Department of Defense

Command Sergeant Major James K. Kahalehoe Jr. graduated from Roosevelt High School in June of 1969. After graduation he left Hawaii July 4^th 1969, with the last of the all-Hawaii Company to be sent to Fort Ord, Calif. for 12 weeks of basic training. October of that year, after basic training, Kahalehoe was sent to Fort Sill, Okla. for his advanced infantry training for another 12 weeks. At Fort Sill, he attended the Non Commissioned Officer Academy and was promoted from E-1 to E-5 upon graduation. When orders for his next assignment came in, he was assigned to Headquarter and Support Battalion, 3^rd Battalion, 13^th Artillery, 1^st Brigade, 25^th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Kahalehoe served two years six months of active duty as Radar Crewman 17B20. Due to troops returning from Vietnam, he decided to take the early out and return to civilian life. Kahalehoe still was on reserve obligation for the next four years should the military need to call him back. He was honorably discharged from active duty.

In 1977 Kahalehoe was asked by Chief Warrant 2 Melvin Chock, with the 298^th Engineer Detachment to join the Hawaii Army National Guard. He joined in September of 1977 and stayed with the unit for four years. In 1981 he was promoted to Staff Sergeant. Then In 1983, he moved over to Headquarters, Installation Command. On April 21, 1985, Kahalehoe was promoted to the rank of Sergeant First Class.

Then in 1986 his unit became Headquarters Troop Command. Kahalehoe stayed there from 1987-1988.  On July 11, 1988, he was promoted to the rank of First Sergeant for Detachment 1, Headquarters State Area Command (STARC). In 1991 Kahalehoe was assigned to Headquarters, Headquarters Detachment 297^th Support & Service Battalion in Wahiawa. He was the acting Command Sergeant Major for the 297^th Support & Service Battalion then on April 1^st, 1991 he was promoted to Command Sergeant Major for the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 297^th Support & Service Battalion, and he stayed there until 1993. Kahalehoe transferred back to Headquarters STARC, as their Command Sgt. Maj. He stayed with Headquarters STARC from Dec. 6^th, 1993 until Dec. 5^th, 1998, it was a 5-year tour on Active Guard/Reserve status. On Dec. 8^th, 1998, Kahalehoe returned to “drill status” as the G4 (logistics) Sergeant Major at Headquarters STARC. He stayed there until Jan. 1^st, 2004, then retired from the Hawaii Army National Guard. 

Last updated 2022