CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, Dec. 14 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea - Machete attacks, tuberculosis, malaria and carjackings are not things commonly associated with laid back island life for members of the 8th Forward Resuscitative and Surgical Detachment. The 18th Medical Command deployed its 8th FRSD doctors, nurses and medical technicians from the relatively calm Island of Oahu, Hawaii, to work in  more

FORT BRAGG, North Carolina, Dec. 15 -- The U.S. Army Reserve Command issued the following news: HONOLULU, Hawaii - The U.S. Army Reserve's 9th Mission Support Command (9th MSC), Hawaii, is partnering with organizations across the Pacific to establish new recycling programs in places such as American Samoa, Guam, Saipan, and Alaska. Without ready access to traditional recycling programs, the 9th MSC has sought out creative ways to divert carboard, plastic bottles, aluminum ca  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, Dec. 11 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico, and 22 distributed locations - For the first time in the fourteen-year history of the Virtual Flag: Coalition exercise, integrated forces from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada fought against a peer adversary in a virtual Indo-Pacific area of responsibility. To increase combat effectiveness, the combined f  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, Dec. 11 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: UPDATE 13, December 11, 2023 0800CST: The seventh Airman whose remains were recovered Dec. 10th, 2023 following the CV-22 mishap that occurred on Nov. 29th, 2023 off the shore of Yakushima Island, Japan has been identified and next of kin has been notified. U.S. Air Force Maj. Jeffrey "Jeff" T. Hoernemann, 32, was a native of Andover, Minnesota. Jeff received his commission through   more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, Dec. 11 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: The Department of Defense has entered into a bilateral, non-binding Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) with the Republic of Singapore. The arrangement will enable both the U.S. and Singapore to acquire industrial resources they need to quickly meet defense requirements, resolve unanticipated disruptions that challenge defense capacities, and promote supply chain resiliency. "This   more

HAWAII NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii, Dec. 12 -- The National Park Service Hawaii Volcanoes National Park issued the following news release: Two roads, a backcountry trail and a cabin have reopened in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Thanks to recent rainfall, wildland fire risk has decreased and Mauna Loa Road and Hilina Pali Road are now fully open to vehicles. Campfire and open flame cooking fire restrictions are also lifted in areas that allow them. Although the risk for wildfire is low, visitors  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, Dec. 15 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: COMBINED ARMS TRAINING CENTER CAMP FUJI, SHIZUOKA, Japan - From Nov. 15 through Dec. 15. 2023, The Marines of 3d Marine Division demonstrated their tactical proficiency and readiness while conducting Stand-in Force Operations in the first island chain during Marine Air-Ground Task Force Stand-In Force Exercise 24. MAGTF-SIFEX 24 is a division-level exercise invol  more

HAWAII NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii, Dec. 13 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior's National Park Service issued the following news release: The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public feedback on the park's Draft Accessibility Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan (SETP) for Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. The Draft SETP documents existing barriers to accessibility, provides recommendations for improving in-park access and proposes timeframes to implement changes. Suggested improvements inclu  more

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii, Dec. 15 -- The Commander of the Hawaii Navy Region issued the following news release: Capt. Ronel Reyes assumed command of Naval Support Facility (NSF) Redzikowo relieving Capt. John Bartak as commanding officer on Dec. 13, 2023. The time-honored tradition, shared alongside Polish military counterparts, underscored the enduring partnership between the United States and Poland and the collective security of Europe. Rear Adm. Brad Collins, commander Navy Region Europe, Afri  more

SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Dec. 14 (TNSres) -- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued the following news on Dec. 13, 2023: The eruption of Mauna Loa volcano on Hawaii's Big Island on Nov. 27, 2022 temporarily interrupted important scientific observations at the Global Monitoring Laboratory's atmospheric baseline observatory located on its upper slope. Among them were long-running measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) that provide a global benchmark for monitoring climate change  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, Dec. 11 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam - Herculean 'elephants' on parade took to the Andersen Air Force Base flightline in Guam, Dec. 9, showcasing a thundering six-ship C-130 elephant walk that not only underscored multinational readiness but also marked a significant moment in Operation Christmas Drop 2023. The impressive procession featured three U.S. Air Force C-130J S  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, Dec. 13 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III held a call today with Japan's Minister of Defense Kihara Minoru. Secretary Austin thanked Minister Kihara for Japan's support in search and recovery operations following the tragic CV-22 incident off the coast of Japan. The two leaders spoke about the Department's de  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, Dec. 14 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr. spoke by phone today. The Secretaries discussed coercive and unlawful actions by the People's Republic of China in the South China Sea over the weekend, including the unprovoked use of acoustic devices  more

SACRAMENTO, California, Dec. 13 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Assistance issued the following news release on Dec. 12, 2023: Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced that Hawaii residents and businesses have until Jan. 25, 2024, to submit their SBA federal disaster loan application for property damage caused by the wildfires, including high winds that occurred Aug. 8 - Sept. 30, 2023 in Maui. During the 45 day grace period, the SBA will accept applica  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, Dec. 15 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: OKINAWA, Japan - From December 1st to December 8th, 2023, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS) 36 deployed 160 Marines to Camp Hansen to rehearse and refine Aviation Logistics (AVLOG) Stand-In-Force standard operating procedures (SOPs) in support of Expeditionary Advance Base Operations (EABO)--one of the key tenets of Force Design. The remaining 300 Marines,   more

HONOLULU, Hawaii, Dec. 13 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii issued the following news release: Richard Ascencio, 52, of Wahiawa, Hawaii, was sentenced yesterday by Chief United States District Judge Derrick K. Watson to 42 months in prison and two years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Ascencio pled guilty to the charges on September 21, 2022. According to information pro  more

HONOLULU, Hawaii, Dec. 13 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii issued the following news release: Cyrus Croskery, 29, of Oahu, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson to 25 years imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Judge Watson also imposed five years of supervised release consecutive to Croskery's prison term. Croskery had been detained sin  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, Dec. 13 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: POHNPEI, Federated States of Micronesia - U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam personnel completed a pivotal Search and Rescue (SAR) Exercise with partners from the FSM Maritime Wing, Fire and Rescue services, and Pohnpei Department of Public Safety from Dec. 4 to 7, 2023, in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). This exercise marks a continuati  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, Dec. 13 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Joint Mission Accelerator Directorate (JMAD) has reached Initial Operational Capability. Adm. John C. Aquilino, commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, formally established the JMAD within the headquarters with the mission of driving the acceleration, integration, and interoperability of the most critical and strategic needs across INDOPACOM. "JMAD has been es  more

SAN DIEGO, California, Dec. 15 -- The Commander of the Hawaii Navy Region issued the following news release: The Department of the Navy (Navy) (including both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps), in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army, and U.S. Air Force, is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/OEIS) to assess the potential environmental effects associated with the Proposed Action to conduct at-sea military readiness activiti  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, Dec. 12 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: Adm. John C. Aquilino, Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, hosted members of the Hawai`i State Legislature at Camp H.M. Smith on Dec. 11, 2023. State senators and representatives met with key military leaders, received strategic security briefs on the region, and participated in discussions on key issues affecting local communities in Hawai`i. Hawai`i-based military capabilities  more

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, Dec. 11 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Command issued the following news: CAMP HIGASHI-CHITOSE, Japan - In an era marked by geopolitical shifts and evolving global dynamics, the significance of a free and open Indo-Pacific has never been more critical. One cornerstone of this pursuit is the ongoing partnership between the United States Army, the Australian Army, and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF). To further bolster this par  more