Briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
NAVY
Two considered for admiral post
Adm. Thomas B. Fargo was named to take over the job of his boss, Adm. Dennis Blair, as commander in chief of Pacific Command. A change-of-command ceremony is planned May 2.
But Fargo's replacement as head of the Pacific Fleet has yet to be named.
The Washington Times reported there are two candidates at the top of the list: Vice Adm. Walter F. Doran, assistant to the Joint Chiefs chairman; and Vice Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani, senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
Rumsfeld tapped Giambastiani for the aide position last May. As deputy chief of naval operations for resources, requirements and assessments, Giambastiani had a hand in the Navy's organizational transformation.
Giambastiani's sea assignments included the USS Puffer and USS Francis Scott Key. He commanded the USS Russell.
Doran's command tours included Amphibious Group One and Amphibious Force U.S. Seventh Fleet in Okinawa, the USS Dewert and the USS Belknap, flagship for the U.S. Sixth Fleet.
From 1983 to 1985, Doran was military assistant to the vice president, responsible for Pacific area developments and arms control negotiations.
VETERANS
POW/MIA day tomorrow
POW/MIA Recognition Day will be commemorated at 10 a.m. tomorrow at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Steven J. Redmann, commander, Joint Task Force-Full Accounting, is scheduled to deliver the keynote address in honor of POW/MIA Recognition Day.
The program also will include the introduction of former prisoners of war, a presentation of memorial wreaths by Hawai'i veteran's organizations, a 21-gun salute, and music by the 25th Infantry Division (Light) Band.
ALL SERVICES
Access cards get upgrade
The Hickam Military Personnel Flight will begin issuing Common Access Cards April 18.
The card will replace the present military identification, and when it becomes fully functional, will provide cardholders with additional capabilities not afforded by the present card.
The new card eventually will allow members to log on to computers and gain entry to base facilities. The Department of Defense has mandated that the Common Access Card be the official ID card for all military personnel, DOD civilians and some contractors.
The new cards will be issued to active-duty members only. The program is expected to be fully implemented by October 2003.
JOINT SERVICES
Team destroys old ordnance
A joint team of Army, Navy and Coast Guard personnel traveled to Palmyra Island last month to dispose of unexploded ordnance.
Personnel from the Navy's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Three Detachment Middle Pacific and Army explosive ordnance detachment at Schofield Barracks departed by Coast Guard C-130 transport from Barbers Point and arrived on Palmyra Island March 18.
Employees of the Nature Conservancy also had found seven unarmed training land mines on nearby Barren Island and had asked that they be destroyed.
