Briefs
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ARMED SERVICES
POWs, MIAs recognized
POW/MIA Recognition Day will be commemorated at 10 a.m. today at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, with retired Marine Brig. Gen. Ernest Reid Jr., delivering the keynote address. Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono and Ji Doo Lee, Consul General of the Republic of Korea, are expected to attend. The program includes a special introduction of former prisoners-of-war and a presentation of memorial wreaths.
Ex-USS Missouri skipper honored
Battleship Missouri Mem-orial officials will stage a ceremony Thursday in tribute to Capt. William M. Callaghan, former USS Missouri skipper. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, a Medal of Honor recipient, will be the keynote speaker.
Also speaking will be retired Adm. William M. Callaghan Jr., son of the late Missouri captain, and Rear Adm. Kenneth Fisher, deputy commander-in-chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
The event marks the 56th anniversary of an April 11, 1945 kamikaze attack on the USS Missouri during the Battle of Okinawa.
Callaghan held a burial at sea for the Japanese pilot, holding to his belief that the unidentified pilot died in service to his country.
Those wishing to attend the ceremony should be seated by 8:45 a.m. Access is subject to security restrictions. Free trolley service will be provided across Ford Island Bridge from the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park at 7:45 a.m.
Change to VA claims proposed
Rep. Patsy Mink has submitted legislation that would require the Veterans Administration to compensate those disabled by VA medical malpractice from the time of their injury, rather than the date of claim.
HR 290 would alter provisions of sections 5110 and 1151, Title 38 of the United States Code.
Korean War medals available
The Department of Defense has announced that the Korean War Service Medal is still available. During the Korean War, regulations prevented American service members from wearing any foreign service medal. However, since 1954, it has been permitted.
The Air Force is the lead agent to distribute the medal. The Air Force Personnel Center processes requests and distributes the medals to all Korean War veterans who qualify.
Applicants must have served from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953, been on duty for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days and performed duty in Korea, its waters or airspace.
Information: Air Force Personnel Center, (800) 558-1404, or on the Web at korea50.army.mil.
ARMY RESERVE
Pacific chief gets first star
Col. Robert G.F. Lee, commander of the Army Reserve's Ninth Regional Support Command and Pacific Army Reserve, was promoted to the rank of brigadier general Saturday. Lee has commanded the Ninth Regional Support Command since 1999.
He is the Pacific Army Reserve's seventh commanding general since the Army Reserve was established in Hawai'i in 1962.
Lee received his ROTC commission at the University of Hawai'i in 1971.
