THREE DAYS before his wedding, Creighton Hatico wanted to make sure he would be able to have his marriage ceremony and reception at Fort Shafter as planned. Military base weddings
jumbled by terror attacksAT YOUR SERVICE
By Nelson Daranciang
ndaranciang@starbulletin.comThat was on Sept. 12, the day after the terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center.
As a Honolulu police officer, Hatico was aware of the heightened security at the military installations.
So he called the manager of the banquet facility at Hale Ikena at Fort Shafter, who he said assured him that everything was still on. However, his 400 guests may be subject to extensive screening upon entering the Army installation. They would each need to have at least two forms of identification.
Hatico said he was given the option of canceling and getting a full refund. But he wanted to go ahead with the wedding because he thought he would not be able to secure another facility on such short notice.
Then at about 5:30 that afternoon, Hatico said, he got a call from Hale Ikena informing him that his reception had been canceled and he would be getting a refund in a couple of weeks.
"I was driving on the road, and I almost crashed. What am I going to do?"
He broke the news to his fiancee, Dawn.
"She was crushed for three straight days. She was so upset."
Because the airports were closed, it appeared his fiancee's relatives on the Big Island were unable to travel to Oahu. Luckily, the airports reopened before the weekend.
Dot's In Wahiawa was available for the reception. And Hatico was able to secure the Honolulu Board of Water Supply's Xeriscape Garden in Halawa for the marriage ceremony and picture taking.
Then came the task of informing all of the 400 guests of the move.
"We got on the phone on Friday, e-mail, we were really scrambling to let everybody know," said Hatico's mother, Donna.
"Me, my (fiancee), mother-in-law, mom, grandparents, uncles, aunties -- anybody who could helped," Hatico said.
In the end, Hatico said, the wedding and reception turned out better than it would have gone at Fort Shafter.
To date, the Army said, all catering events at Hale Ikena and Nehelani at Schofield Barracks have been canceled.
The facilities were closed for only a few days, the Army said. After that, it was left up to the customers to decide whether to cancel.
AT PEARL HARBOR, "every event is under specific review on a case-by-case basis," said Lt. Comdr. Jane Campbell, Navy spokeswoman.
The Air Force Ball scheduled for Sept. 18 at Hickam Air Force Base was canceled, as were other events, said Sgt. Barb Lavine. But she said all three service clubs on base remain open.
The banquet facility in the officers club at Marine Base Kaneohe is under construction.
Bryant Natividad, who is supposed to have his wedding at the Hickam officers club in November, said he was told by Air Force officials that "it's very doubtful" that he will still be able to have it there.
So he has been talking to Waikiki hotels suffering from the fallout of the Sept. 11 attacks.
"They're telling me, 'We want your business.'"