Hawai'i picked for Army's new rapid-strike strategy

By William Cole
Advertiser Military Affairs Writer

Hawai'i has been selected for a prototype rapid-strike brigade that will radically change the way the Army trains here and fights overseas, positioning the state at the forefront of a far-reaching military transformation.

Army Chief of Staff Eric Shinseki is expected to announce the plan today. Advertiser library photo • July 21, 2000

Army Secretary Thomas E. White and Chief of Staff Eric K. Shinseki are expected to announce the plan today.

"This action represents another milestone on the road to transforming the Army into a force that is strategically responsive and dominant at every point on the spectrum of military operations," said Shinseki, who is from Kaua'i, in a memo to congressional leaders.

Sen. Dan Inouye, D-Hawai'i, yesterday said he was "most pleased" with Shinseki's decision to pick Hawai'i for one of the specialized units, each of which is expected to have 3,500 soldiers and 300 light armored vehicles. It is expected to cost $1 billion each to convert the brigades.

Inouye said the continued viability of the 25th Infantry Division (Light) hinged on Schofield Barracks being selected for one of the interim brigades, a concept expected to be in use until 2008 or 2010, when a new force with newer weaponry will take its place. The first two interim brigades were established in 1999 at Fort Lewis in Washington state.

"Throughout my service in the Congress I have advocated for a strong military and emphasized Hawai'i's Pacific location as an indispensable part of America's defense," Inouye said. "The designation as an IBCT reflects the 25th Infantry Division's present and future importance in the protection of our nation and our interests."

Lighter and faster

The use of armored vehicles and C-17 cargo carriers to transport them is part of Shinseki's plan to transform the Army into a lighter, faster force in the 21st century. A related effort is under way to bring the latest-generation C-17 jets to Hickam Air Force Base.

Shinseki wants the capability to put combat forces on the ground anywhere in 96 hours, have 10,000 to 14,000 troops ready to fight in 120 hours, and put five divisions in place within 30 days.

The 19-ton armored vehicles to be used to speed troops to the battlefield have eight oversized tires instead of tank treads, and can do 60 mph on the highway with nine soldiers protected within.

A C-130 cargo plane can carry one of the vehicles, while a C-17 can carry four and a C-5 can hold five or six. The latest additions to the interim brigade plan call for existing units to be reorganized into the fast-strike brigades.

The Army wants to speed up getting the armored vehicles to Fort Lewis, and plans on delivering the troop carriers to the other brigades within three years after Fort Lewis gets the vehicles. Eight interim brigades are envisioned.

Inouye previously said the move to an interim brigade wouldn't increase troop numbers significantly. The 2nd "Warrior" and 3rd "Bronco" brigades of the 25th at Schofield each number about 1,800 soldiers. A third brigade, the 1st "Lancer," is part of an interim brigade at Fort Lewis.

Where the reconfigured brigade will train here remained unclear yesterday. U.S. Army, Hawai'i, officials declined comment before today's announcement.

Makua may be affected

The future of Makua Valley as a training site also may be affected. On May 15, after a more than two-year hiatus, the Army announced a finding of "no significant impact" to live-fire training in the 4,190-acre valley and said it planned on a resumption this month or next.

A lawsuit filed by community group Malama Makua stands in the way of that plan, and U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway is expected to rule on a request for a preliminary injunction this week.

Inouye has said the armored vehicles could be split between O'ahu and the Big Island, where the Army has 108,890-acre Pohakuloa Training Area and is buying an additional 1,000 acres formerly leased from Parker Ranch.

William Aila Jr., whose family owned land in Makua Valley before the military took over, said the selection of Schofield Barracks for an interim brigade makes Makua obsolete, because with armored vehicles, there no longer would be the need for foot soldiers to "charge up these hills" as they have in the past.

Call for intensive review

David Henkin, an attorney with the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund, maintains a more comprehensive environmental impact statement is warranted for the Army's continued use of Makua and if armored vehicles are contemplated for use. Earthjustice represents Malama Makua in its lawsuit.

But Henkin questioned whether Makua will figure into the new brigade plan, given the presence of unexploded ordnance in the Wai'anae Coast valley.

Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawai'i, acknowledged that Makua's future could be affected by reconfiguration of brigades.

"In light of the ongoing controversy and legal activity and in light of the possibility of an interim brigade coming, the whole question of what are suitable training facilities has to be examined," he said yesterday. "Makua is but one element in that equation."

The next four brigades to be reorganized into the fast-attack units, in order, are: 172nd Infantry Brigade (Separate), Forts Wainwright and Richardson, Alaska; 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (Light), Fort Polk, La.; 2nd Brigade of the 25th Division at Schofield; and 28th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

Advertiser military affairs writer William Cole can be reached at 525-5459 or wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com