RON FELLOWS IS NEW ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE

With this issue of The Hawaii Guardsman, we introduce a new member of the “Guardsman” staff.

He is SP-4 Ronald Fellows, replacing Lt Robert Nagao as advertising manager.

Prior to joining the Public Affairs Office at Fort Ruger January 16 as a full-time information technician. Fellows was a news reporter for the Maui News on the island of Maui. He is married and has four sons.

No stranger to the National Guard, Fellows formerly served, as senior combat correspondent of the 117^th Public Information Detachment HARNG, a unit which he has joined.

Other military public information experience has included work as information chief for the 442nd Inf. USAR, and the U.S. Marine Corps. where he served four years active duty in Hawaii, California, and the Far East.

His civilian experience includes two years as a news correspondent for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin; public relations writer/ photographer for the Pineapple Companies of Hawaii: East-West Center, University of Hawaii: and past public relations director for the Hawaii (state) Jaycees

– 1967 June The Hawaii Guardsman pp. 25

The first lady of Hawaii’s ARNG

A 24-year old blonde became the first woman in the Hawaii Army National Guard recently. Linda Lee Woolf was sworn in as a member of the 117^th Public Information Detachment by Brigadier General Frederick A. Schaefer, III, commanding general of the Hawaii Army National Guard, at his Fort Ruger headquarters.

Ms Woolf, a communications consultant for Hawaiian Communications, will leave for training on the mainland this month. She will be trained at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, as an information specialist in the field of journalism and radiotelevision news.

Linda concluded her first day with the Army National Guard with a helicopter ride. The 5-foot 3-inch part time model made the trip in a flight suit, complete with two stars, borrowed from 6-foot 3-inch Adjutant General Valentine A. Siefermann. The suit nevern looked better.

The Army National Guard currently has a number of openings for women in the fields of journalism, administration and communications. Eventually, there could be as many as 600 women in the Army Guard.

– 1973 Summer The Hawaii Guardsman pp. 5

Army Guard assigns first woman commander

by Dennis Y. Fujii
Associate Editor

More women are taking on greater responsibilities in the military, and women in the Hawaii Army National Guard (HARNG) are no exception.

Capt. Gail K. Warok recently became the first woman officer to take command of an Army Guard unit in Hawaii.

Capt. Warok commands the 117^th Public Affairs Detachment, a unit comprised of broadcast specialists and photojournalists. The 117^th provides news coverage and publicizes the various training activities of the HARNG.

Capt. Warok, the full-time public affairs officer for the Department of Defense, State of Hawaii, also served as the aide to the adjutant general before being assigned as the 117^th commander.

The change of command ceremony took place in front of the HARNG Headquarters building, located on Diamond Head Road. Members of the detachment stood in formation as Col. John E. Aiona, Jr., commander, HARNG, presided over the ceremony in which Maj. Patrick K. Tobara turned the command over to Capt. Warok.

Maj. Tobara, commander of the 117^th since February 1976, will serve in the Selective Service section of the HARNG.

The appointment of Capt. Warok as the 117^th‘s commander was part of a recommendation made by Col. Aiona. His recommendation also placed the 117^th under the operational control of the adjutant general’s office. This will result in more effective public affairs support for the entire State Department of Defense. The 117^th is the only official public affairs unit within the Department.

As the new commander of the 117^th, Capt. Warok is very positive that the efforts and talent in her new unit will provide the Department with a substantial public affairs program.

“Being assigned as a commander is a different and challenging experience for me. I feel that more women who have the ability and desire should seek jobs of higher responsibility,” remarked Capt. Warok.

– 1977 December Pūpūkahi pp. 2

In March 1981, the 117^th Public Affairs Detachment deployed to Korea to perform annual training by providing public affairs support to the Unified Command during Exercise Team Spirit ’81.

– 1981 Annual Report pp. 7

Annual training In Orient

117^th hits Korea with publicity blitz

Annual training for 14 members of Hawaii’s 117^th Public Affairs Detachment came early this year when they had the opportunity to participate in Team Spirit ’81 in March.

It was the first time the 117^th PAD, which was formed in 1960, participated in an overseas deployment. Commander is Capt. Gail K. Oura.

For the Hawaii soldiers, the Republic of Korea deployment provided a unique challenge, not only because the citizensoldiers were not accustomed to the cold temperatures, but because it gave them the chance to work alongside members of other active duty military services.

The 117^th PAD worked as part of the Combined / Joint Information Bureau in Seoul to provide the much-needed media coverage of the Team Spirit ’81 exercise.

Public affairs personnel from all segments of the armed forces supported the combined Forces Command public affairs office headquartered at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan. According to Navy Lt. R.J. Skinner, deputy director of the bureau, “The main objectives of the joint information bureau were to support the needs, priority, and public affairs mission of Team Spirit ’81, and to coordinate and control media requirements, as well as provide historical documentation of the exercise.”

The bureau operated from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. seven days a week. It functioned as a clearinghouse for all news releases and a media briefing center. Representatives from various Korean and Japanese publications and broadcast outlets made daily visits to the bureau to pick up news releases and photos.

Amidst the clatter of typewriters, ringing of telephones, and chatter of the various media representatives asking for more information, the Hawaii detachment efficiently manned the bureau office.

Photojournalists and broadcasters of the 117^th were organized into smaller news teams and dispatched to cover field training exercises, Navy sea manuevers, and Air Force activities.

Capt. Gregg Kakesako, Spec. 5 Dennis Fujii, Spec. 5 Wayne Miyata, and Spec. 5 Francine Tobalado journeyed south to Osan Air Base to photograph and cover exercises by military security police units who came from Hickam and other Pacific air bases.

Another team of Hawaii Guard members which included Capt. Michael Nii, Sgt. 1st Class Kin Lo, Spec. 5 John Atkinson, and Spec. 4 Curtis Matsushige ventured out into the shivering Korean cold to cover tactical field exercises of the Combined Field Army headquarters and the 25th Division.

Media representatives were escorted by yet another 117^th PAD team, consisting of Capt. William Bowles and Sgt. 1st Class Wayne Iha, to watch a simulated amphibious landing exercise by the Third Marine Amphibious Force on the coastal shores at Pohang.

Besides providing journalistic coverage, the Guard members also manned a photo lab where they developed and printed an abundance of incoming film from all the various military forces. Photo lab technician Staff Sgt. Lloyd Kurashima, Spec. 5 Steven Lum, and Pfc. Wayne Porter unceasingly provided the finished prints needed for outgoing news releases.

Team Spirit ’81 presented some unique challenges for public affairs, but the thorough planning by the Combined Forces Command Public Affairs Office served to resolve any problems as they arose, Oura said.

For the Army National Guard members from Hawaii, their contributions to the Combined /Joint Information Bureau proved that the “total force” is working and that National Guard units can step into any public affairs operations and contribute to the total force of the United States.

Other members of the Hawaii Army National Guard who bundled up against the bitter Korean cold to augment the U.S. Army’s 25^th Division in Team Spirit ’81 were:

Maj. Earl M. Nakashima, 2nd Battalion, 299^th Infantry; Maj. John K. Hao, Capt. Wayne I. Oride, Platoon Sgt. Alfred Ganigan Jr., and Staff Sgt. Benjamin P. Solomon, all of the 1^st Battalion, 487^th Field Artillery; Spec. 5 Lawrence D. Perreira, Spec. 4 Gordon A. Caminos, Spec. 4 Elroy A. Dumlao, Spec. 4 Salamau Faaitiiti, Spec. 4 Kevin T. Iwasaki, Spec. 4 Ross S. Iwasaki, and Pvt. 2 Timothy W. Kauhane of the 292^nd Supply and Service Company; and Capt. Frederick K. Robello, 1st Lt. Gregory L. Burgess, Sgt. Frank Caitano Jr., of Command and Control Headquarters.

Spec. S Francine Tobalado
117^th Public Affairs Detachment

– 1981 Summer Pūpūkahi pp. 3

Public Affairs Detachment returns from Panama

Palm trees, sunshine, beaches, and beautiful scenery … sounds like Hawaii, but for nine soldiers of the 117^th Public Affairs Detachment, it was definitely not paradise. It was Panama. And they went there to work, Nov. 13-25.

The Hawaii Army Niational Guard unit deployed to Corozal, Panama for their two-week annual training to refine their print and journalism skills. The detachment covered U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force: National Guard and Reserve activities throughout the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). Military units included military police, medics, engineers, and aircraft air and ground crews.

“It’s a unique experience being in the tropics,” said Sgt. Lance Kamisugi, a print journalist and Mililani resident. “We visited the Panama Canal and covered SOUTHCOM missions. It was a good change of pace; it broke up the routine of civilian life.” Kamisugi is a food service worker at Kuakini Medical Center.

During the first week of training, the citizen soldiers covered Tennessee and Alaska Air National Guard airlift activities, a Missouri Army National Guard military police unit, and other military operations on Panama’s Pacific coast.

The journalists also toured the Panama Canal, which gave them a chance to test their equipment in a more picturesque setting. The tour included a visit to the canal locks and a multimedia presentation of the canal’s history.

“The work was challenging there,” said 2nd Lt. Margret Meacham, the 117^th‘s press officer. “The scope of the stories was different from what I was used to.

“I felt the urgency of the mission in Panama and I wanted it to show in my stories.” Meacham is also the Oahu Consolidated Family Housing public affairs officer at Fort Shafter.

During the second week, the detachment’s coverage included jungle operations and jungle training on Panama’s Atlantic coast, and a Panamanian demonstration outside the gates of Gorgas Army Community Hospital.

“We learned that flexibility and persistence are the keys to completing our public affairs mission,” said Staff Sgt. Stephen M. Lum, the 117^th‘s newspaper editor and full-time State Department of Defense information specialist. “Finding credible news sources and dealing with itinerary changes constantly challenged our reporting. We returned home with a better understanding of our strengths and weaknesses.”

By Maj. Bud Bowks

– 1989 October – December Pūpūkahi pp. 3

In November 1989, 10 soldiers from the 117th Public Affairs Detachment deployed to Panama where they performed their annual training.

– 1990 Annual Report pp. 10

In May, the 117^th Public Affairs Detachment sent a team to provide video coverage of Exercise Cobra Gold in Thailand.

– 1992 Annual Report pp. 9

Guard deploys to Thailand

Cobra Gold ’92

Photo and story by 2nd Lt. Charles Anthony

201^st Combat Communications Group Fifty-six airmen from the 201^st Combat Communications Group (CCGP), Hawaii Air National Guard, deployed to Thailand for the 11^th annual Cobra Gold training exercise, April 25. They were joined by a second contingent for a total of 108 personnel. An advance party of four departed April 22.

According to Lt. Col. Jeffrey Okazaki, group commander, this is the first time the 201^st CCGP has deployed that many people to support the U.S. Army. During the exercise, the Guard unit will provide communications and air traffic control for U.S. aircraft at an air base in Korat, central Thailand.

Approximately 10,000 American military personnel from the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps will take part in the three week joint/combined training exercise with U.S. and Royal Thai forces. (A combined exercise involves military personnel from more than one country and a joint exercise involves American forces from more than one branch of service.) U.S. forces also participate in civil affairs projects, providing medical care, education, and road and bridge construction.

Three journalists from the 117^th Public Affairs Detachment, Hawaii Army National Guard deployed to Koral, May 3. They will augment the U.S. Army’s public affairs team.

– 1992 April – May Pūpūkahi pp. 1

In February, 10 soldiers from the 117^th Public Affairs Detachment deployed to Panama City, Panama. The unit received public affairs training through formal instruction and on-the-job training. They produced news releases, still photographs and videotaped material for the American public and supported the command information effort for the United States forces in Latin America.

– 1993 Annual Report pp. 13-14

Command notes

The 117^th Public Affairs Detachment completed a very successful annual training in Panama, Feb. 5-20 The unit earned an unprecedented five U.S. Southern Command artistic excellence awards and was rated fully trained based on readiness indicators and public affairs mission essential tasks. The 117^th‘s excellent rating is further proof of the unit’s capabilities and professionalism.

– 1993 February – March Pūpūkahi pp. 2

Hawaii Army National Guard

The 117^th Public Affairs Detachment deployed to Panama, where several of them were cited by the U.S. Southern Command for their exemplary performance.

– 1993 June – July Pūpūkahi pp. 6

Four members of the HIARNG’s 117^th Public Affairs Team were deployed to the former Yugoslavia in support of Operation Joint Endeavor. The Hawaii Army National Guard soldiers are expected to return in early 1997. They are documenting the peacekeeping activities of the NATO Implementation Force (IF0R) in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Deployed were Sgt. 1st. Class Stephen M.W.S. Lum, Sgt. Lance M. Kamisugi, Spc. Erik B. DeRyke, and Spc. Eraina V. Andes.

– 1996 Annual Report pp. 13-14

Command notes

As this issue is going to press, four members of the 117^th Public Affairs Team are preparing to deploy to Bosnia in support of Operation Joint Endeavor. The Hawaii Army National Guard soldiers will be documenting the peacekeeping activities of the NATO implementation force (IFOR) in Bosnia. Sgt. 1st Class Stephen Lum, Sgt. Lance Kamisugi, Spc. Erik DeRyke and Spc. Eraina Andes must endure the sometimes difficult conditions of the war-torn country as well as separation from family and friends. They have been activated for up to nine months. We wish them all the very best as they help support U.S. military efforts overseas.

– 1996 April – May Pūpūkahi pp. 2

Four members of the HIARNG 117^th Public Affairs Team were deployed in June 1996 to the former Yugoslavia, in support of Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR/GUARD. The HIARNG journalists returned in February 1997. They documented the peacekeeping activities of the NATO Implementation Force (IFOR) in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia. Deployed were Sgt. 1st Class Stephen M.W.S. Lum, Sgt. Lance M. Kamisugi, Spc. Erik B. DeRyke, and Spc. Eraina V. Eshelman.

– 1997 Annual Report pp. 11

Hawaii soldiers return from Bosnia

By Sgt. 1st Class Stephen M. Lum and Spc. Aaron R. Reed

100th MPAD, TXARNG

The world community was outraged with the civil war in the Balkans, reminiscent of the Nazi mass executions of the Jews in World War II. Who could have believed that ethnic cleansing would occur again in this century? NATO Forces, including 20,000 U.S. soldiers, were tasked with keeping the peace established by the Dayton Accords. The operation was known as Operation Joint Endeavor.

For four Hawaii citizen-soldiers the public affairs mission took on aw hole new meaning with a deployment that lasted eight months.

Journalists Sgt. 1st Class Stephen M. Lum, Sgt. Lance M. Kamisugi, Spc. Erik B. DeRyke and Spc. Eraina V. Andes, were welcome to the world of BosniaHerzegovina and Croatia, in July.

In May, the four Hawaii Guard soldiers answered Texas Army National Guard’s 100^th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment’s request for qualified journalists to augment their team. The journalists supported the Texas unit mobilized for the second rotation of Operation Joint Endeavor.

Hawaii journalists joined their Texas public affairs comrades at the Fort Benning, Ga. mobilization station in early June. Also joining the team were two Nevada officers and a California broadcast journalist.

The 18-member unit was broken into four teams: two for information gathering, one for newspaper production and another for administrative duties.

After medical and financial screenings, briefings and issue of an assortment of personal and cold weather clothing the unit departed for Germany.

Training in Germany, including a stop at Hohenfels Maneuver Training Center, land-mine awareness classes was highlighted. Instruction emphasized the dangers of being in an area where millions of land mines are buried and what action should be taken if a mine is found.

After three weeks in Germany the public affairs unit deployed with seven vehicles for the Balkans through Austria, and Hungary. Loaded with an assortment of field gear and electronic news gathering equipment, they arrived in Tazar Air Base. Hungary, July 4. The old Hungarian base serves as the intermediate staging base for deploying and redeploying troops. After being issued ammunition and painting IFOR (Implementation Force) on the vehicles the unit was ready to convoy down range.

The next day, wearing Kevlar helmet, flak jacket, protective mask, Ml6 rifle and pistol belt, with 180 rounds of live ammunition; the journalists drove to Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, the final destinations of the public affairs team.

The convoy moved on to Slavonski Brod, Croatia where. Kamisugi, DeRyke and Andes would set up shop. Missions at Camp Sava North included print and video coverage of the 1^st Armored Division’s and later 1^st Infantry Division’s rear headquarters. Their products included production of a two-page weekly command information newsletter, daily ”battle star” slide briefings and still/video/ voice news releases.

Lum was part of the team headquartered at Eagle Base, Tuzla Main where they supported the 1^st Armored Division and in late November, the 1^st Infantry Division public affairs office. The Guard soldiers wrote, edited, and produced The Tawn, a weekly, full-color, 12 page, magazine-style newspaper covering 23,500 troops from 11 nations assigned to Task Force Eagle.

“Experiencing different cultures and seeing the aftermath of the war here in Bosnia has given me a new appreciation for both the freedoms and the luxuries of home.” Spc. Eraina Andes

‘We produced the Army’s first totally digital publication – accessible to anyone in the world with a modem and a computer said Lum, a 26 year veteran of the Guard.

“I increased my computer proficiency with the latest desktop publishing, digital photo enhancing and distilling programs,” Lum said, who served as The Talon design editor.

The journalists split their time between production and chasing down stories.

“If there is something big happening, chances are my people were there,” said Maj. Victoria D. Wood, 100^th MPAD commander. “They’ve been with engineers on mine-clearing and bridge building operations, patrolled with infantry and spent hours at checkpoints with armor. My soldiers worked extremely hard.”

Before returning home in February the soldiers stationed in Croatia did their part to enhance the Texas unit’s public affairs mission. The Hawaii Guard soldiers toiled long hours on convoys, computers and editing bays to produce command information products for the 3,000 troops in Camp Sava North, Task Force Eagle and U.S. Army Europe.

Kamisugi wrote 20 stories for publication in the Task Force Eagle newspaper The Talon, gathering information for the weekly Sava Sentinel Division Rear newsletter, wrote press releases on redeploying units, and 15 hometown releases. The deployment gave him the opportunity to learn computer desktop publishing and digital photography.

DeRyke and Andes were involved in shooting, editing, voicing and packaging more than 40 American Forces Network/USAREUR broadcast television and radio products. They honed their video/editing skills and produced broadcast quality products on the Betacam SP system.

Maj. John E. Suttle, the 1^st AD’s public affairs officer, said Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR has given him a unique perspective to view public affairs soldiers from both the active and reserve components. “The Texas-based Guard has clearly shown that the reserve public affairs concept works.”

“To deploy to BosniaHerzegovina and support the mission that is bringing peace to this war-torn region is the ultimate ARTEP (Army Training and Evaluation Program). The Texas Guard passed with flying colors,” Suttle said.

”The blend of Texas, Nevada, California and Hawaii Guard soldiers was top-notch. I couldn’t have asked for a better mix of people,” Wood said. “They really meshed. They support each other as effectively as any unit in the Army.”

Most days were the same as the next, no weekends or holiday off, but the day to day routine was not without incident. A real sense of possible danger kicked in when we heard explosions and gun fire. Fortunately the “action” did not include any injuries.

At Eagle Base in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, an occasion explosion was heard as engineers located and exploded in place. Bursts of gun fire were not uncommon.

In one instance, the accidental ignition of old stored munitions caused an explosion at a factory near to the Camp Sava North living quarters, in Croatia.

The Bosnia deployment marked a number of transitions for Guard soldiers: from civilian life to military life, America to Europe, peace to peace enforcement. Everyone also faced the additional challenge of forging new work relationships.

“The deployment has been a real eye-opener for me,” said Spc. Andes, a 19-year-old broadcaster from Aiea. “Experiencing different cultures and seeing the aftermath of the war here in Bosnia has given me a new appreciation for both the freedoms and the luxuries of home.”

– 1997 January – March Pūpūkahi pp. 1 & 4

After a successful mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the 117^th Public Affairs Team deployed to the Republic of Panama to provide public affairs coverage within the U.S. Southern Command’s theater of operations. This involved producing commercial quality print, photographic, video, and radio products for media outlets in the United States

– 1997 Annual Report pp. 11

Public Affairs documents nation building in Panama

By Spc. Cesar Soriano & Spc. Jonathan M. Shiroma

29th MPAD, MAARNG and 117th PAT, HIARNG

COROZAL, Panama -This Central American Republic recently played host to a team of Hawaii Army National Guard soldiers. While these soldiers were armed and loaded, no weapons and ammunition could be found. Instead, cameras and notepads were on hand since these soldiers with the Hawaii Guard’s 117^th Public Affairs Team are print and broadcast journalists.

The five soldiers from Fort Ruger, Honolulu, honed their skills as print and broadcast journalists by writing news articles and producing broadcast stories about National Guard and Army Reserve units deployed to Pamana as part of a joint service humanitarian exercise called “Nuevos Horizontes (New Horizons)- Panama. The exercise ran from January to May.

“Our job is wonderful, because we’re not sitting in an office day after day,” said 2nd Lt. Gina M. Williams, self-employed business woman. ‘We’re meeting people and constantly learning about other soldiers and their jobs.”

Deploying to foreign countries is nothing new for the 117^th. Four members of the unit recently returned from a six-month tour in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia. The citizen-soldiers returned home from Europe just a few weeks before the Central America deployment so they did not deploy to Panama. The 117^th current deployment was augmented by soldiers from the public information office of the State Area Command headquarters at Fort Ruger. The unit’s previously deployments include Panama, Japan, Korea, Thailand and the continental United States.

Overseas training missions are necessary, said Williams because, “we have to be prepared for deployment if there was ever combat or other activation (such as Bosnia). In the Guard, you don’t always expect to be deployed, but if you stay in, sooner or later you will go somewhere.”

Capt. Steve Lai, commander of the 117^th Public Affairs Team, is a former Marine Corps Reservist. Lai, who earned a journalism degree from the University of Hawaii, stressed the importance of deploying out of state for training.

“It’s a real-world training mission, intensified by an unfamiliar country and culture, plus we get to meet soldiers from other states and units. It proves to us that there is more to the National Guard than our own little world in Hawaii,” said Lai, a resident of Mililani.

Several of the 117^th soldiers have journalism and public affairs experience. In his civilian job, Lai is a information specialist for the State of Hawaii Department of Public Safety, while Williams served as a journalist with the U.S. Marine Corps before joining the Hawaii Guard in 1994.

Spc. Jonathan M. Shiroma is a general assignment reporter for KGMB Channel 9, the CBS affiliate. Shiroma, another University of Hawaii alumnus, has also worked for CNN Radio and FOX television. Shiroma said the overseas training differs from his civilian reporting job because of the environment.

“It’s a great opportunity to learn in a different setting and it gives me a better understanding of how to do my job in the National Guard,” Shiroma said.

For other soldiers, the annual training is worlds away from their civilian occupation. Sgt. Merlin W. Zane, of Honolulu, works in sales for Allied Machine.

Zane said the Guard “gives us the opportunity to travel places we might not ever see.”

Sgt. 1st Class Wayne T. Iha, a personnel management specialist for the State of Hawaii’s Department of Education in downtown Honolulu, deployed to Panama in 1989 and 1993. Iha has been with the unit since the early 1970s.

While stationed in Panama, the citizen-soldiers traveled to the Panama interior to cover ongoing U.S. military-training, humanitarian and civic-action exercises.

The Guard soldiers also covered various other U.S. military troops working on various installations located along the historic Panama Canal.

“A lot of these places like the rural parts of Panama are not tourist destinations. We get to see reality,” said Zane, who deployed to Turkey for Operation Provide Comfort II while he was a member of Hawaii’s Air Guard.

“We’re reporting on soldiers building a well for a village in the jungle – and coming from the big city, something as simple as basic infrastructure like running water is something we sometimes take for granted,” added Zane, who resides in Honolulu.

– 1997 Summer Pūpūkahi pp. 4

Public Affairs trains with other half of split state unit in Alaska

By Sgt. Wendy M.H. Miller

In March, ten soldiers from the Hawaii Army National Guard’s 117^th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment embarked on a nine-day annual training mission to Anchorage and Valdez, Alaska.

This was the first time they were to meet and train with the Alaska half of their split-state unit. It was also the first time the unit deployed together in its new configuration and for Sgt. 1st Class Wayne T. Iha, it was to be his first time working in snow.

Their mission was to cover Northern Edge 2003, Alaska’s premier joint training exercise that includes 1,600 airmen, soldiers, sailors, Marines and coast guardsmen from active duty, reserve and national guard units. This year’s training emphasis was on homeland defense.

The first order of business was the issuance of cold weather gear. Their Alaskan counterparts showed them how to suit up layer-by-layer and also prepped them on cold weather survival and driving.

A media operations cell was set up in the Alaska National Guard Headquarters to provide media coverage of the Guard’s involvement.

As scenarios unfolded, teams were sent out on story assignments. They rummaged through their cold weather issue contemplating how much was enough to withstand their new elements. Erring on the side the caution, they resembled little children bundled from head to toe, as seen only on television, waddling their way to their missions.

With temperatures in the teens, events were covered and uploaded to a website set-up for the first time by unit webmaster, Capt. Angela F. Young. Beside creating a site to host the deployment products, Young made time to teach a website development course.

Four Alaska and Hawaii journalists drove to Valdez, 300 miles away, to cover homeland defense scenarios.

After a full day of driving, they rolled into the darkened city, met by 70 mile per hour winds and temperatures below zero degrees. “Locals were saying it was the worst winter in 13 years,” said Spc. Michael J. Coleman, broadcastjournalist.

Team leader, Staff Sgt. Curtis H. Matsushige, fought the blistering winds to make his way to the humvee where journalists Spc. Valerie J. Resciniti and Sgt. Wendy M.H. Miller sat waiting for his instructions. Matsushige yelled out, “Wait here, I’ll check with the units and let you know.”

They watched him attempt to make his way to the Alaska Guard Armory, inching across the slick, icy ground, pushed back by high winds, with arms flailing, looking like a bad Michael Jackson impersonation.

This was to become his signature mode of maneuver nicknamed the “arctic ice dance” by Resciniti.

Although challenged by the wicked weather conditions, and intermittent equipment failure, the print and broadcast journalists persevered and accomplished their mission and returned safely to Anchorage with stories in hand.

Reunited with their unit, their mission finally over, visions of warm Hawaii now danced in their heads.

Future plans include bringing the Alaskans to Hawaii.

– 2003 January – March Pūpūkahi pp. 3

In April, Hawaii said goodbye to two more units — the 117^th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment and the 298^th Engineer Detachment deployed for one year tours in Afghanistan.

– 2005 Annual Report pp. 6

Command Notes

We’ve had the opportunity to welcome back our hometown heroes who’ve completed their, one-year rotations as part of the Global War on Terrorism. C Company, 193^rd Aviation spent a year in Balad, Iraq flying vital missions in their CH-47 Chinook helicopters while B Company, 193^rd Aviation soldiers completed their stint in Kandahar, Afghanistan keeping helicopters fit for flying. Both units have made us exceptionally proud and the U.S. Army knows what the Hawaii Army National Guard is capable of doing. In April, after the units marched in the Merrie Monarch Parade through downtown Hilo, we held a Freedom Salute ceremony at the Hawaii Army National Guard’s Aviation Support Facility # 2 for our neighbor isle soldiers. Mayor Harry Kim gave a stirring speech and several hundred family members and well wishers were on hand to show their support for the returning heroes. Each soldier being honored was presented with an American flag, a coin and other keepsake items as tokens of appreciation for their service. The following day, we bid “Aloha Oe” to “Task Force Pacific” at Schofield Barracks. The 117^th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment and the 298^th Engineer Detachment, two units that fall under the 103^rd Troop Command, joined other soldiers from Alaska and Guam, for a send off ceremony before they deployed to Afghanistan. They are expected back around April of 2006.

– 2005 June Pūpūkahi pp. 2

In April 2006, units from the 103^rd Troop Command returned from a yearlong Afghanistan deployment in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. The 117^th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment and the 298^th Engineer Detachment, along with the Guam Army National Guard’s 1224^th Engineer Detachment, were mobilized as part of Task Force Pacific.

The 18-member 117^th unit provided public affairs support based out of five locations. More than 100 articles were written (published and posted on the web), 27,000 digital images shot, and 2,000 hours of video production (shooting, editing or satellite transmission). Additional missions included numerous planning, presenting and/or coverage of numerous ceremonies and memorial services, briefings, and media accreditation/ escorting.

– 2006 Annual Report pp. 7

In May 2012, 20 officers and journalist from the 117^th Mobile Public Affairs Det. deployed to Afghanistan. The unit went down range in 2005, this time they were in multiple Regional Command South locations

– 2012 Annual Report pp. 10

The public affairs unit headquartered in Waiawa. Its mission is to mobilize and deploy to provide key public affairs actions in support of the range of military operations both at home and abroad.

• Deployed in support of OEF Afghanistan, March 2012 through January 2013.

– 2013 Annual Report pp. 11

• 117^th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment deployed to and returned from Poland

– 2024 Annual Report pp. 16

• 117^th MPAD Tiger Balm Exercise Coverage: 1st Lt. Teata Gutierrez, Sgt. Casandra Ancheta & Sgt. MariahAlexsandra Manandic-Kapu provided PA coverage in support of Tiger Balm 24 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., in May 2024.

– 2024 Annual Report pp. 25