Check Six – 1971: OCS Class 09-71

Posted on Jun 9, 2017 in 1970's, Check Six
Not all the Officer Candidates in the class are in this photograph. Formation leader Wayson Wong, guideon bearer John Amadeo. 1st row L-R: Alan Arakaki (Air), Skip DeMello, Billy Fernandez. 2nd row L-R: John Flores, Norm Nitta (Air), Roy Tanahara, Gervin Miyamoto. Last row L-R: Fred Camit, Cadre member Miles Nakatsu. Click on photograph to enlarge

In 1971, here are three sources for officers in the Hawaii National Guard: commissioned officers transitioning from active duty, those who completed the local officer candidate school, and professionals who received direct commissions.

Hawaii Army National Guard (HIARNG) ran their Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Hawaii Military Academy at Koko Head Armory. The Academy is now headquartered in Waimanalo. Hawaii Air National Guard (HIANG) enlisted members seeking commissions attend the HIARNG’s OCS program.

Class 09-71 (1971) included three Hawaii Air Guard candidates Douglas Abe, Allen M. Arakaki and Norman S. Nitta. Future Air Guard member Gervin K. Miyamoto attended as a HIARNG member. This was the last OCS class attended by HIANG members.

In April 1971, an Officers Preparatory Academy was established to serve as a commissioning source for Air National Guard officers. On 12 April 1971, the first class at the ANG Officers Preparatory Academy began with 29 students at the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center. The Center is located at the McGhee Tyson ANGB, Knoxville, Tennessee.

In 1973, the ANG Officers Preparatory Academy was renamed the Academy of Military Science. In 2009, the Academy of Military Science relocated to Maxwell AFB, Alabama, where it shares facilities with the Air Force’s Officer Training School (OTS).

Retiree News will share more information about the members of Class 09-71 in another post next week.

Special thanks to Aaron Pollick who shared this photograph from his personal collection and Stephen Lum who cleaned up an old photograph.

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