National Guard opening facility at Bellows

By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer

A $17 million Hawai'i Army National Guard facility that will increase training opportunities for the military and create much-needed community meeting space will be dedicated Thursday at Bellows Air Force Station.

U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye, D-Hawai'i, is scheduled to be the keynote speaker, and Maj. Gen. Edward Correa, the state adjutant general, will give remarks at the 298th Regiment-Regional Training Institute.

The institute includes a 250-seat auditorium, 250-seat dining room, classroom building, administrative space and student housing with a Hawaiian architectural theme.

"It's like a military college campus," said National Guard Spokesman Maj. Chuck Anthony.

Workers are putting finishing touches on the facility, which is expected this fiscal year to host more than 1,000 Army National Guard soldiers, Army reservists and some active-duty components for officer, officer candidate and noncommissioned officer classes.

The first classes start Nov. 23. During fiscal 2002, which ended in September, 502 soldiers graduated from the former program at Bellows, housed in smaller facilities.

Anthony said a large number of soldiers had to travel to Mainland locations such as Little Rock, Ark., for some classes, "and now they'll have certain options available to them locally, so it's not just saving the Army Guard money, but it's saving the active-duty components money too."

Among the courses offered is a company pre-command class for 1st lieutenants and captains slated to be commanders, Anthony said.

Kawahine Kamakea-Ohelo, executive director of the Waimanalo Health Center, said the National Guard had been a good neighbor by holding programs at Bellows such as Team Challenge, offering military training and education for youth.

The institute also is expected to offer the community a large meeting space, and the possibility of teleconferencing or holding night classes, Kamakea-Ohelo said.

The Guard allowed the community use of its previous Bellows facility for computer classes and a native healers' conference in 2000.

"One thing we lack is proper training facilities on the Windward side," Kamakea-Ohelo said. "(We're hoping) there's a way to work out use of the facility for (community) training. I think that's one thing they're committed to. They want to partner with us."

Anthony said the Guard anticipates there will be "quite a bit of community use" when military training is not being conducted.

A parade ground also might be used as an athletic field, he said.

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5459.