Brigadier General Myron N. Dobashi

January 22, 2025

Brig. Gen. Myron N. Dobashi was appointed by Gov. Benjamin J. Cayetano as the commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard (HIANG) on May 3, 1999. As HIANG commander, he is responsible for overseeing the training and readiness of the Hawaii Air Guard with an authorized strength of 2,515 officers and airmen. The Hawaii Air National Guard has a majority of its assets located at Hickam Air Force Base, with other units at Barbers Point Naval Air Station, Wheeler Army Airfield, and on the islands of Maui, Kauai and Hawaii. The HIANG has dual missions. Its state mission is to protect Hawaii and its residents from mass violence, resulting from natural or human-caused disasters. Its federal mission is to provide trained units and individuals for active duty to the U.S. Air Force in time of war, national emergency, or as required by national security.

Dobashi was born in Lihue, Hawaii, on Aug. 1, 1943. He graduated from Kauai High School, Lihue, in 1961, and later graduated from Central Washington University in 1965, with a bachelor’s degree in history. His military education includes completion of Squadron Officer School in 1970, Air Command and Staff College in 1974, and National Security Management Course in 1984. He is a master weapons controller with more than 4,000 live intercepts and 1,800 tactical engagements. He has served as commander of two ground control intercept (GCI) squadrons and one combat communications group. He is also a communications-computer systems officer.

His military career began after receiving a commission in the Air Force through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program in June 1965 and entered active duty in September 1965. Upon completion of weapons controller training at Tyndall AFB, Fla., he was assigned to the 20th Air Division, Truax Field, Wis., until July 1967. He then served on a one-year duty tour in Southeast Asia with the 621st Tactical Control Squadron, Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. From July 1968 to February 1969 he was assigned to the 26th Air Division, Adair Air Force Station, Ore. He completed his active duty tour at the end of February 1969.

Upon his return to Hawaii, Dobashi worked for a defense contractor as an operations specialist at the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Hawaii, from March of 1969 to 1970.

Dobashi began his career in the Hawaii Air National Guard as a weapons controller in October 1969 when he became a traditional Guardsman with the 150th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (150 ACWS), Kokee Air Force Station. He then became a full-time air technician in March 1970. He served in a variety of key duty positions until he assumed command of the 150 ACWS in August 1988. In May 1991, he was assigned as the first commander of the newly formed 154th Air Control Squadron, Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands.

In February 1993, he became the deputy commander of the 201st Combat Communications Group (201 CCG) and the full-time detachment commander. He then assumed command of the 201 CCG in May 1996. He assumed command of the Hawaii Air National Guard in May 1999.

His professional affiliations include the Air Force Association, National Guard Association of the U.S., Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, Retired Officers Association, and Hawaii National Guard Association.

He was promoted to brigadier general on Oct. 29, 1999.

Dobashi is married to the former Jean M. Togo of Kahuku, Hawaii. They have three children: Corey, Kyle, and Jill.

EDUCATION

1965 Bachelor of arts degree in history, Central Washington State College, Ellensburg, Wash.
1970 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1974 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1983 National Security Management Course

ASSIGNMENTS

September 1965 – May 1966, division intercept director, 20th Air Division, Truax Field, Wis.
May 1966 – October 1966, division weapons director, 20th Air Division, Truax Field, Wis.
October 1966 – February 1967, division weapons controller, 20th Air Division, Truax Field, Wis.
February 1967 – July 1967, division intercept director, 20th Air Division, Truax Field, Wis.
July 1967 – July 1968, squadron weapons director, 621st Tactical Control Squadron, Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand
July 1968 – March 1969, division weapons director, 26th Air Division, Adair Air Force Station, Ore.
March 1969 – October 1969, inactive status (ISLRS), Headquarters, Air Reserve Personnel Division, Denver, Colo.
October 1969 – March 1978, weapons controller manual, 150th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Kokee Air Force Station, Hawaii
March 1978 – August 1978, air weapons controller manual, 150th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Kokee Air Force Station, Hawaii Hawaii Air National Guard.
August 1978 – April 1980, A flight officer in charge air weapons controller manual, 150th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Kokee Air Force Station, Hawaii
April 1980 – August 1981, air weapons controller manual, 150th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Kokee Air Force Station, Hawaii
August 1981 – September 1984, officer in charge B flight ground radar operations, 150th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Kokee Air Force Station, Hawaii
September 1984 -August 1988, air weapons controller manuel, 150th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Kokee Air Force Station, Hawaii
August 1988 – May 1991, commander, 150th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Kokee Air Force Station, Hawaii
May 1991 – June 1992, commander, 154th Tactical Control Squadron, Barking Sands, Hawaii
June 1992 – February 1993, commander, 154th Air Control Squadron, Barking Sands, Hawaii
February 1993 – May 1996, deputy commander, 201st Combat Communications Group, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii
May 1996 – May 1999, commander, 201st Combat Communications Group, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii
May 1999 – present, assistant adjutant general, air/commander, Headquarters, Hawaii Air National Guard, Honolulu, Hawaii

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with one device
Air Force Commendation Medal with one device
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with ‘V’ device and six devices
Combat Readiness Medal with six devices
National Defense Service Medal with one device
Vietnam Service Medal with one device
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Service Ribbon – Short Tour
Air Force Longevity Service Award with seven devices
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two devices
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Vietnam Gallantry Cross with device
Vietnam Campaign Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant Jun 12, 1965
First Lieutenant Jun 9, 1968
Captain Jun 9, 1970
Major Jun 12, 1979
Lieutenant Colonel Jun 12, 1986
Colonel Jun 14, 1994
Brigadier General Oct 29, 1999

Last updated July 2002

1987
Change of Command 1988
1993

HNGA Holds productive annual meeting

Lt. Col. Myron N. Dobashi

(Pictures from the 1987 April – June Pūpūkahi)

Lt. Col. Myron N. Dobashi, Operations Training Officer, for the 150th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, HIANG, was presented the Outstanding Officer Award.
– 1987 April – June Pūpūkahi pp. 4

Dobashi and Melich Assume New Commands

Lt. Col. Myron N. Dobashi

(Picture from the 1988 July – September Pūpūkahi)

Unit and air technician detachment command of the 150th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, Hawaii Air National Guard, changed as Lt. Col. Myron N. Dobashi followed in the footsteps of Lt. Col. Owen D. Ota as of August 6, 1988.

Lt. Col. Dobashi not only follows in the steps of Lt. Col. Ota, but also shares many similarities besides the drill-status and full-time command of the Kokee Air Force Station air defense direction center.

Both colonels were born and raised in Kauai, in August, 10 years apart. They attended Lihue Grammar School, received their commissions through Air Force ROTC programs, and joined the HIANG’s 150th ACWS after their Air Force tours. Both served as weapons controllers and operations officers before assuming command of the 150th ACWS.

Newly appointed commander Dobashi was born August 1, 1943, in Lihue, Kauai. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in history and a second lieutenant’s commission from Central State College and the Air Force ROTC program, Ellensburg, Washington, in June 1965.

After enlisting at Hickam AFB in the Air Force in September 1965, Dobashi attended weapons controller training at Tyndall AFB, Fla. He served at Truax Air Field, Wis., in Southeast Asia with the Pacific Air Forces, and Adair AFS, Ore., until February 1969, to complete his Air Force commitment.

Dobashi returned to Kauai in March 1969, working as an operations specialist at the Navy’s Barking Sands facility until March 1970. In October 1969, he accepted an appointment in the HIANG’s 150th ACWS as a weapons controller. He was hired as a full-time air technician in March 1970. After serving in a variety of operations positions, he was selected as ACWS operations training officer in April 1983.

More than 3,700 live intercepts and 1,500 tactical engagements, with experience in both the semiautomatic ground environment (SAGE) and manual command and control systems, have prepared Dobashi to take command. His military decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, and Air Force Commendation Medal.

Dobashi and his wife, the former Jean M. Togo of Kahuku, Oahu, reside in Lihue, Kauai, with children Corey, Kyle, and Jill.

. . .

By Stephen M. Lum and Capt. Stanley J. Osserman

HIPAO and PAO, 154th COMGP
– 1988 July – September Pūpūkahi pp. 4

Lt. Col. Myron Dobashi

(Picture from the 1993 February – March Pūpūkahi)

Lt. Col. Myron Dobashi, deputy commander, 201st Combat Communications Group. Dobashi joined the HIANG as a weapons controller in 1969. He assumed command of the 150th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (ACWS) in 1988 and became the first commander of the 154th Air Control Squadron in 1991. He and his wife, Jean, have three children: Corey, Kyle and Jill.
– 1993 February – March Pūpūkahi pp. 7