Mahalo, Hawai'i, for your prayers and support!

My grandson, Sgt. Kristopher Kamalani, was deployed to Iraq on April 5, 2003, assigned to the 4th Infantry Division’s 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, and cross-attached to Company C, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment.

On March 24, 2004, after a one-year assignment in Iraq, he returned to American soil — Fort Hood, Texas. His platoon had suffered one casualty.

However, in April, violence in Iraq escalated, with a record 170 military casualties and 10 times that amount in Iraqi casualties for the month.

A year ago, I asked for your prayers for Kris and his unit.

I'm asking you again to continue your thoughts and prayers for all our troops, and eventually, world peace.

Kris will be home in Honolulu June 22, for a month's vacation, and will try to see as many family and friends as he possibly can.

I feel so blessed to have him home, and I will feel further blessed to get him back in Honolulu.

Your prayers sustained Kris in Iraq and brought him home, safe and sound.

To all of Kris' benefactors, again, our family's deepest gratitude — we could not have done it alone.

Photo courtesy of Kelli Copen

I am sending a picture of one of the soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division who deployed to Afghanistan. He is my supervisor and a wonderful person who is always looking out for me.

I took it the day of the deployment. His name is Staff Sgt. Andrew Kirchen, and his daughter's name is Brianna. She is all dressed up in her own pair of DCUs. He's part of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Division Support Command, and is in Kandahar. He returned from Iraq five months before leaving for Afghanistan.

He has been deployed for six of the 10 years he has been in the Army.

Don is a 1988 graduate of McKinley High School, where he was an excellent baseball player. He was offered college scholarships but chose to join the Air Force instead.

He is married and has two boys, ages 10 and 5. He coaches his sons in Little League. I am very proud of him and of what he does to serve our country. He and his family hope to visit the Islands soon for a vacation.

— Fred Kim

Kris has a black belt in karate, surfs and played other sports.

He was a delivery boy for The Advertiser for 100-plus Kaimuki customers. He also worked at The Advertiser as an inserter.

He attended St. Patrick's, Saint Louis, Kaimuki High School and Youth Challenge.

Kris received his first military training from 1st. Sgt. James Akuna in Saint Louis ROTC and advanced to the ranger program. Kris completed the National Guard's Youth Challenge program at Barbers Point and, on graduation day, was awarded the Presidential Physical Fitness Award for his class.

After graduation in 2000, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He completed his basic training at Fort Knox, Ky. His first tour of duty was at Fort Hood, Texas.

He recently re-enlisted and was deployed to Kuwait on April 3. Kris requests Hawai'i's continued prayers for himself and his unit.

— Lorraine Freitas

He went to Kuwait in February and to Iraq in April. He'll be coming back to the States in about six months.

Earl graduated from Pearl City High School in 1995. He joined the Marines in 1999. He is the second son of five children.

My husband and I and my family are so proud of him. We miss him very much, but we know he's OK because he's with the best of the best — the U.S. Marines. He is in our prayers and we can't wait to have him home safely with us. We are the proud parents of a Marine. Semper Fi! We love you!

— Stanette L. Keaunui

Jake can be described as a playful, fun-loving and caring son, grandson, brother and uncle.

Jake, who graduated from Baldwin High School in 1999, is assigned to the USS Bonhomme Richard, an 844-foot amphibious assault ship that is taking its second tour in the Persian Gulf in less than two years.

Jake's parents, Alvin and Faith, and his grandparents Masato and Nancy, sisters, niece and girlfriend anxiously await the news of the ship's return to port.

Although contact with Jake is rare, we all keep him in our prayers and thoughts and wait for the day when he can return to us.

We are so proud of Jake and all of his accomplishments.

— By Amy Kushiyama

Eddie is a 1982 graduate from Farrington High School. He has been in the Navy 17 years and is very proud to serve his country. Eddie knows that his family will be here waiting for him when he returns.

Aloha Da Ko 'Ohana

— Ruthie Ko

— Emi Morita

Smith family photo

The last contact with her was on April 13, when she was 20 miles out of Baghdad. This is something she wrote when she first got there: "The weather is actually nice, almost like home. The sand is the color of home, but smaller."

Take care, Sis, we miss you.

— Shyra V. I. Smith