POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA — Secretary of the Army Christine E. Wormuth visited PTA last month as part of her visit to Hawaii to see first-hand the key Big Island training area and what it means to military training and readiness in the region.
During the Jan.23 visit, Wormuth said PTA is at “the center of gravity for Army training in the Pacific,” according to a press release from PTA.
Her visit also served to reinforce the Army’s appreciation for the community’s support of soldiers and their families, and to hear from Army leaders about land lease and infrastructure requirements.
Wormuth conducted an aerial tour of the installation and received a command brief at Pu‘u Pohakuloa from Lt. Col. Kevin Cronin, U.S. Army Garrison PTA commander, and a tour of old and new barracks, as well as the installation’s greenhouse, which houses nearly two dozen threatened and endangered plant species.
The approximately 23,000 acres of state-owned land at PTA contains key infrastructure such as the installation’s water storage tanks, training equipment, ammunition supply point, maneuver areas and is the connective tissue of the installation.
“This training range is really important to us, but we also understand the values of the land to the Hawaii citizens and Native Hawaiians, and we want to come to a solution that makes sense to all of the parties,” Wormuth said in the press release.
Among those accompanying Wormuth on this visit was Noelani Kalipi, civilian aide to the secretary of the Army.
During the visit, Kalipi, who is from Hilo, hosted a meeting with Kahoahoa process participants, which is an ongoing initiative to engage with Hawaii Island residents to foster a dialogue and deepen the understanding between the Army and the community.
The lunch allowed the secretary of the Army to hear directly from Hawaii Island residents about the complex issues and history of Hawaii and PTA. Kalipi spearheaded this dialogue three years ago as an effort to maintain a continued rapport between residents and Army leaders.
“A community-based dialogue outside of the regulatory process creates room for the substantive discussions we need to have to really address longstanding issues,” Kalipi said in the press release. “The secretary’s visit and her investment in building relationships demonstrates the Army’s commitment to Hawaii. She leads by example and inspires action.”