In the Military
For and about Hawaii's servicemen and womenBy Gregg K. Kakesako
See also: For Your Benefit
Army Brig. Gen. Antonio M. Taguba, who has been commanding general of the U.S. Army Community and Family Support Center in Alexandria, Va., since August 2000, has been nominated for his second star. Taguba, a 1968 Leilehua High School graduate, is expected to take on a new job as director of management and vice director of the Army staff at the Pentagon. Leilehua grad to get
second general’s starTwo other general officers in Hawaii also are in line for promotions for their second stars. They are Army Brig. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV, who is currently serving as deputy director for operations at the U.S. Pacific Command at Camp H.M. Smith, and Army Brig. Gen. Ronald L. Johnson, who is now commanding general of U.S. Army Engineer Division, Pacific Ocean, at Fort Shafter.
Although the U.S. Senate approved the promotion of Col. John Ma to brigadier general last week, Ma will not be eligible to pin on his one star until next spring when Brig. Gen. Bob Lee steps down as head of the Army Reserve in Hawaii and the Pacific.
While not mentioning who the next enemy may be, Adm. Walter F. Doran, the new Pacific Fleet commander, wants his sailors to be ready for the next battle in the war against terrorism.
In a message to the Pacific Fleet, Doran, who replaced Adm. Thomas Fargo last month, said: "Future surges will happen, and we must be ready to produce when called. Our deliverable is a trained and equipped force aligned and ready for rapid, flexible action.
"The Asia-Pacific region is of vital importance to the Navy and the nation," Doran said. "The Pacific Fleet is a keystone of stability in this vital region."
The Pearl Harbor-based destroyer USS Hopper became last month the first U.S. ship to make a port call in Sri Lanka in eight years. Warships rarely make refueling stops in Sri Lanka. However, that will change since U.S. officials announced last week that Sri Lanka will allow American military aircraft and ships to refuel and be serviced in its territory.
The Pentagon no longer will let women be assigned to Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA) squadrons, like those that will be part of the 25th Infantry Division's new interim combat brigade team. These ground reconnaissance units are trained to perform some of the electronic searches now being conducted in Afghanistan. A 1994 Defense Department policy prohibits women from serving in units that perform direct ground combat roles.
Pacific Army Reserve Sgt. Maj. Raelynn Broad-Kela recently completed the Sergeant Major's Academy at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. While at Fort Bliss she also received her bachelor's degree at Excelsior College. Broad-Kela's civilian job is with Hawaiian Airlines as a flight attendant.
Moving up
Pearl Harbor>> Capt. William French assumed command of Submarine Squadron Three, replacing Capt. David Thieman. Attack submarines belonging to Squadron Three include USS Asheville , USS Chicago, USS Columbia, USS Key West, USS Louisville, USS Olympia and USS Honolulu.
>> Cmdr. Thomas Neil assumed command of the destroyer USS Fletcher, replacing Cmdr. Dell Epperson.
>> Cmdr. Michael E. Jabaley assumed command of the submarine USS Louisville (SSN 724), replacing Cmdr. Russell T. Janicke.
Gregg K. Kakesako can be reached by phone at 294-4075
or by e-mail at gkakesako@starbulletin.com.
