Briefs

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

$268 million allotted for Hawai'i

The House and Senate last week authorized $393 billion for Defense Department operations and the Energy Department's national security programs for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1.

Included in the spending is $268.3 million for military construction in Hawai'i. Last year, $365.8 million in military construction was authorized for the state.

Michael Slackman, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawai'i, called the change a "normal year-to-year fluctuation."

"The overall trend (in military construction funding for Hawai'i) is up, but it may drop from one year to the next," Slackman said.

Slackman said two big-ticket expenditures from last year's defense budget are not in this year's spending plan: $50 million for Wheeler barracks and $36 million for the new Pacific Command headquarters at Camp Smith.

The $393 billion defense budget, which for the fourth consecutive year carries a pay raise above the rate of inflation and includes an across-the-board increase of 4.1 percent and mid-career increases of 6.5 percent, is the largest budget — adjusted for inflation — since the Vietnam War.

The Hawai'i projects and the amount authorized for each include:

• Pacific Missile Range Facility THAAD Test Facility, $23.4 million.
• Hickam Air Force Base Life Skills Clinic replacement, $2.7 million.
• Hickam Air Force Base, replace family housing phase 2, $29.1 million.
• Tripler Army Medical Center, biomedical center, planning and design, $2 million.
• Schofield Barracks, Capron Avenue barracks, $49 million.
• Pohakuloa Training Area, Saddle Road access phase 1, $13 million.
• Marine Corps Base Hawai'i, Capehart family housing, $24.8 million.
• Marine Corps Base Hawai'i chapel complex, $9.5 million.
• Ford Island site improvements, $19.4 million.
• Pearl Harbor Naval Station, recapitalize Bravo wharfs, $10.5 million.
• Pearl Harbor Naval Station, Bravo pier waterfront/mechanical shop, $18.5 million.
• Barbers Point administrative building, phase 1, $22.5 million.
• Barbers Point, relocation of Army National Guard, planning and design, $2 million.
  
  
  

NAVY

74 receive medical training

Naval Medical Clinic Pearl Harbor has trained 74 members who are now able to deploy with the fleet or Marine forces as hospital corps workers.

The Navy said they have updated their personnel records, readied their sea bags and continue to receive specialized field medical training for a possible deployment.

"Through coordinated efforts with 3rd Marine Regimental Aid Station, Marine Corps Base Hawai'i, hands-on field training topics have been provided to the corpsmen — enhancing team competencies and building on an already solid foundation of experience and knowledge in field medical operations," said HMC (SW) William Harry, the plans, operations and mobilization officer. "The knowledge gained during these training evolutions will become invaluable to each and every member when and if they are augmented."

On O'ahu, Marines have a permanent hospital corps staff. The Pearl Harbor mobilization team will serve to augment, as necessary, those units or other units in the Pacific Rim area.

THANKSGIVING

Tons of turkey expected to sell

Commissary management officials predict that 6 million pounds of frozen whole turkeys and 800,000 pounds of fresh whole turkeys will be sold in commissaries for Thanksgiving.

The Defense Commissary Agency also projects that 850,000 pounds of frozen turkey breast meat and 130,000 pounds of fresh turkey breast meat will be purchased at the agency's 275 stores.

The total is around 8 million pounds of turkey.

"Nothing says Thanksgiving like turkey, and every year during this American holiday, we take special pride in providing what we like to call 'a taste of home' to our military service members around the world," said Bob Vitikacs, the agency's director of operations and product support.