The Army has been denied the right to conduct live-fire training at its combat training range at Makua.

This is akin to having a football team prepare for a championship game without allowing the players to actually block, tackle or pass. They can go through their drills and walk through their plays, but the players can't go through the offensive and defensive plays and actually catch a pass or physically block a player or tackle. Just how do you think the team will do in executing its offense and defense against the opposing team?

For the military, live-fire training at Makua is its ultimate preparation for combat.

Unlike football, however, combat is a life-or-death confrontation. Mistakes on the battlefield not only result in losing the battle, they result in the unnecessary loss of lives.

The Army normally prepares its soldiers for combat by training them under the most severe conditions possible. This includes company-level live-fire training maneuvers in which soldiers learn to function as a fine-tuned team in conducting precise air and ground operations under realistic combat conditions.

This court-ordered denial is a result of measures taken by a group of people seeking the immediate return of Makua Valley to the state to preserve cultural sites. This state land is legally leased to the U.S. government until the year 2029. The group is joined by others who seek to protect the environment from further damage and those who believe that the need for the military's presence in Hawai'i has long passed.

These groups represent a very small vocal minority of residents. Their desire to force the U.S. government to terminate the lease should not dictate that our troops be deployed to combat without proper training.

In regard to the military's presence, it should be noted that the Asia-Pacific region has been relatively free of armed conflicts since the Vietnam War. This highly desired outcome can be attributed to the U.S. policy of strategically placing U.S. military forces in Hawai'i and in the western Pacific to deter armed conflicts. The bottom line is that peace and stability have prevailed, and the Asia-Pacific nations, as is Hawai'i and the rest of the U.S., are enjoying the benefits of a thriving global economy.

Moreover, the Army has proven to be stellar stewards of the environment at Makua Valley. It established a staff needed to ensure compliance with the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and provided the funds necessary to meet all of requirements of the act. The Army's environmental record is impeccable. No other group in Hawai'i has devoted as much attention and resources to satisfying the spirit and intent of the act.

Neither the federal government nor the state has registered a complaint against the Army for any NEPA violations.

The Army would be conducting company-level live-fire training exercises at Makua today had it not been for the suit filed on behalf of a group whose concerns are not centered on having the Army comply with NEPA regulations. Rather, its goal is to force the U.S. government to terminate its lease immediately.

Live-fire training is the culmination of training for the individual soldier, and of the squads and platoons of the company. It is the dress rehearsal or final exam prior to the soldiers and units being declared "combat-ready."

We are a nation at war in a fight against global terrorism. Wartime conditions warrant wartime measures.

Charles M. Ota is vice president of military affairs for the Chamber of Commerce of Hawai'i. He wrote this commentary for The Advertiser.