2011 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit

In November 2011, hundreds of HIANG airmen were mobilized for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit—the highest level gathering of its kind ever in Hawaii. Airmen supported the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), U.S. State Department and civil authorities to ensure a secure summit for President Obama and the other leaders of the 20 largest Asia-Pacific economies. During the summit, airmen provided transportation, security, logistics, public affairs, communications, command and control and other support. The 169th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (ACWS) worked closely with the USSS, dedicated to the 24/7 Airspace Security Protection Mission of the President.

– 2012 Annual Report pp. 16-17

A special note concerning the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit:

Mahalo to all of you for understanding your State Job in regards to APEC. It’s not often the State asks or activates us for something of this importance. I understand the added stress that comes with the impending APEC Summit and want to thank those who volunteered. Lets not forget, the Guard is unique in that our mission is two-fold: State and Federal. Hawaii needs our help during this extremely important upcoming conference and we can not and will not fail our state.

It’s these two missions that separates us from all other services, be proud of our dual missions in protecting our State and Nation.

I would highly recommend for those who are dealing with stresses (which should be all of us), to seek time with our new wonderful Director of Psychological Health, Betty Chao. She’s a great person to talk with, please find the time to drop by and say hello. She literally loves her job and gets great satisfaction helping others learn to cope with the day to day stresses. She routinely helps me focus and to look at things in a different light. I encourage all of you to take advantage of this wonderful resource.

– 2011 November Kūkāʻilimoku pp. 2

Hawaii National Guard Supports APEC Summit

HONOLULU, Hawaii – While leaders from 21 Pacific Rim countries met in Hawaii to hash out economic growth, trade issues and disaster response, Hawaii National Guard citizen Soldiers and Airmen were on hand to support the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

Soldiers and Airmen with the Hawaii Army and Air National Guard were called to duty as part of the APEC designation as a National Special Security Event in anticipation of more than 20,000 delegates and 2,000 media scheduled to attend from Nov. 7-14.

When an event is given an NSSE designation by the secretary of Homeland Security, the U.S. Secret Service creates a security plan that includes law enforcement and public safety at the local, state and federal levels. State Civil Defense was staffed at a higher level to coordinate consequence management.

The Hawaii National Guard had been ramping up for the event for the last several months. The joint active duty/National Guard effort to provide security and other support to civil authorities was designated Joint Task Force Kupa’a.

The preparation for any National Security event is truly a cooperative effort among civil authorities at every level. The commitment we received from U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Army Pacific supporting the dual status command structure was tremendous.” said the commander of Joint Task Force Kupa’a, Brig. Gen. Gary M. Hara. “It has been an extraordinary process for us; from the training hours our Army and air guardsman have put in preparing, to the actual execution. It has been a smooth process, and we are truly proud of the efforts of our citizen soldiers and airmen during this highly visible and important venture.”

Working with the Honolulu Police Department, guardsmen manned humvees that blocked off streets near Waikiki, and provided traffic control on some routes heading towards the summit venue in west Oahu, where President Barack Obama hosted the other heads of state. Airmen also provided key support for the U.S. State Department as liaison officers and drivers for the different member economies of APEC. Other Hawaii guardsmen aided in several areas to include media relations at the Hawaii Convention Center and at the Hotel in Waikiki, where the White House press corps was set up to file stories and stream live feeds.

Guardsmen from other states including Alaska and Colorado were flown in to join forces with their Hawaii counterparts providing CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosive) preparedness support.

“The theme we tried to stick to going into this was ‘one team working together’,” said Capt. Cezar Cuadros, commander of Troop A, 1-299th Cavalry. “Regardless of where we are from, guardsmen are going to do what needs to be done and that’s what they did.”

– 2011 December Kūkāʻilimoku pp. 8