NATIONAL GUARD PHOTO Maj. Gen. Vern Miyagi got his second star pinned on his shoulders yesterday by Gov. Linda Lingle and his wife, Gail. Miyagi is mobilization assistant to Adm. William Fallon, head of the Pacific Command.

No border duty for isle Guard yet

The leader of the 3,300-member Hawaii Army National Guard said he doesn't expect any of his soldiers to be pulling border patrol in Arizona until late this year.

Brig. Gen. Joe Chaves, both commander of the Hawaii Army National Guard and the 29th Brigade Combat Team, said yesterday soldiers have volunteered to participate in the border security assignment, but not all procedures have been ironed out.

However, the Associated Press reported that only about half of them are actually at the border. Col. Mark Allen, a spokesman for the National Guard Bureau, said 2,000 to 3,000 were on the border.

Chaves said Hawaii's involvement, which will be about 200 soldiers fulfilling their required two weeks of active duty, will probably start after the beginning of the new federal fiscal year on Oct. 1.

Maj. Gen. Bob Lee, state adjutant general, has said Hawaii chose to work the Arizona border because one of the 29th Brigade Combat Team's three battalions -- the 158th Infantry Regiment -- is based there.

Chaves said that besides medical and communication specialists, soldiers from Hawaii engineer, signal and artillery units will be used.

"It's a very good mission," said Chaves, who recently returned from Arizona to coordinate training.

The Associated Press reported that most of the troops in Arizona are working at Border Patrol stations doing such jobs as communications and administrative support. Some are assigned to military bases to receive incoming troops.

Chaves was among the more than three dozen military personnel and friends who attended a pinning ceremony yesterday at the state Capitol for Maj. Gen. Vern T. Miyagi, who received his second star from Gov. Linda Lingle and his wife, Gail.

Miyagi used to command the Hawaii Army National Guard and is now mobilization assistant to Adm. William Fallon, who heads the Pacific Command.

Chaves also responded to news reports yesterday about Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum, head of the National Guard Bureau, acknowledging that more than two-thirds of the Army National Guard's 34 brigades are not combat-ready, mostly because of equipment shortages that will cost up to $21 billion to correct.

Chaves noted that when the 29th Brigade returned after a year's tour in Iraq, it brought back only 30 percent to 40 percent of its equipment.

Under the Army's current plans, the 29th Brigade won't be called up for another six years.

"We will get more equipment as you get closer to our deployment date," Chaves said.

Because some of the equipment left in Iraq were heavy trucks and other vehicles, it could affect the Hawaii Army Guard's state mission, Chaves said. "However, the key factor here is 'boots on the ground,'" he added, noting that there are more than enough soldiers to respond to any state emergency or natural disaster.