COURTESY HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD Gov. Linda Lingle and U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye untied a maile lei yesterday at the new Puunene armory. Also on hand were Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa and Brig. Gen. Joe Chavez.

Maui armory dedication
becomes troops’ farewell

PUUNENE, Maui >> The new $10.5 million Hawaii Army National Guard Armory was dedicated yesterday in a ceremony that also served as an official farewell to the Maui Guard members who will soon be going off to war.

U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, who helped to obtain funding for the Puunene facilities, said he had mixed feelings, including anxiety and profound pride for the military service of the Guard soldiers who reported to active duty this week and are scheduled to go to Iraq in February.

Inouye, a Medal of Honor recipient for his bravery in World War II, said he knows it is not easy to say goodbye to family members. "Because of you, we sleep better at night," Inouye said. "This is a legacy we can all be proud of. ... May God be with you."

Gov. Linda Lingle, a former mayor of Maui, called the 70 men of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 299th Infantry, who will be leaving Maui tomorrow "our soldiers."

"These are our own. This is Hawaii who is deploying. ... We will do everything we can for your families," she said.

The 30-acre Puunene site includes a helipad, a flammable-material storage area, and a 29,912-square-foot armory building with a basketball court and cooking facilities.

The armory site is also expected to be used as a backup facility for Civil Defense, whose main office is located in the basement of the county building in Wailuku.

The Puunene area served as a naval air station through World War II. The facilities were closed in 1952, after interisland flights were transferred to the new Kahului Airport. The old armory facility in Kahului was built 47 years ago.