Army pursues options for live-fire training

By William Cole
Advertiser Staff Writer

In the wake of a federal judge's decision barring live-fire training at Makua Valley, the Army said it will continue to pursue what training it can — including options outside of Hawai'i.

Maj. Allen Patty, a 25th Infantry Division (Light) training officer, said the Army has "many training opportunities scheduled throughout the year, and we base our plans on the availability of resources."

The Army said it was working to ensure that troops had the opportunity to do all necessary training.

But without the ability to train at Makua Military Reservation, the 25th Division will have completed only seven of 18 company combined arms live-fire exercises called for during the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30, Patty said.

Although Army officials have declined to specify what the loss will mean for troop readiness, Brig. Gen. Karl W. Eikenberry, a former assistant division commander (support), said in May, "I tell you emphatically ... the clock is ticking and our readiness is suffering."

In granting a preliminary injunction Monday barring a return to live-fire training in the 4,190-acre valley, at least until Oct. 29 — the next hearing date — U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway questioned that urgency.

The judge noted that the Army voluntarily suspended training in the valley in 1998, and in December the Army issued a "final" environmental assessment and finding of "no significant impact" to training, but subsequently withdrew the assessment to address community concerns.

The voluntary withdrawal caused a five-month delay in the court case.

"The Army cannot now come into this court and say that national security will be jeopardized by a delay of a few months to determine this case on the merits," Mollway said in her 52-page order.

Community group Malama Makua sought the preliminary injunction as part of a lawsuit it filed in December seeking to force the Army to complete a more comprehensive environmental impact statement analysis of training in Makua Valley. Live-fire training was suspended in 1998 following a series of brush fires ignited by stray ordnance.

Dr. Fred Dodge, a physician who lives in Wai'anae, said Malama Makua has a 10-member board and hundreds of supporters.

The 25th Division's most recent combined arms live fire exercises held were in May. Four companies conducted the training at the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, La. The 25th Division went to California and Thailand to conduct six company-level live-fire training exercises in fiscal 1999. In fiscal year 2000, the division did not complete any company exercises that met the training standard.