesako
gkakesako@starbulletin.com

In a major shift, the Army now says the Pentagon's recent decision to convert a 25th Infantry Division brigade to be part of its new rapid-deployment force may mean it eventually will not need Makua Valley for live-fire training.

Under the Army's program to transform the brigade, the dollars could be available to relocate such training to Schofield Barracks and realign existing training ranges there.

But Maj. Gen. Craig Whelden, U.S. Army Pacific deputy commanding general, emphasized last night that "no decision" has been made over the future of the 4,100-acre Leeward Oahu valley, and one will not be made for many more years.

"Until then there is a need for Makua," Whelden added.

Several weeks ago, Maj. Gen. James Dubik, the commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division, first spoke of the possibility of realigning the current ranges at Schofield Barracks to build a live fire range to train the soldiers of the proposed interim combat brigade team.

Critics of the Army's continued use of Makua also have repeatedly pointed out that the Waianae valley has outlived its usefulness, there are too many restrictions and is now too small to be used by the proposed fighting force.

Whelden said until the Army on July 12 announced the possibility of converting one of the Tropic Lightning brigades, there was no money to even consider replacing Makua.

"That option is now being reviewed because transformation gives us the flexibility that we didn't have before," Whelden said. "There are dollars that come with transformation."

He said the Army estimates that it will cost $1 billion to convert, outfit and train just one of these new brigades. "About half of that money will go to construction, including realigning of ranges."

The Army is currently barred from firing any weapons in Makua until an Oct. 29 hearing before Federal Judge Susan Oki Mollway when she is expected to make her final decision. Malama Makua, a group of Leeward Oahu residents, challenged the Army's supplemental environmental assessment that resumption of training in Makua will pose no significant impact.

It wants the Army to prepare a more comprehensive environmental impact statement. No training has been done in Makua since September 1998 after several fires, many of them ignited by training, burned through the valley.

In briefing his senior officers, Dubik said he envisions spending $500 million statewide to accommodate the upgrading of one of its two brigades over the next decade.

The money would be used to realign Schofield Barracks ranges, to build other training facilities such as urban warfare sites, and to construct additional barracks, family housing, motor pools, road and airfield upgrades and storage facilities. The Big Island's Pohakuloa Training Area also would be expanded and improved.

Whelden said these funds and options were not available when the Army prepared its environmental assessment last year and argued for the continued need to use Makua, which it has used since 1930.

He added: "If such an option is determined to be feasible, it would still be several years before it could be implemented ... Meanwhile, our urgent need to train forces at Makua now does not change as a result of the Army transformation announcement."

Whelden also said that it would not be right at this time to discuss what could happen to Makua if the Army chose to leave the valley and that all environmental concerns would be addressed if a change was to occur.

On July 12, the Army announced that the 25th Division's 2nd Brigade was one of four selected to fill the Army's need for a force that carries the characteristics of both light infantry and heavier armored tank units.

To meet its new mission, the 2nd Brigade will be getting 480 more soldiers and 300 of the Army's newest wheeled light-armored vehicles.

These eight-wheel, 19-ton troop carriers are being built by General Motors and can be easily transported by C-130 cargo planes.

The unit is to be self-contained enough to fight without additional support for three days.

The goal is to have these special brigade teams on call, ready to deploy to a hot spot in 96 hours.

The Army's current Makua environmental assessment says there are 5,521 acres at Schofield that could be considered as a replacement site.

The Army would need 445 acres to replace Makua's live fire course for a company of 150 soldiers. The 25th Division would suffer "a drastic reduction in overall readiness" during the construction period.

If funding was available, it would take up to four years to relocate existing ranges and build new ones, the Army's environmental assessment says. But soldiers would not have access to any of these ranges and the use of other training facilities would be affected because of safety concerns.

In arguing for continued use of the 456 of the 4,100 acres the Army controls in Makua, the Army rejected changes to Dillingham Airfield, Kahuku and Kawailoa training areas, and Schofield Barracks.