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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0377.036 2024-2026(6 0 ^ H9 JOSH GREEN M.D. c" ;1959' `+, STEPHEN F. LOGAN MAJOR GENERAL GOVERNOR KE KIA'AINA ADJUTANT GENERAL as KA'AKUKANA KENELALA .` PHILLIP L. MALLORY '�s:c�A•R�scS•s BRIGADIER GENERAL DEPUTY ADJUTANT GENERAL STATE OF HAWAII KA HOPE'AKUKANA KENELALA KA MOKU'AINA O HAWAI'I 'a' - L') DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Z4 a>,n KA'OIHANA PILI KAUA c zQ OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL 3949 DIAMOND HEAD ROAD HONOLULU, HAWAVI 96816-4495 D� iV STATE OF HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TESTIMONY ON HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 234-25 BEFORE THE HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL POLICY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AM MAJOR GENERAL STEPHEN F. LOGAN ADJUTANT GENERAL AND DIRECTOR OF THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY JULY 21, 2025 Aloha Chair Rebecca Villegas, Vice Chair Jenn Kagiwada, and Council Members: I am Major General Stephen Logan, Adjutant General and Director of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, State of Hawaii, Department of Defense. The Department of Defense provides written testimony in COMMENT of Hawaii Council Resolution 234-25. We appreciate the opportunity to provide testimony on Resolution 234-25 which urges the State of Hawaii to ensure the health and safety of all Hawaii Island residents by requesting the military to cease all bombing and desecration activities at the Pohakuloa Training Area, rejecting land swaps and lease renewals with the military unless certain stipulations are established and conducting a ka pa'akai analysis on the area. While we understand and respect the concerns voiced in the resolution regarding cultural preservation, land use, and community identity, the Hawaii National Guard (HING) benefits greatly from the use of PTA and we would like to offer several clarifications and emphasize the critical role PTA plays in our Hawaii Army National Guard (HIARNG) and the Hawaii Air National Guard (HIANG) preparation to execute their state and federal missions. Ref. To: I Ref. DaleJUL 2 2 2025 The training conducted at PTA provides our Soldiers and Airman, who are residents of the State of Hawaii, the best opportunity to train and prepare, and ensures they are ready when called to fight for our nations wars, as well as aid the residents of the County of Hawaii and our State during state emergencies and disasters. The HING is distinct from active -duty federal forces. Our members are residents of the state, and we have unique dual state and federal missions to serve the people of Hawaii, particularly in times of natural disaster, public health emergencies, and civil defense operations, as well as to defend our nation when called. In the last decade, the Guard has supported Hawaii County in response to hurricanes, lava flows, flooding, brushfires, COVID-19 response, and search -and -rescue operations, and has deployed to multiple combat and non -combat missions. Use of PTA enhances our ability to respond quickly and effectively from within the island and hones our HIARNG's and HIANG's warfighting capabilities. Units such as the HIARNG's 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team routinely perform maneuver operations, exercises, command and control, and live fire training at PTA. These activities are indispensable and give our soldiers the skills and confidence to perform their duties should they be called. We respectfully ask for the Council's consideration in light of the importance PTA has on the HING. Mahalo for your leadership and your continued support of the Hawaii National Guard and thank you for the opportunity to testify. MG Stephen F. Logan, Stephen.f.logan@hawaii.gov; 808-672-1001