Rosa C. Taepan

This is a snapshot of my grandson, Sgt. Michael Alcosiba, who is stationed in Kuwait.

He is with Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 121st Artillery as a tank sergeant.

Michael grew up in Honouliuli and is a graduate of Campbell High School. He was with the Hawai'i Army National Guard but moved to Las Vegas and is now with the Nevada National Guard.

After training in Mississippi he was deployed to the Middle East on July 6, 2006. He hopes to be home in July.

Submitted by a very proud grandmother.

By Urla Avelino

This is a picture of our son, Army Pfc. Paul Desco Avelino, better known as Desco Avelino.

He is a 1988 graduate of Kalaheo High School and is with the 62nd Engineering Company from Fort Hood, Texas, and now deployed to Iraq.

He is originally from Kailua and lived with his parents, Paul and Urla, and brother Pat.

But he moved to Kona to live with his sister, Paula Leong, and from there joined the Army in 2005.

He's really homesick for Hawai'i and can't wait to come home and eat all the local foods.

By Capt. Donald M. Kyle

Sgt. Amber Aki is a member of the 322nd Civil Affairs Brigade out of Fort Shafter. Aki deployed with the 322nd Civil Affairs Brigade in June 2005, but was moved to Company B, 490th Civil Affairs Battalion to make up for personnel shortages, and has been assigned to an area south of Baghdad, Al Hillah province, in Iraq.

Aki and her fellow soldiers of Company B have worked very hard helping the Iraqi people. Her efforts and caring spirit are in keeping with traditions of the aloha spirit and the motto of the 322nd Civil Affairs Brigade: "For the Benefit of Mankind."

Aki's family, friends and the people of Hawai'i should be very proud of Amber, and welcome her home in early summer 2006.

Thanks, Amber!

By Stephen Akana

We all miss her very much.

Celine was recruited during her senior year at Pearl City High School, Class of 2003. She worked as a service agent for Dollar Rent A Car before her deployment.

We are so very proud of our daughter as she continues to endure in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

We will continue to pray for her safe return as well as for all of our troops overseas.
All our love to “Da Big Girl.” Hooah!

By Roland and Lisa Acosta

Our sons are serving in the U.S. Marines and we wanted the whole world to know that we are very proud of them. Both are graduates of Farrington High School.

Errol, 25, joined the Marines in February 1999. He's currently based at Marine Corps Base Hawaiçi and is serving in Afghanistan with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division.

Maynard, 22, joined the Marines in August 2001. He is stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif., with the 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division.

Errol, we hope and pray that you and the rest of the troops come home safely.

This message comes from your mom and dad, Maynard, your wife Cheryl who is waiting for approval to come to the United States from the Philippines, and also from your grandmothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces who are always asking how you and your brother Maynard are doing.

We love you both and miss you a lot.

By Reiko Arcangel-Diego

This is a picture of my brother, Cpl. Daniel K.H. Arcangel, and me the day he left for Iraq. My brother is attached to the 3rd Radio Battalion based at Kane'ohe Bay.

Born and raised on Maui, he decided to enlist in the Marines the day after graduating from the Youth Challenge Program. We just want to let him know that we miss him dearly (especially his nephews), and are so proud of him for all the accomplishments that he has done with his life.

We pray for you each and every day and really hope that the next year flies by. We love you and miss you and may God bless you and all your fellow Marines.

Love you, your Tita Reiko, Jericho, Shauna, Kawehi and Mano.

This is my daughter, Maj. Elizabeth G.K. Akaka, M.D. She is currently attached to Medical Troop Support Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Iraq. Elizabeth is a lifelong resident of Honolulu and a 13-year graduate of Kamehameha Schools. She received her B.S. from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and her medical degree from the University of Hawai'i John A. Burns School of Medicine. Elizabeth was posted at Fort Sill, Okla., before being deployed to Iraq in March. She is looking forward to returning to Fort Sill and then home to Hawai'i. She is pictured with three fellow members of the Medical Support Squadron on the steps of one of Saddam Hussein's former palaces in Baghdad. Behind Elizabeth (who is in the foreground) are Connie Welch, physician's assistant; Maj. Joan Quaine, R.N.; and Capt. Jen Rael, M.D.

Our son, Spc. Jarret S.P. Atkins, is at Camp Anaconda north of Baghdad. He is in the military intelligence unit of the 29th Brigade. He says he is having fun on his "big adventure." Everything is new and exciting. Jarret is from Kailua and is a 2001 graduate of Kalaheo High School. We miss him and love him and are very proud of him. God bless America; see you soon son.

My husband, Spc. Keresema Alaimaleata, is in Iraq with Delta Company, 100th/442nd Infantry. His four children want to send a message to the world:

“We miss having Daddy home with us. We cry with tears and think of him every night, but we stand strong that he will be back home safe with God’s help.”

My sons’ teacher at Makalapa Elementary, Mrs. Wong, sent this e-mail:

“Good morning, Mrs. Alaimaleata,

“I just want you to know that I will continue to pray for your family, especially for the safety of your husband. I have to tell you a cute story about Leon. For writing one day, I had the students write if they had one wish, what would they wish for, and most of the kids wrote that they wanted money, toys, candy, etc. But Leon wrote, ‘If I had one wish, I would wish for my daddy to come home.’ ”

We love him and we miss him so much.

Aloha, this is a picture of my husband, Sgt. Joseph Alpuro, in training in Fort Bliss, Texas, last November. He is a member of the Hawai'i Army National Guard, 29th Support Battalion, Company B, which is now deployed in Iraq. I just wanted to say that I am very proud of him and his fellow soldiers and that we are praying for you. Michael and Melody miss their daddy very much and just can't wait till he comes home so they can go surfing! We love you, Daddy!!

This is my dear friend, Sgt. Daniel Arrojo, during his recent R&R in December. He is with the Hawai'i Army National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 299th Infantry, heading to Ku- wait and then to Iraq for one year. He's a great friend and I will miss him terribly. I am very proud of him and the rest of his unit — here's hoping their deployment will be quick and all will be home safe next year. Aloha. I mua, Charlie!

This is our son, Tech Sgt. Baron L. Acosta, who has been on deployment in the Far East for the past six months. Baron has been in the Air Force for 15 years and has traveled to many places here and abroad. We are eagerly awaiting his arrival back home in April. We wish him and all our troops, wherever they may be, Godspeed and a safe arrival home. God bless you all. We are proud of you. Louis, Janet, Eric, Julia, Casey and Angela Tech

I am Staff Sgt. Sheryl Ayeni, with the 125th Finance Battalion, 25th Infantry Division (Light). I just wanted everyone to know that the 125th Finance Battalion "Pacific Paymasters" are holding it down here in Afghanistan. I know that when you hear the word "war" you instantly think of Special Forces, Rangers and infantrymen, but the 125th Finance Battalion supports more than 12,000 soldiers, airmen, sailors, Marines and DOD civilians here in theater. We take finance, resource management and contracting services to the front line. I would really appreciate it if you would let everyone in the rear know this.

Talofa! This is my husband, Sgt. Uaita "Tali" Atoa, who is serving in Iraq with the 411th Engineer Battalion of Hawai'i. My husband's unit deployed from Schofield in March 2004. As his tour comes to an end, I reflect upon the past year and I am very thankful for everyone's support and prayers that have kept our family strong. Our only child, 18-month-old Blaize, is Tali's pride and joy. Tali left when Blaize was only 8 months old, so he has definitely missed out on a lot of our son's firsts. He also worries that our son might not remember who he is. I think about all the other families out there who are going through the same thing we're going through, and I pray for all of you each and every night, that your soldiers are safe as well. To my Hero: Babe, thanks for all the phone calls. Hearing your voice keeps me going. Don't worry. Blaize remembers who his daddy is and what his daddy looks like :). When you come home, we'll eat all the L&Ls you like, 'k? I miss you so much. Please be careful. May our Heavenly Father continue to watch over you and all the other soldiers out there, and bring you all home safely. I love you, sweetheart. Your Proud lil' Army Wife

This is a photo of my husband, Staff Sgt. Fertom Arquitola, holding our newborn son, Payton. My husband is in Company A, 411th Engineer Battalion based in Hilo, Hawai'i. Our son was born four days after he came home to Hilo on his R&R. My husband had to return to Iraq, where he is stationed at Camp Liberty in Baghdad, when our son was 13 days old.

Airman 1st Class Jesse Antolin has been a military policeman in the Air Force since graduating from Waipahu High in 2000. He has traveled to different states, Greece, Italy and was also stationed in Iceland for a year. We are all so proud of him for being so brave in serving our country. (He was) home to spend New Year's with us before (leaving) for Iraq again, for the third time! Aloha, brah, take care, be safe, God bless always and we all love you.

This is a picture of myself, my good friend, Sgt. Danny Allison, and his wife, Amanda Allison. This picture was taken when Danny was back home in Indiana on his Rx. Danny is with the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, which deployed from Schofield Barracks to Afghanistan on April 18. I met Danny and Amanda while living in Hawai'i last year and from the first day I met them they have been special people in my life. They are like family to me and I don't know what I would do without them. Danny, Amanda, Tanner and I miss you terribly. I can't wait to celebrate your safe return home to Indiana. Until then, you are in my thoughts and prayers. You are my hero. Stay safe and be strong. I am always thinking of you. Aloha!

This is my brother Jordan, who is stationed at Hickam Air Force Base. He is now deployed to Salem Air Base in Kuwait. He just turned 23 years old and we wish we could celebrate his birthday with him. Jordan joined the Air Force in 1999, right after he graduated from Leilehua High School. We all miss him dearly and pray for his safety and safe return home.

This is our son Capt. Shea Asis, who is stationed with the 1st Infantry Division's 33rd Field Artillery Regiment in Bamberg, Germany. He deployed to Bayji, Iraq, in January as assistant operations officer and will be in Iraq for one year. 

Shea, born and raised in Hawai'i, is a 1996 graduate of Damien Memorial High School and 2000 graduate of Boise State University. Here is a picture of him taken outside the battery in Bayji. 

Take care, Shea, be safe and we'll see you soon.

This is my husband, Maj. Gary W. Aspera, we are both from Wahiawa, and he is a 1973 graduate of Leilehua High School. He is currently deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, with the 1st Cavalry Division, from Ft. Hood, Texas. He is the Deputy Division Surgeon/Senior PA (Physician Assistant) for 1st CAV. He has been in the Army for 25 years and we have come a long way since he entered the Army as a Private in 1978. He also served 2 tours of duty on Schofield Barracks, from 1979-1983 as a medic in the Emergency Room (now Acute Care Clinic), and from 1992-1995, for HHC, 1-27 Infantry and HHB, 3-7 Field Artillery Battalion, as a Physician Assistant.

I am so proud of him and feel so blessed to have such a wonderful husband. I can't wait for his return and we can enjoy the rest our lives together. He gives his love to his children; Alan, Kimi, Yvonne, Isaac, and to his mother, Mrs. Harriet Aspera. He wanted me to say hello for him to all his family and friends, especially the boys from Waipio. He also says he has run into a lot of the local boys from the 411th Engineer Battalion with soldiers form Hawai'i, Samoa, Guam and the Mainland. They are doing great.

Spc. Nikolas Anderson is serving a yearlong deployment with the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment in Iraq. This picture was taken when I visited O'ahu last July, about a month before he left for Ranger School.

Nik is a very special person to many people. Everyone is very proud of his hard work and dedication to our country. He is greatly missed.

To Nik: I miss you more than you could ever imagine. I can't wait for the day that you come home, but while you're gone, you will always be with me. Stay safe and be strong. Come home soon!

Love you!

Lisa

Spc. Jesus Abrego is part of the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment. He joined the United States Army after graduation in 2001, and is proud to part of the Wolfhounds stationed at Schofield Barracks.

We were also married in 2001, and have been enjoying our first duty station in Hawai'i.

We are eagerly expecting our first child this July. Jesse is serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. I am so proud of my soldier and I can't wait for him to come home to our new family. He is in my prayers every day.

I love and miss you very much, Jesse.

By Yolanda P. Akuna

My son, Charles A.P. Akuna is with the U.S. Army, stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky., with the 5th Special Forces Group.

In January, he and his 11-man team were deployed to Kuwait. He is somewhere in Iraq. I don't know when he'll be coming back to the United States.

Charles is a 1995 graduate of Wai'anae High School. He joined the Hawai'i Army national Guard and attended Leeward Community College. He joined the U.S. Army in 1998.

My husband and I and our family here and on Maui are very proud of him. We wish him well and can't wait to have him home again. Our prayers are always with him and his team.

May God bless all our troops in the Middle East. We are proud parents of a Special Forces/Ranger soldier. We love you very much.

Mahalo.

By Anthony and Marguerite Aila

Sgt. Maj. Antoinette K. Aila is deployed in Afghanistan with Task Force Tiger, under the coalition task force of the 82nd Airborne Division in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

She has a total of 23 years in the Army, all in aviation, as a single parent and soldier.

She makes it a point to take care of her daughter as well as accomplishing the mission and looking out for the welfare of her troops.

A familiar quote she uses from Scripture is, "And ye shall mount up with wings as eaghles."

The 'ohana love and miss you. Come home safe — "malama pono."

By Rose Andrade

My husband, AO1 Keith Mahina Andrade, is serving on board the USS Bonhomme Richard LHD-6 in the Persian Gulf. We are very proud of him for making this sacrifice for his family, friends and country. He departed San Diego on Jan. 17.

He left behind his wife who is 8 months pregnant, a 17-year-old son who will be graduating without his dad being there, a 14-year-old son and a 6-year-old daughter who is the apple of her daddy's eye. He is just a small-town boy from Hilo and has been in the Navy for 17 years. He is proud to serve this country and knows that we will be here waiting for his return. Godspeed to you and your shipmates.

Aloha, Da Andrade Ohana

By Tom Adkins

My son Thom is a captain in the Air Force and is currently a KC-10 commander providing refueling support for coalition planes in Iraq. He and his family are assigned to Travis Air Force Base, Calif. His wife is the former Zinnia Zamora of Wai'anae.

Thom graduated from Leilehua High School in 1989 and the University of Hawai'i in 1994. He appreciates knowing that our armed forces are supported by everyone back home.

The attached photo was taken during pre-flight of his aircraft.

By Brian Agbayani

This is my son, Chad M.K. Agbayani of the U.S. Air Force. He has been in Qatar since the beginning of February 2003. He is in charge of the ground crew that supplies all the missiles for the F-15s. There hasn't been a day my wife, Kimberly, and I don't speak of Chad. He is the oldest of five children and the first to move away from home, which was a very hard thing to accept and experience as a family and parents. The family has learned a lot and has come closer to each other since all of this has started. His whole 'ohana is very proud of him and I know everyone includes him in their prayers.