Briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
MARINES
Squadron to fly into Kane'ohe
Marine Corps Base Hawai'i in Kane'ohe will be host to a jet squadron for a few days as it transits across the Pacific.
The squadron will arrive in Kane'ohe Bay on Saturday and depart July 10.
Windward residents can expect to see an increase in air activity while the squadron is here.
NATIONAL GUARD
Youth academy has new chief
Wallace Mitsui has been named the new director of the Hawai'i National Guard Youth Challenge Academy. He succeeds retired Col. Robert M. Watanabe, who resigned after five years in the position.
Mitsui has served with the academy since 1995, as lead counselor and program coordinator. He has 33 years experience with the Department of Education as a teacher, counselor and athletic director, primarily at Wai'anae High School.
The Youth Challenge Academy provides at-risk 16- to 18-year-olds a chance to obtain their high school diplomas. Since 1994, 14 classes and 1,064 students have graduated from the academy.
On April 3, the Hawai'i National Guard Youth Challenge Academy received the Volunteer Service to Education Award from the United Services Organization, recognizing the academy as the "best all around" program of its kind in the nation.
ARMY
Chief of staff leaves division
Col. James A. Kelley relinquished his duties last month as chief of staff of the 25th Infantry Division (Light) and U.S. Army, Hawai'i, to become the assistant deputy chief of staff for operations at Fort McPherson, Ga.
Before serving as chief of staff, Kelley was the commander of the 25th Infantry Division (Light) Aviation Brigade.
The ncoming chief of staff, Col. Douglas Horn, a native of Sweetwater, Texas, graduated from A&M University in College Station, Texas. This is his first assignment in Hawai'i.
Peacekeeping exercise ends
Seven South Asian countries participated with units from Schofield Barracks and U.S. Army Pacific for the second Asia Peacekeeping Operations Command Post Exercise in June.
Service members from all four branches of service participated with military personnel from Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
