Big Isle Civil Defense
chief called to Iraq dutyTroy Kindred's activation
leaves the county with only
one nonsecretarial staffer
HILO >> Troy Kindred, head of Hawaii County Civil Defense, and 10 other county workers have been called for active duty with the Army National Guard's 29th Infantry Brigade, which is headed for Iraq.
Kindred, 41, is a captain in the Guard and a helicopter pilot, and will be activated in mid-August.
Mayor Harry Kim said he expects the deployment to Iraq to last at least a year.
Kindred has already gone for three weeks of summer training and could not be reached for comment. His departure leaves the Civil Defense office at reduced strength.
The office has only one nonsecretarial staffer, Lanny Nakano, a long-term employee but newly promoted to the No. 2 post, meaning he is still in training for that position, Kim said.
Another employee is on long-term sick leave, and a third was recently hired.
Despite those factors, county Managing Director Dixie Kaetsu said, "We're confident that we will still be able to provide 24-hour, seven-day-a-week protection to the people of this county."
Kim held the Civil Defense administrator's post for 24 years and has come over from the Mayor's Office to take control of Civil Defense when staffing was thin in the past.
One of Kim's aides, Wendell Hatada, also worked in Civil Defense for many years.
Kindred's current Guard training will allow him some free time this week to meet with Kim to make plans for continuity, Kim said.
Kim said Kindred's wife recently gave birth to the couple's third child, a girl.
Also, Kindred had just completed a one-year probationary period, standard for all new county employees, since beginning work June 16, 2003.
Besides Kindred, deputy county attorney Gerald Takase has also been called to active duty as well as nine police officers, Kim said.
The nine officers, out of a total of 400 in the Police Department, follow a previous call-up of about six officers, Kim said.
Two of those previously called were in police recruit school and were not able to complete training, he said.
Hawaii National Guard
www.dod.state.hi.us/hiarng