In the Military
For and about Hawaii's servicemen and womenBy Gregg K. Kakesako
See also: For Your Benefit
General’s third star makes him
top Filipino American in ArmyLt. Gen. Edward Soriano, 55, became the highest-ranking Filipino American in U.S. Army history last week when he received his third star and took over command of Fort Lewis. Soriano, a 32-year Army veteran, comes from Norfolk, Va., where he was director of homeland security for the U.S. Joint Forces Command.
A native of Alcala, Pangasinan, the Philippines, Soriano moved to Salinas, Calif., in the 1960s. He joined the Army after graduating from San Jose State University with a degree in management. He also holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Missouri.
His father, Federico, was also a soldier and fought with American troops as a guerrilla scout against the Japanese during World War II, survived the Bataan Death March and then served in Korea.
Other high-ranking Filipino-American generals are Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, 1968 Leilehua High School graduate, who is now director of management and vice director of the Army Staff; and retired Maj. Gen. John D'Arujo, former director of the Army National Guard Bureau and past commander of the Hawaii Army National Guard.
Adm. Walter Doran, Pacific Fleet commander, will deliver the keynote address at a Sept. 2 commemorative ceremony on the battleship USS Missouri marking the 57th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The ceremony will begin at 8:45 a.m. on the fantail of the battleship now moored at Ford Island and will be open to the public.
Trolley service to the Missouri will be available from the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum. The Japanese surrender took place on the deck of the battleship in Tokyo Bay on Sept. 2, 1945.
Adm. Thomas Fargo on his first trip to Indonesia after becoming Pacific Forces commander in May said the United States and Indonesia had began the process of improved military ties, but warned that future cooperation would depend on reform of the Indonesian military, the Jakarta Post reported last week.
"The future progress will depend on the TNI (Indonesian military) continuing to transform itself into an institution that fully represents the democratic principles of this great nation," Fargo said.
The United States suspended military ties with the Indonesian military in 1999 following military-backed violence that swept through East Timor after the former Indonesian province voted for independence.
Moving Up
Pearl Harbor>> Rear Adm. Daniel Stone, Pacific Fleet's deputy chief of staff for logistics, will become director for logistics at the U.S. Northern Command.
>> Capt. Ronald Cox has assumed command of Pearl Harbor Naval Station, relieving Capt. Ronald D. Hughes who will join the staff of the assistant secretary of the Navy. Cox also will assume the duties as relieve chief of staff for Navy Region Hawaii.
Bosnia
>> Lt. Col. David Miller has assumed command of the 25th Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, known as the Golden Dragons, relieving Lt. Col. Michael Coss, who will become the Army's deputy chief of staff for operations and plans in the Pentagon.
Fort Ruger
>> Col. Clarence Agena has been nominated to the rank of brigadier general. Agena is the assistant adjutant general for the state Department of Defense and the commander of the Hawaii Army National Guard.
Gregg K. Kakesako can be reached by phone at 294-4075
or by e-mail at gkakesako@starbulletin.com.
