In the Military
For and about Hawaii's servicemen and womenBy Gregg K. Kakesako
See also: For Your Benefit
Hawaii Guard colonel’s
promotion must waitHawaii Army National Guard Col. Vernon Miyagi has been nominated to be a one-star brigadier general by President Bush. However, his promotion is on hold until a vacancy occurs in the local Army Guard.
A spokesman for the Hawaii National Guard said currently all three of the Hawaii Army National Guard one-star positions are filled with Brig. Gen. Clarence Agena holding two of them -- deputy state adjutant general and commander of the Hawaii Army National Guard.
The other slot is commander of the 29th Infantry Brigade and that is filled by Brig. Gen. Glen Sakagawa.
Miyagi is currently the Hawaii Army National Guard's chief of staff.
The Hawaii National Guard spokesman said Miyagi will be eligible for promotion "should a slot become available."
His name was submitted to the Army's promotion board this summer.
As of Oct. 1, Montgomery GI Bill benefits have increased for active duty and selected reserve members.
Service members can now receive up to $900 a month (up from the previous $800) in education benefits with at least three years of active duty experience.
Selected Reserve members saw a slight increase in benefits, to $276 a month from $272 a month.
The next scheduled increase in GI Bill payments will take place on Oct. 1, 2003, when maximum payment will be increased to $985 a month.
The U.S. Naval War College this week signed an agreement with Hawaii Pacific University to allow every course from HPU's master of arts degree in diplomacy and military studies program to be accepted into the War College curriculum.
This will make HPU the first university in the United States to have such an agreement with the 118-year-old college, in which courses from one institution will be accepted by the other toward its master's degree.
The mission of the Naval War College is to enhance the professional capabilities of its students to make sound decisions in command, staff, and management positions in naval, joint, and multinational environments.
Adm. Walter Doran, Pacific Fleet commander, said the agreement provides "an opportunity for naval officers stationed here in Hawaii to pursue their goals of continued education."
Gen. William Begert, Pacific Air Forces commander, continues to press to place more aircraft on Guam, which was a major staging area during the Korean and Vietnam wars.
The only aircraft stationed at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam now are Navy HC-5 combat support helicopters.
In an Oct. 11 interview with Inside the Air Force, Begert said: "If we were able to grow the Air Force at all or to reposition things, I would put airplanes back at Guam very, very quickly."
Guam has been used as an airfield since 1945.
Ensign Vincent Lui, 1998 graduate of Iolani School, was recently commissioned as a naval officer after completing Officer Candidate School at the Pensacola Naval Air Station.
Gregg K. Kakesako can be reached by phone at 294-4075
or by e-mail at gkakesako@starbulletin.com.
