Posted on: Thursday, April 18, 2002
More of National Guard activated
By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer
Seven months after Sept. 11, Hawai'i National Guard personnel continue to be called up to active duty in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and homeland defense.
The Pentagon yesterday announced the latest call-up: the partial activation of the 291st Combat Communications Squadron on the Big Island. The Hilo-based unit is responsible for secure satellite, Internet and microwave communications.
Hawai'i Guard spokesman Maj. Chuck Anthony said the 23 soldiers, all part-time Guard personnel, have been assigned to Central Command's area of responsibility in support of Enduring Freedom.
"They've already left and forward-deployed to two undisclosed locations," Anthony said.
More than 100 Guard soldiers are part of the 291st squadron, whose parent unit is the 201st Combat Communications Group based at Hickam Air Force Base.
A total of 458 Hawai'i Air Guard personnel have been activated since Sept. 11. Most of those forces are assisting with homeland defense, but about one-third have been activated for Enduring Freedom, Anthony said.
Some are part of KC-135 tanker units. Among other tasks, the air crews and maintenance personnel may be responsible for refueling bombers flying across the Pacific either from forward-deployed locations or here, Anthony said.
On the Army National Guard side, approximately 250 soldiers remain on active duty, Anthony said. About 150 soldiers are being demobilized from airport security duty around the state, with civilian security forces taking over. The demobilization is expected to continue through May.
The remainder have had homeland security roles across the state, including National Guard installation protection. Others have been working alongside active-duty components protecting federal facilities, Anthony said.
Anthony said the call-up represents the most sustained activation of Hawai'i-based Guard units and personnel since the Vietnam War, when approximately 4,000 soldiers went on active-duty between May of 1968 and December of 1969.
