SUBHEAD: Let's applaud US military decision to downsize and remove Stryker Brigade from Makaha.
By Al Frenzel on 9 July 2015 for OC4AD -
(http://islandbreath.blogspot.com/2015/07/stryker-brigade-lleaving-hawaii.html)
Image above: A Stryker vehicle disembarks from a High Speed Vessel (HSV) similar to the Hawaiian Superferry illustrating use of HSV catamarans based to be Hawaii. From (http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2010/Feb/09/ln/hawaii2090360.html).
As part of the U.S. Army's announcement today on this first round of Army downsizing decisions, the 25th Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team will remain a brigade combat team, but will convert its primary maneuver platform, officials said.
Currently a Stryker brigade combat team, it will become an infantry brigade combat team without Stryker combat vehicles.
The Director for the Oahu Council for Army Downsizing (OCAD), Retired Army Colonel AL Frenzel, commented today that "removing the Stryker combat vehicles from the 25th ID's force structure is a "no brainer" decision whose time has finally come.
This is great news particularlyfor Makua Valley on Oahu and Pohakuloa Training Area on the Big Island. The Stryker vehicles should never have been positioned on Oahu; it was a very poor political decision with huge costs to taxpayers and Hawaii's environment."
In regards to the number of personnel on Oahu that will be cut by the Army (1,214 soldiers for Schofield Barracks and 229 for Fort Shafter), Frenzel stated that this is the first announcement of several to come.
If no change takes place regarding sequestration spending caps scheduled to return in October, the Army's end-strength will be further reduced to 420,000 soldiers. Frenzel said at this point the numbers announced are a little confusing; announced cuts to bases amount to less than 19,000 personnel (far less than the 40,000 soldier cuts and 17,000 Army civilian cuts to be made).
Frenzel speculates that the Army might be cutting its personnel float (soldiers in transition and not directly assigned to a base) which is basically a numbers game that will later haunt the Army by taking away much needed personnel management flexibility. Moreover, it will make the next round of cuts very painful for the Army, forcing them to cut deep into combat forces, including those on Oahu.
Frenzel stands firm on the OCAD's position that the Army downsizing on Oahu is good for the Country, Hawaii and the Army. He stated, "The Army cannot adequately train here, cannot easily and quickly deploy from here and pays a fortune to be stationed here.
The monetary costs to Hawaii's people are significant; over $649 Million to provide State, City and County Services per year which is an annual net cost to Hawaii of $441 Million after accounting for the Army's economic contribution of a mere $208 Million.
Education costs alone for the Army's 11,000 keiki in Hawaii DOE schools cost Hawaii taxpayers $121 Million per year.
I magine how much better DOE could educate out keiki if Impact Aid for Federal students were fully reimbursed at the 100% rate and not the completely unacceptable 15% rate currently provided.
I do not understand why the DOE and our political leaders do not address this severe shortfall of Federal reimbursement to the DOE."
See also:
Stryker Base to be on Big Island 11/26/04
Island Breath: The SuperFerry hidden agenda 10/3/06
Island Breath: The SuperFerry & the military 10/13/06
Island Breath: Superferry Resistance 1/11/06
Island Breath: Hawaiian SuperFerry is back! 6/23/06
Island Breath: Stryker Brigade to Leave Hawaii? 1/6/07
Island Breath: Recent Stryker Brigade news 2/5/07
Island Breath: Stryker base in Hawaii 5/18/08
Ea O Ka Aina: Misperceptions about HSF 1/26/09
Ea O Ka Aina: HSF-DEIS Comment on Strykers 2/23/09
Ea O Ka Aina: Superferry & Stryker exposed 4/18/10
Ea O Ka Aina: No Good Men Left Here 9/11/10
Ea O Ka Aina: Resist military expansion at Pohakuloa 1/23/11
Ea O Ka Aina: Strykers bound for Hawaii 11/1/12
Ea O Ka Aina: Votes against live-fire in Makua 12/3/14
By Al Frenzel on 9 July 2015 for OC4AD -
(http://islandbreath.blogspot.com/2015/07/stryker-brigade-lleaving-hawaii.html)
Image above: A Stryker vehicle disembarks from a High Speed Vessel (HSV) similar to the Hawaiian Superferry illustrating use of HSV catamarans based to be Hawaii. From (http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2010/Feb/09/ln/hawaii2090360.html).
As part of the U.S. Army's announcement today on this first round of Army downsizing decisions, the 25th Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team will remain a brigade combat team, but will convert its primary maneuver platform, officials said.
Currently a Stryker brigade combat team, it will become an infantry brigade combat team without Stryker combat vehicles.
The Director for the Oahu Council for Army Downsizing (OCAD), Retired Army Colonel AL Frenzel, commented today that "removing the Stryker combat vehicles from the 25th ID's force structure is a "no brainer" decision whose time has finally come.
This is great news particularlyfor Makua Valley on Oahu and Pohakuloa Training Area on the Big Island. The Stryker vehicles should never have been positioned on Oahu; it was a very poor political decision with huge costs to taxpayers and Hawaii's environment."
In regards to the number of personnel on Oahu that will be cut by the Army (1,214 soldiers for Schofield Barracks and 229 for Fort Shafter), Frenzel stated that this is the first announcement of several to come.
If no change takes place regarding sequestration spending caps scheduled to return in October, the Army's end-strength will be further reduced to 420,000 soldiers. Frenzel said at this point the numbers announced are a little confusing; announced cuts to bases amount to less than 19,000 personnel (far less than the 40,000 soldier cuts and 17,000 Army civilian cuts to be made).
Frenzel speculates that the Army might be cutting its personnel float (soldiers in transition and not directly assigned to a base) which is basically a numbers game that will later haunt the Army by taking away much needed personnel management flexibility. Moreover, it will make the next round of cuts very painful for the Army, forcing them to cut deep into combat forces, including those on Oahu.
Frenzel stands firm on the OCAD's position that the Army downsizing on Oahu is good for the Country, Hawaii and the Army. He stated, "The Army cannot adequately train here, cannot easily and quickly deploy from here and pays a fortune to be stationed here.
The monetary costs to Hawaii's people are significant; over $649 Million to provide State, City and County Services per year which is an annual net cost to Hawaii of $441 Million after accounting for the Army's economic contribution of a mere $208 Million.
Education costs alone for the Army's 11,000 keiki in Hawaii DOE schools cost Hawaii taxpayers $121 Million per year.
I magine how much better DOE could educate out keiki if Impact Aid for Federal students were fully reimbursed at the 100% rate and not the completely unacceptable 15% rate currently provided.
I do not understand why the DOE and our political leaders do not address this severe shortfall of Federal reimbursement to the DOE."
See also:
Stryker Base to be on Big Island 11/26/04
Island Breath: The SuperFerry hidden agenda 10/3/06
Island Breath: The SuperFerry & the military 10/13/06
Island Breath: Superferry Resistance 1/11/06
Island Breath: Hawaiian SuperFerry is back! 6/23/06
Island Breath: Stryker Brigade to Leave Hawaii? 1/6/07
Island Breath: Recent Stryker Brigade news 2/5/07
Island Breath: Stryker base in Hawaii 5/18/08
Ea O Ka Aina: Misperceptions about HSF 1/26/09
Ea O Ka Aina: HSF-DEIS Comment on Strykers 2/23/09
Ea O Ka Aina: Superferry & Stryker exposed 4/18/10
Ea O Ka Aina: No Good Men Left Here 9/11/10
Ea O Ka Aina: Resist military expansion at Pohakuloa 1/23/11
Ea O Ka Aina: Strykers bound for Hawaii 11/1/12
Ea O Ka Aina: Votes against live-fire in Makua 12/3/14
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