U.S. Military in Hawaii: 'Bright Future Ahead'
01/05/2012
Chad Blair/Civil Beat
The timing for the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce's 11th annual Military Partnership and luncheon was auspicious.
On Thursday, the same day that President Barack Obama unveiled a new defense strategy that calls for big cuts in spending but a renewed focus on the Asia-Pacific region, top Hawaii business and government leaders gathered to express their gratitude to regional military commanders for maintaining such a strong presence in the islands.
As Chamber President and CEO Jim Tollefson noted, defense spending represents more than 18 percent of the state's gross state product of $66.4 billion, second only to tourism as an economic driver. Procurement projects and defense-related spending account for 20 percent of Hawaii's full-time work force.
Military personnel and projects in Hawaii will be affected by rightsizing at the Pentagon. It includes a 7 percent reduction of "billets" or positions at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and less money for U.S. Army Corps of Engineer projects.
But Hawaii's unique position smack in the middle of the Asia-Pacific theater likely guarantees that federal money will continue to flow to the islands. As Obama himself said in announcing the new defense strategy, "As I made clear in Australia, we will be strengthening our presence in the Asia Pacific, and budget reductions will not come at the expense of that critical region."
The Pacific and its many rim countries cover a vast geographical region. But, as Lt. Gen. Daniel Darnell, deputy commander of the U.S. Pacific Command made clear, there are only three locations for America to "project its power outward" — Japan, the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii.
"You are in a position of advantage and have a very bright future ahead of you," said Darnell.
