CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, July 22 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), Australian Defense Force (ADF), and the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group began a trilateral exercise in the Philippine Sea, July 19. U.S. Naval forces routinely operate alongside regional allies, strengthening shared commitments to regional stability, and a free and open Indo-Pacific through integrated training and cooperation. "The o  more

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Logistics Agency issued the following news: Defense Logistics Agency Energy Japan welcomed Air Force Maj. Charles "Chuck" Coffman during a change of command ceremony on Yokota Air Base, July 14. Air Force Maj. Justin D'Agostino turned over command as employees, friends and family watched the virtual ceremony. Commander of DLA Indo-Pacific, Navy Capt. Jason Adams, presided over the ceremony from DLA Indo-Pacific headquarters at Joi  more

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news story: The Indo-Pacific is the most significant region for America's future, and it has become the nation's highest-priority theater, the commander of the Hawaii-based U.S. Indo-Pacific Command told the Defense Writers Group in Washington. Navy Adm. Philip S. Davidson held a virtual meeting today with the nonprofit association of military and national security correspondents, and he repeatedly stressed the danger t  more

HONOLULU, Hawaii, July 23 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will take enforcement actions on Oahu and the Big Island to bring about the closure of three pollution-causing large-capacity cesspools (LCCs) and issue $268,000 in fines. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA banned LCCs in 2005. "Large-capacity cesspools can contaminate our groundwater, streams and ocean resources," said EPA Pacific Southwest Reg  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, July 24 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: The US Army Medical Research and Development Command approved the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) as an authorized site to administer COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma (CCP), July 16. CCP is the liquid part of blood collected from patients who recovered from a COVID-19 infection. Antibodies present in convalescent plasma are proteins that help patients fight an active in  more

SILVER SPRING, Maryland, July 21 -- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued the following feature story: A team of NOAA researchers and collaborators recently shed light on the small population of endangered hawksbill sea turtles in Hawaii. Their study revealed that most Hawaiian hawksbills spend their entire lives within the archipelago, making them true Hawaii locals. The study also revealed that long ago, Hawaii likely served as a "stepping stone" for hawksbills to coloniz  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, July 21 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: The United States, through the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and in coordination with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is distributing Php14.8 million ($300,000) worth of regionally-manufactured personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and COVID-19 treatment centers across the Philippines. This latest donation brings o  more

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii, July 21 -- The U.S. Pacific Air Forces issued the following news: Air Force B-1B Lancers returned to the Indo-Pacific region to conduct bilateral Bomber Task Force operations out of Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, July 17. Two bombers from the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, 28th Wing, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, deployed to support Pacific Air Forces' training efforts with allies, partners and joint forces, and strategic deterrence missions to reinfor  more

WASHINGTON, July 24 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the following news release: U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced approval of a request from Arkansas and Hawaii to provide online purchasing of food to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households. This approval will allow Arkansas and Hawaii to expedite the implementation of online purchasing with currently authorized SNAP online retailers with a target start date to be announced at a later time. A  more