Reservists start Philippines duty

Twenty-nine Army Reservists assigned to the 100th Battalion/442nd Infantry will leave today for a six-month tour in the Philippines, where they will provide security for a team from a Special Operations Joint Task Force that is training soldiers of the Philippine Army. At least half of the 29 citizen soldiers belonging to Delta Company, which is from Oahu, served with the Hawaii Army National Guard's 29th Brigade Combat Team in Iraq two years ago.

Fifty personnel from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command at Hickam Air Force Base are in Laos researching information associated with 10 cases of servicemen missing in action since the Vietnam War.

Recovery teams will be excavating sites associated with a burial site, a ground loss, and three aircraft losses. Evidence from all missions will be transferred to the JPAC Central Identification Laboratory for further investigation.

Two former Pearl Harbor officers have been nominated for their second star as rear admirals. They are Cecil E. Haney, who now commands Submarine Squadron 2 in Groton, Conn., and Michael Vitale, commander of Carrier Strike Group 2 in Norfolk, Va. Hanley commanded Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarine USS Honolulu in 1996 and later headed Submarine Squadron 1 from June 2002 to July 2004. Last year Vitale left Pearl Harbor after being promoted to rear admiral and serving as commander of Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group, Middle Pacific.

Claude M. Kicklighter, former commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division and U.S. Army Pacific, was sworn in this week as inspector general. He reports directly to Defense Secretary Robert Gates on issues such as fraud, waste and abuse in the programs and operations of the department.

Prior to becoming inspector general, Kicklighter directed the Iraq/Afghanistan Joint Transition Planning Group, a joint Department of State and Department of Defense team that has provided analysis and recommendations for coordinating efforts to address transition issues in Iraq and Afghanistan. During his 35 years in the Army, Kicklighter held various positions at Schofield Barracks, ending as commanding general of the Tropic Lightning Division from 1984-86. He returned in 1989 to lead all Army forces in the Pacific from Fort Shafter, retiring in 1991 as a lieutenant general.

MOVING UP

» Pearl Harbor: Rear Adm. Michael A. Giorgione, who now heads Naval Facilities Southwest in San Diego, has been selected to command Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific.

"In the Military" was compiled from wire reports and other sources by reporter Gregg K. Kakesako, who covers military affairs for the Star-Bulletin. He can be reached by phone at 294-4075 or by e-mail at gkakesako@starbulletin.com.