Department of Defense

The Hawai‘i National Guard activated over 1,800 Soldiers and Airmen to create a Joint Task Force in support of the State’s efforts against COVID-19. All elements of the Hawaii National Guard have been active during this pandemic- the HING Joint Staff, the Hawai‘i Army National Guard, and the Hawai‘i Air National Guard. Some of the missions they have done include airport screening and working with the Department of Transportation, COVID-19 mapping with the Department of Health, COVID-19 swabbing in the prisons with the Department of Public Safety, construction of shelters on Maui, food distribution, Personal Protective Equipment procurement and logistical support, and much more.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

In response to COVID-19, over 900 HIARNG Soldiers were activated to support the state’s response efforts.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (29 IBCT) . . . Civil unrest training conducted at the 298 MFTR Waimanalo during the state’s COVID-19 mission. Soldiers served on Neighbor Island Task Forces to support the state during COVID-19.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

227th Brigade Engineer Battalion . . . The BEB was also a major force provider for the State’s COVID-19 NGCS mission.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

1st Squadron, 299th Calvary Regiment . . .1-299 CAV Soldiers also significantly contributed to the State of Hawai‘i’s COVID 19 response mission on the islands of Hawai‘i, Kauai, and O‘ahu.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

29th Brigade Support Battalion . . . it was also a major force multiplier in supporting various state active duty missions to include Operation Anole Inoa, as well as supporting various task forces to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

103rd Troop Command . . . Soldiers from all subordinate units of 103TC stood up Task Force Maui and Task Force Aviation on Apr. 15 2020 in support of the State of Hawai‘i’s COVID-19 response.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

117th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment . . . Documented Operation Longclaw in support of the State of Hawai‘i COVID-19 response.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

The 1950th Contingency Contracting Team . . . In FY20 it provided contracting support to Operation Longclaw in support of the State of Hawai‘i’s COVID-19 response.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

230th Engineer Company (Vertical) . . . Provided personnel and equipment support to Task Force Maui. Constructed an alternate entry point to the PFC Kaho’ohanohano Armory in order to mitigate exposure to COVID-19.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

297th Engineer, Firefighting Team . . . Provided personnel support to Task Force Maui.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

Company B, 777th Aviation Support Battalion . . . Provided personnel support to Task Force Aviation and Task Force Maui.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

Company B, 2nd Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment . . . Provided personnel and aviation assets to the Joint Task Force and Task Force Aviation in support of the State of Hawai‘i COVID-19 response.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

Company C, 1st Battalion, 183rd Aviation Regiment . . . Provided personnel and aviation assets to the Joint Task Force, Task Force Aviation, and Task Force Hawai‘i in support of the State of Hawai‘i’s COVID-19 response.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

Detachment 1, Company A, 3rd Battalion, 140th Aviation Regiment . . . Provided personnel to support Task Force Hawai‘i in support of the State of Hawai‘i’s COVID-19 response.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

Company B 1109th Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group . . . Provided personnel support to Task Force QRF and Task Force Maui in support of the State of Hawai‘i’s COVID-19 response.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

Beginning in April and spanning through September, 300 HIANG Airmen were activated to assist with Hawai‘i’s Joint Task Force COVID-19 response on Hawai‘i, Maui, Kaua‘i and O‘ahu. C-17 aircraft were used to deliver over 700 Hawai‘i National Guard Soldiers/Airmen and over 400,000 pounds of cargo to the neighbor islands.

More than 160 HIANG Airmen continued to support the COVID-19 response into the new fiscal year. Included in this support are a group of medical providers, first responders, and planners from the 154th Medical Group’s Guard Medical Unit and Detachment 1, and the 154th Force Support Squadron assigned to Task Force Medical. They are working in partnership with the Hawai‘i Department of Health, public health nurses, Department of Public Safety, and Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority to conduct N95 fit testing, COVID education and training in highrisk/public housing, senior living communities, and the O‘ahu Community Correctional Center.

A KC-135 Stratotanker and a C-17 Globemaster operated by aircrews from the Hawai‘i Air National Guard and 15th Wing conducted a flyover as part of Operation American Resolve throughout the Hawaiian Islands on May 14, 2020 as a salute to all frontline workers battling COVID-19, as well as those staying home to “flatten the curve of transmission” of the virus.

2020 Annual Report pp. 22

The State of Hawaii is continuing to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic that started late last year, and grew exponentially in 2020. Multiple state departments are working together to keep the community safe, including the Hawaii Department of Defense. The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency has taken a lead role, and its director Maj. Gen. Kenneth S. Hara was appointed by the governor as Incident Commander of the state emergency.

While cases are continuing to emerge in the islands, the state has implemented several protocols to try to flatten the curve. This includes instituting a mandatory 14-day quarantine for residents and visitors coming into the state. The new policy went into effect March 26. Gov. David Ige has also asked that all non-essential workers stay home and practice social distancing to avoid spreading the virus any further. Bars and clubs have been ordered to close, while restaurants are still allowed to operate – on a take-out only basis. Rules are continually updated as the state sees necessary to try to stop the spread of infection.

COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, is a respiratory illness that can easily be spread from person-to-person through droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It’s also possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes. Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. If you have any of these symptoms, you’re asked to stay home and call your health care provider for guidance. Make sure to cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and make sure to throw that in the trash afterward. Also clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

If you’re healthy, the best way to protect yourself from getting infected is by practicing at least six feet of social distancing. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If you can’t physically wash your hands, using a sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol can also be effective.

– 2020 Spring Pupukahi pp. 1

National Guard Soldiers Conduct Temperature Screening At Harbor

Soldiers with the Hawaii Army National Guard, 230th Engineer Company, assigned to Task Force Maui assist community liaisons with temperature screening and crowd control at the harbor in Lahaina, HI, August 21, 2020.

Soldiers arrive at 0520 to prepare for passengers arriving to board the ferry traveling to Lanai at 0600. Before boarding is allowed, National Guard members will conduct temperature checks and ask passengers if they have had any flu like symptoms in the last few days to include shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing, or any respiratory problems. They also ask if passengers have traveled outside of Maui in the past 14 days or have had prolonged contact with someone who has or might have COVID.

After this initial screening passengers are then required to fill out a mandatory travel form and present an exemption form. Exemption forms are required if you want to travel to and from Lanai. Without an exemption form passengers are required to quarantine for 14 days both sides as this would qualify as inter-island travel.

All paperwork is reviewed and turned in to Darlene Endrina, community liaison for Mayor Michael Victorina and liaison for the island of Lanai, who does as much helping for the community in whatever way she can.

“A lot of these people are nurses, doctors, construction workers, fire fighters, police, and emergency medical technicians traveling to Lanai for work,” said Endrina. “Their company sends an official letter to the mayor’s office requesting an exemption letter for their employees and it is reviewed by the mayor’s legal department. If approved they get an exemption letter back, which allows them to travel to and from Lanai without having to quarantine for 14 days.”

Expeditions to and from Lanai are normally seven days a week five round trips but because of the pandemic expeditions have been cut down to two round trips three days a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Soldiers also conduct temperature screening while passengers are disembarking the ferry arriving in Lahaina, while community liaisons collect the mandatory paperwork.

“I love the National Guard being here, I feel safer,” said Endrina. “They take care of the temperatures and if there’s any confusion or problems I Know they are here to support me.”

– 2020 Fall Pupukahi pp. 2

Hawaii National Guard, Local Businesses in it Together

Story by 1st Lt. Anyah Peatross | Tuesday, June 30, 2020

As the State of Hawaii looks to the Hawaii National Guard to help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus and assist its civil authorities in keeping its citizens safe, the Guard confronted its own challenge of sustaining the rapid activation and deployment of hundreds of troops on neighbor islands. They reached out to local businesses who could support the monumental task of providing lodging so they could isolate as much as possible, as well as provide daily meals.

Thanks to local businesses that registered or were contracted through the Systems for Awards Management (SAM), the Guard has been overwhelmingly humbled during this historic pandemic by the support from local business to help it take care of its Soldiers and Airmen.

“We are honored to serve the people of Hawaii in this difficult time,” said Brig. Gen. Moses Kaoiwi, Jr., Joint Task Force Commander of the Hawaii National Guard. “We are grateful for the support and aloha the community has shown us.”

In late June, the Guard surpassed 80 days of mitigating COVID-19 threats to the community, the sequestering task forces were able to build a positive rapport with the community to include its local hospitality establishments.

“The Grand Naniloa Resort kept operating in large part to the presence of the National Guard,” said Ed Gunderson, general manager of the Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo. “Without [the Guard], the outcome would certainly have been different for [our] associates and managers currently employed.”

At the height of the outbreak, the isolated accommodations brought relief to Soldiers and Airmen working the frontlines because they were not putting their own family’s health in jeopardy. With Hawaii entering its reopening phase, the Guard has right-sized its forces across all islands, therefore fewer will need to sequester in hotels.

“Hosting the Hawaii National Guard during this time has been great for owners, staff, and management,” said Sara LeBrun-Scott, director of sales and marketing with Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa at Keauhou Bay. “The Soldiers are so very kind and great guests to have.”

In addition to working with hotels, finding food vendors and restaurants that were still open and could support meals for 1,200 Soldiers and Airmen was also a challenge due to the state’s “stay-at-home-policy,” and the 14-day quarantine order in place to mitigate the spread of the virus.

“We could not have predicted the consequences of this coronavirus, as this is history in-the-making,” said Jennifer Torcato of Big Island Grill in Kona, Hawaii. “As a family business, we had our own family members come in to help wherever and whenever they could—we just wanted to be able to keep the business afloat and alive.”

“We provide daily meals in the hot box and wheeled over, as well as healthy meal plans,” said Chad Yang, managing director of Hula Hulas in Hilo, Hawaii. The restaurant provides three meals a day; breakfast, lunch, and dinner, seven days a week to troops. “It was a blessing as I was able to save my business as well as call back to work 50% of the staff.”

Hula Hula’s and Big Island Grill are some of many restaurants in the state that the Guard has partnered with through SAM’s.

“It’s been pleasant to work with the various soldiers that we encounter and see every day at meal pick-ups or dropoffs,” said Torcato. “Serving the Soldiers and Airmen has been a great privilege and we appreciate all the work they are doing for our local community.”

Through its contract vendors, Hawaii National Guard has been able to provide more than 500 rooms and over 150,000 meals to sequestering Soldiers and Airmen spanning six islands. Some of the support the Guard has performed as of late June includes, but is not limited to; having swabbed 2,368 patients for COVID-19, temperature screened 189,431 airport passengers, airlifted 200,000 masks and completed countless hours of food distribution support.

“Emergency preparedness and immediate response are services we are prepared to provide to the citizens of the State of Hawaii” said Command Sgt. Maj. James R. Jimenez, Joint Task Force Command Sgt. Maj. of the Hawaii National Guard. “When called upon, the Hawaii National Guard takes great pride in providing these critical services to our communities, this couldn’t be done without the support of our local businesses.”

The Hawaii National Guard is honored to have the support of local community businesses and is grateful for the “Aloha” it has received.

– 2020 Fall Pupukahi pg. 6

Beyond the Front Lines

Story by Staff Sgt. Thomas Foster | Thursday, June 25, 2020

The Hawaii National Guard continues to serve its communities as the COVID-19 pandemic remains a threat. Without hesitation or reservations, many in the healthcare realm have answered the call to be on the frontlines. That includes Col. Mark Young, commander of TF-MED and the 298th Regiment, Multi-Functional Training Regiment in Waimanalo.

“As the Commander of Task Force Medical (TF-MED), I am honored to serve with an exceptionally agile and dedicated team of medical professionals,” said Col. Young. “TF-MED consists of highly trained and credentialed doctors, dentists, nurses, physician’s assistants, medical technicians, therapists, and medics.”

Another organization on the frontlines is the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH). Through their partnership with the Hawaii National Guard (HING), both groups have been conducting testing in Hawaii’s communities.

“A few weeks ago, we learned that a family in public housing was diagnosed with COVID,” said Elizabeth MacNeill, the DOH Tuberculosis Control Branch Chief. “We figured that community members in public housing may not have access to the education and screening for COVID. They have lost jobs and probably medical coverage too.”

But where there are challenges for those affected, both organizations see the opportunity to serve.

“We are going door-to-door educating residents on COVID,” said Gloria Fernandez, a Public Health Nurse with DOH. “We are correcting any misinformation and getting out the proper information.”

These visits provide, but are not limited to; COVID-19 swabbing, temperature screening, education and prevention, and other supportive services on multiple islands.

TF-MED also performed 217 COVID-19 swab tests and 552 medical screenings on residents living on Maui, Lanai, and Molokai. The support continues as long as there is a need throughout the State.

“Partnering with Guard has been wonderful,” Fernandez said. “Great to work with a group of people with a large and unique skill set. Great working with the Guard doing community things rather than just seeing them doing their ‘Soldier duties.’”

MacNeill echoed those sentiments saying, “The Hawaii National Guard has been outstanding. They have been eager to embrace the roles they’ve been asked to assume.”

Senior Airman Danielle Demello joined the Guard so she could provide her daughter a good education. Demello, a single mom, works as an emergency medical technician (EMT) for American Medical Response (AMR) and this opportunity has given her the tools and skills needed for current operations.

“I am swabbing citizens who need to be tested,” said Demello, a search-and-extraction medic with the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Medical Group, Detachment 1, assigned to TF-MED.

This is what makes the Guardsmen unique, it’s not just their commitment; but their civilian backgrounds and experience as well.

“I am also a registered nurse for my civilian job,” said Capt. Ernette Visitacion, 154th Medical Group, Detachment 1, Hawaii Air National Guard assigned to TF-MED. “I joined the Air Guard after Sept. 11, 2001, because I wanted to have a positive impact on my community.”

The numbers prove their efforts are working. As the amount of communities with the frontline workers visit to educate the public on COVID-19 goes up, the numbers of positives in those areas remain low.

“Over 400 households have been contacted during the partnership events.” MacNeill stated. “We think of this as more of prevention. Not seeing a lot of COVID in the community, but we want everyone to be prepared. The plan is to do all the public housing on Oahu.”

It’s important for all to remain vigilant in supporting the health and safety of the various communities, counties and the State. The State of Hawaii has transitioned into Phase 2: Re-opening. Meanwhile TF-MED continues its partnership with DOH in the fight to mitigate the spread of the virus.

TF-MED is grateful for the opportunities to serve and remains ready to support the State of Hawaii. HING members work and live in every community across the islands and have a proven track record of success supporting civilian authorities.

“The response from our partners and community have been met with a genuine appreciation for the Hawaii National Guard for making our state a safer place,” said Young.

As of June 1, 2020, about 800 HING Soldiers and Airmen support COVID-19 missions in the State of Hawaii.

– 2020 Fall Pupukahi pp. 7

Hawaii National Guard Assists the Department of Health with COVID-19 Mapping

The Department of Health (DOH) trained a special team of Hawaii National Guard Soldiers and Airmen to assist with the gathering of COVID-19 mapping information at the Hawaii Convention Center, August 12, 2020, Honolulu, Hawaii. The Hawaii National Guard was brought in to help alleviate the increasing workload on the DOH. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. John Schoebel)

– 2020 Fall Pupukahi pp. 9

Hawaii National Guard assists the City and County of Honolulu in the COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Surge.

Hawaii National Guard members assist with walkup registration instructions for individuals in line to be tested for COVID-19, August 28, 2020, Honolulu, Hawaii. The testing in Palolo Valley District Park is part of the 14- day ‘surge testing’ program currently being conducted throughout the City and County of Honolulu. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. John Schoebel)

– 2020 Fall Pupukahi pp. 9

Hawaii National Guard Airmen Assist in Distribution of Key Medical Supplies During COVID-19 Response

Story by Tech. Sgt. Andrew Jackson | Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Hawaii Air National Guard members from Medical Detachment 1 provided logistical support this week with personal protective equipment (PPE) and maintenance of valuable medical equipment at the Hawaii Healthcare Emergency Management Coalition facilities. The PPE that the Guardsmen inventoried and prepared for pick-up, will then be distributed to multiple Hawaii medical facilities. These facilities are facing a shortage of this specialized equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hawaii Healthcare Emergency Management Coalition is a statewide, federally-qualified, all-hazards comprehensive emergency management program whose mission is to sustain and maintain essential and critical healthcare system services statewide during a major emergency or disaster.

Along with logistics and organizing distribution, Guard members also took inventory of the medical supplies on hand.

The Hawaii National Guard is continuing to support the state’s response to COVID-19 with over 700 Soldiers and Airmen

– 2020 Fall Pupukahi pp. 10

Hawaii Guard assist Safe Travels Hawaii program backlog

Story by 1st Lt. Anyah Peatross| Tuesday, November 17, 2020

The Hawaii National Guard Joint Task Force took on a new COVID-19 mission, days after the return of trans-Pacific travel to the Hawaiian Islands on Oct. 15, 2020 Guardsmen assigned to Task Force (TF) O’ahu have been assisting the State of Hawaii‚‘s Office of Enterprise Technology Services (ETS) and Department of Health in verifying test results of visitors registered in the Safe Travels Hawaii program since Oct. 21, 2020, at the 298th Multi-Functional Training Regiment located in Waimanalo, Hawaii.

The Safe Travels Hawaii program allows people to travel to the islands and skip the mandatory 14- day quarantine, provided they present a negative COVID-19 test. The test must be a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test from a certified Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment lab, and taken 72 hours before departing to the islands.

Within days of the program‚‘s launch, a hiccup in the online system caused thousands of tests to appear unreadable and forced travelers to quarantine until their test results were verified. Government officials moved quickly to fix the problem and assigned Lizabeth Thomas from ETS to train a team of Guardsmen to support clearing the backlog.

“They were easy to train,” said Thomas. “The National Guard has done a fantastic job to get trained and up to speed with the process of manually verifying uploaded documents to put travelers in an exempt status, i.e., no more quarantine.”

As of Nov. 4, 2020, Soldiers with Company A, TF O’ahu, assisted with backlog having reviewed and updated over 2,065 visitor test results and account status.

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Riki Reynolds, the commander of Company A, TF O’ahu, leads a handful of Soldiers that make a difference in whether traveler’s test results require them to remain in quarantine.

“The backlog was pretty significant because of an issue in the program application,” said Reynolds. “It can only read a certain type of document. Travelers are sending pictures from their cell phone which can‘t be verified by the systems artificial intelligence.”

However, there are other reasons for the backlog.

“Most times, the uploaded test result did not have the test collection date, or the test was taken outside the 72-hour window prior to departure,” added Thomas.

U.S. Army Sgts. Erick Arevalo and Ryan Pang, cavalry scouts with the Hawaii Army National Guard were trained to help identify and manually review travelers with ‘verification in process‘ as their account status.

“Ms. Thomas helped make this process easy because of the training and information she shared,” said Pang. “It was effective in executing our daily mission.”

The team works on laptops in a classroom to analyze each traveler‘s application status.

“Each account can take about a minute or more depending on the amount of research needed,” said Pang. “Some are easier because they’re already marked exempt and cleared by the state; and others we have to verify whether they’ve used one of the approved trusted testing partners.”

Some of the accounts proved a little more difficult, but the Guardsmen armed with their training were able to assist many travelers.

“The process also depends on the actual visitor and how complex their case may be as they may have multiple family members,” said Arevalo.

Improvements to the system‘s programming and help from the Guardsmen have made it possible to get the backlog under control.

“Trusted travel partners improved lab test results by providing it in a single format,” said Thomas. “The Safe Travels Hawaii site guides travelers to which type of documents to upload. With these improvements, in addition to the manual verification process, it has made the backlog much smaller and more manageable.”

Travelers are encouraged to visit the Hawaiicovid19.com Safe Travels Hawaii site to access the latest information and requirements for planning a trip to Hawaii. Technical fixes to the online system were made reducing the need for manual verification support.

Hawaii‚‘s COVID-19 response has about 800 Guardsmen supporting domestic missions on a daily basis that benefit multiple communities on six islands. While the work often varies from their primary military occupation – cross-training with government partners, organizations, and volunteers have ensured Guard members are up-to-speed and able to provide assistance on the frontlines of the pandemic.

“Be patient and keep up with (travel) guidance put out by the state,” said Arevalo. “It may help speed up the process when planning a trip to Hawaii.”

– 2021 Winter Pupukahi pp. 5 & 7

Medical Planners from the Philippines, Guam and Hawaii compare COVID-19 Response

Story by Master Sgt. Andrew Jackson | Thursday, December 3, 2020

The Guam and Hawaii National Guards participated in a virtual Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE) with the plans and programing division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the first days of December 2020 The National Guard’s State Partnership Program facilitated this SMEE. Normally during a table-top planning scenario in a SMEE, the planners are presented with a theoretical or historical scenario in order to build a response. However, over the three day virtual engagement, the medical planning team from each participating entity presented their real-world COVID-19 response actions to date and plans for the future actions.

“This is a medical and operational SMEE looking at the COVID-19 response for the military, but also looking at how we have integrated the response with the civilian sector,” said Lt. Col. James Faumuina, 154th Medical Group, Detachment 1 commander. “The Hawaii Guard presented our work with the State Dept. of Health (DOH) to flatten the curve. Specifically, our COVID mapping efforts and our Task Force Medical support. Guam presented their efforts to support the government and the Philippines showed the mass array of efforts they have been using to respond.”

The response in the three disparate geographical areas has been varied in some aspects, but still had the foundation of some basic tactics; encouraging social distancing, practicing proper hygiene, utilizing limited lockdowns, and conducting mass testing.

The largest challenge of the three day virtual SMEE was overcoming the 18 to 20 hour time difference. So, while participants in Guam and the Philippines met in the early morning hours, Hawaii was meeting in late afternoon the day before.

The SPP is a joint Department of Defense security cooperation program, managed and administered by the National Guard Bureau, executed and coordinated by the geographic Combatant Commands with personnel provided by the National Guard of the respective partner states. The Guam and Hawaii National Guard share the partnership with the Philippines.

Overall, the information presented served as validation of the work the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Hawaii and Guam National Guards have been doing in the years prior to 2020 to build relationships with the civilian healthcare entities in each nation and state. The Hawaii National Guard’s medical planners have an over 10-year relationship with the Hawaii (DOH) and have worked with then in underserved communities. This helped reinforce the messaging in those communities and throughout the State of Hawaii. This positive proactive partnership has been an example shared with Guam and the Philippines in past pandemic SMEEs, which have been an annual event for at least the past five years.

One of the key areas of discussion was how to communicate with medical planners in the civilian health care sectors who often don’t have a tactical focus.

“The military has mobile capability and skill sets that frames our way at problem solving, “ said Faumuina. “COVID-19 is the largest and most complex problem we have ever faced. Trying to merge our way of doing business with the civilian response is a big piece of that puzzle. These lesson and examples are what we are going to take away from this exchange to help with future operations.”

During a normal SMEE, the scenario being discussed and analyzed is completed, but the COVID pandemic is not over. Therefore, part of the discussion focused on future distribution of a vaccine. There have been mass testing and drive-thru flu vaccination events in the COVID response. These efforts in the Philippines, Guam, and Hawaii were examined by the medical planners as examples to create the future vaccine distribution plans.

– 2021 Winter Pupukahi pp. 6

Hawaii National Guard COVID test in historic district of Honolulu

Story by 1st Lt. Anyah Peatross | Tuesday, September 28, 2021

For more than two months, a team from the Hawaii National Guard Joint Task Force, Task Force Medical (TF Med) have performed more than 1,400 COVID-19 swab tests since July through September at the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) Substation location in the Chinatown Historic District of downtown Honolulu, Hawaii.

Chinatown is one of the oldest towns in Hawaii and in the United States. In 1900, flea-infested rats from disembarking ships likely caused the spread of the bubonic plague in Chinatown. More than a century after the plague decimated the area, a revitalized Chinatown faces renewed hardships as residents and businesses work together to end the COVID-19 crisis.

Staff Sgt. Class William Ham, an Army medic assigned to TF Med, is the senior non-commissioned officer in charge of testing operations at the substation. On site, Ham supports and assists the military-trained medical specialists who provide rapid COVID testing. “Working in Chinatown opens up a whole new mindset on just how much our communities are in need of support,” Ham said.

The town’s one-way streets and tightly packed infrastructure have not hindered people from finding the testing site. During peak hours, the line for testing could be seen poking out from the alley wrapping around the front of the police substation. Patients that have been tested received their results in less than 30 minutes.

In addition to monitoring the well-being of his team, Ham also keeps an eye on those waiting in line.

“Patients are generally pleased with the testing we conduct,” said Ham. “Testing is quick. Patients receive their results within minutes, with many fitting their COVID test into their busy schedules.”

The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) Disease Outbreak Control Division reported that from mid-July through Aug. the statewide 7-day average for COVID positive cases reached into the triple digits week after week. Ham ensured that within the hours of operation they had enough test kits to meet the demand for testing.

“The daily tests being performed have significantly increased due to the surge of positive patients throughout the island,” said Ham. “We average about 120 to 150 tests a day.”

TF Med provided assistance to DOH and other state agencies at multiple venues across the island of O‘ahu, including prisons, healthcare centers, public schools, the Honolulu Zoo, and the Aloha Stadium. At each site, TF Med provided one or more services such as administrative, COVID testing, and inoculation support.

The pandemic has revealed Hawaii’s strong community values, with many willing to come together to do their part to protect themselves and others from the virus.

“It is a very humbling experience to be working alongside the DOH and HPD,” Ham said. “It’s great to see the community being proactive and showing concern for COVID-19.”

– 2021 Fall Pupukahi pp. 2

Hawai‘i National Guard completes COVID-19 support mission

HI-DOD-Staff | March 16, 2022

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i National Guard’s Joint Task Force (HING JTF) has transitioned its remaining COVID-19 responsibilities such as vaccinations, testing, COVID-19 mapping, and unemployment office temperature screenings back to the state as of March 15, 2022.

“Our community welcomes, and counts on the National Guard for a sense of safety, security, and help,” Governor David Ige said at the HING JTF Draw-down Ceremony. “The Hawai‘i National Guard continues to live up to its motto: ‘always ready, always there’, as evidenced by your work throughout the pandemic. I really want to thank you for choosing to be a public servant, for being a member of the Hawai‘i National Guard, serving as a contributing citizen in our community, but most importantly for being ready to answer the call when our community needs you.”

The HING JTF has been on orders assisting the state since April 6, 2020. The organization was first activated and put on State Active Duty orders before transitioning to Title 32 U.S.C. 502 (f) duty, which provided federal funding that covered up to 100% of the cost activities associated with all mission assignments in response to COVID-19.

At its peak, the HING JTF held about 1,300 Soldiers and Airmen on COVID-19 status across the state. About 300 Guardsmen make up the current force that off-ramped on March 15. These Guardsmen will take mandatory leave and then officially come off orders on April 1, 2022, returning to their full-time jobs or school with additional skills and experiences.

“The missions that the Hawai‘i National Guard executed for the state and counties contributed to the safety and security of the people of Hawai‘i in their battle against COVID-19 infections,” said Brig. Gen. Moses Kaoiwi Jr., the Hawai‘i National Guard Joint Task Force Commander. “I am proud of our Guardsman who served our communities in their time of need.”

The Hawai‘i National Guard’s COVID-19 assistance to federal, state, and local authorities has been the longest state activation/ mission in its history. Past longterm activations include Hurricane Iniki in 1992, the Kīlauea eruption in 2018, the Kaua‘i floods and landslides in 2018, and security support for the United States Presidential Inauguration in Washington D.C. in 2021.

Other significant numbers: 45,637 hours of site security at DLIR | 10,862 hours of COVID-19 temperature screening at Lahaina and Lanai harbors | 5,712 hours of public education | 3,295+ Safe Travels applications processed

– 2022 Spring Pupukahi pp. 1

Ho’okahi Imua – moving forward together, enabling the mission of a citizen Soldier

IMCOM-Pacific | Story by R. Slade Walters | Thursday, May 5, 2022

For almost two years, National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from all across the United States supported COVID-19 response efforts, and the Hawai‘i National Guard was no exception.

The HING tapped Citizen Soldier Col. Mark Young to lead Joint Task Force Medical when it stood up on April 14, 2020.

In addition to serving in the HING, Young serves as a U.S. Army civilian operations and plans specialist at Installation Management CommandPacific working in the G3/5/7 (Operations/Plans/Training) directorate.

When Young got the call to mobilize, nobody knew how long he would be required to be away from his civilian job at IMCOMPacific, but the G3/5/7 director, Don Bradshaw, knew it was an important mission and fully supported Young’s mobilization.

“It is difficult for us to perform our mission if we don’t have the support of our families and the support of our civilian employers,” said Young.

“As a former reservist myself, I understand the obligations of the military member, and also of their employer. We knew this was an important mission,” said Bradshaw.

Because of the uncertainty of COVID-19, the task force had to be built on-the-fly and it was necessary to be flexible with Young’s deployment orders.

“We had to build this plane in the air,” said Young.

“You know, normally when soldiers go on deployments, they’ve got 270 day orders. It’s a blanket order to do a certain mission. This one was unique in that Mark’s orders were generally 90 days, 120 days, and they were extended over time,” said Bradshaw.

Throughout Young’s mobilization, the IMCOM-Pacific G3/5/7 found ways to continue its mission supporting U.S. Army Garrisons that serve nearly 300,000 military-affiliated personnel at approximately 125 installation sites located in four countries and spanning roughly 20 million square miles across the IndoPacific region, from Alaska to the Republic of the Marshall Islands and from Hawai‘i to East Asia.

“We knew we were going to have a gap, and so, we tasked organized. We looked at the various functions that Mark did – requirements that didn’t stop because of COVID – and we picked up the slack. As things evolved, it became very evident that he was the right guy for the job, and while unpredictability was an issue, he kept up steady communication with us the whole time, so we were never out of touch,” Bradshaw said.

In some cases, team members filling in for Young had to learn while doing.

“Our challenge was to pick out the things that he did and then reassign them to some other team member. Some of those tasks were things that folks had done before or had a little bit of background in, in other cases, there was a bit of a learning curve, but we overcame,” said Bradshaw.

IMCOM-Pacific’s willingness to support Young’s mobilization helped enable the TF Medical mission, which assisted citizens of Hawai‘i through some of the toughest parts of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

“There’s a cost, but you feel like it was worth it considering what his contribution is to the state,” said Bradshaw.

The Hawai‘i National Guard’s COVID-19 assistance to federal, state, and local authorities was the longest state activation in its history. The TF Medical motto was “Ho’okahi Imua,” which means “moving forward together” in the Hawaiian language.

“Coming together and moving forward … that’s exactly what the task force did,” said Young.

During activation, working with the Hawai‘i Department of Health and other community partners, TF Medical took on a myriad of tasks and helped thousands of citizens of Hawai‘i by performing medical screenings, conducting public health education encounters in low-income housing areas, and collecting thousands of nasopharyngeal swab specimens at correctional facilities, long-term care facilities, private residences and businesses.

“They might not remember the vaccinations and testing, or the education, everything that we’ve done for them, but they will remember how they were treated … the team treated everyone with the highest level of professionalism, dignity and respect … those are things that I’m really proud of,” said Young.

In addition to in-person medical services, TF Medical assisted the state by providing many other supports, like pre-packaging $10 million worth of equipment and 300,000 pieces of Personal Protective Equipment for emergency kits, repairing lifesaving biomedical equipment, and developing a COVID-19 training course that taught participants how to break the infection cycle, signs and symptoms, mitigating practices and strategies for the workplace and in schools.

Young said that one of the highlights of leading TF Medical was seeing the public trust the teams earned. Young expressed the importance of his personal faith throughout his mobilization and his gratitude for the opportunity to serve the people of his state.

“COVID was bigger than all of us,” said Young, “all the credit and glory goes to [God].”

TF Medical stood down on March 15, 2022 and Young returned to his Army civilian job in IMCOMPacific’s G3/5/7 at Fort Shafter.

“Now he’s back in the office, we welcomed him back wholeheartedly, and he has jumped right back into the fray,” said Bradshaw.

“I was gone for two years and they’ve been very supportive … I really appreciate it,” said Young.

– 2022 Summer Pūpūkahi pp. 18

THE INCIDENT COMMANDER: A CAREER HANDLING CRISIS

Courtesy of Governor Igeʻs Office

Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara has spent 38 years handling disaster response for Hawai‘i, but he said the COVID-19 pandemic has been “the hardest and most challenging of my career.” Hara wears several hats — as Adjutant General and commander of the Hawai‘i Army and Air National Guard; director of the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency; and as director of the Hawai‘i Office of Homeland Security. He was appointed incident commander in March 2020 for COVID-19, which meant helping to coordinate multiple elements of prevention, detection, containment and treatment of the disease, in partnership with the Department of Health and numerous other agencies.

Q. What made responding to COVID-19 so challenging?

“I’d have to say it was the duration and all the unknowns. All the other disasters I’ve handled — floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, landslides — we knew what needed to be done. But with COVID, things were changing so fast, my role was to ensure that everyone was aligned to the state’s priorities. We launched the largest and longest support mission in Hawai‘i National Guard history, involving 1,800 service members. We administered 24,000 COVID-19 swab tests, provided screenings at airports, transported thousands of pounds of cargo, did contact tracing, and distributed food and free PPE. From March to October 2020, myself and our executive team actually lived at the Diamond Head HIEMA headquarters.”

Q. What has it been like working with the governor during COVID-19 and these multiple crises?

“It was clear Governor Ige was in charge. He’s a calm person in the most challenging times. I think that calming effect carried over to everyone else who supported the state. The governor is definitely decisive, but he’s methodical and thoughtful in the process. Those people who try to second-guess leadership — they’re not there to hear the discussion and don’t understand the complexities of the decisions we have to make. If we were constantly changing policies — knee-jerking under the guise of decisiveness — it would create more confusion.”

Q. What have we learned from these multiple disasters, including COVID-19?

“We’ve got to plan for the worst-case scenario and can’t assume it’s not going to happen. What’s challenging, though, is how to mitigate things before a disaster happens. For example, suppose we adjust building codes to make our buildings more resilient to hurricanes and flooding, in anticipation of climate change. People will say it drives up the cost of construction. It’s the right thing to do, but we won’t get there unless more people push for change.”

– 2022 Fall Pūpūkahi pp. 3