[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 158 (Monday, November 10, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S12483]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HAWAII'S EXCEPTIONALLY STRONG PATRIOTISM

 Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, the Honolulu Star Bulletin's weekly 
article, ``Hawaii's World,'' written by one of Hawaii's most respected 
journalist, A. A. (Bud) Smyser, commemorated Veterans Day with an 
article entitled, ``Hawaii's Exceptionally Strong Patriotism.'' This 
article appeared in the Thursday, November 6, 1997 edition. I ask that 
Mr. Smyser's article be printed in the Record.
  The article follows:

            [From the Honolulu Star Bulletin, Nov. 6, 1997]

                Hawaii's Exceptionally Strong Patriotism

                            (By A.A. Smyser)

       For Veterans Day next Tuesday, I have a message from on 
     high. The Defense Department's top officer in this half of 
     the world calls Hawaii ``the most patriotic community I 
     know.''
       Adm. Joseph W. Prueher said that to a Chamber of Commerce 
     of Hawaii lunch in July. He reiterated it recently when I 
     asked for amplification.
       He has been CINPAC (commander-in-chief Pacific) since 
     January 1996, dealt with a lot of community matters, watched 
     the turnouts of political and community leaders for Military 
     Appreciation Week in May (which few if any other communities 
     have), Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day and Pearl 
     Harbor anniversary events.
       He also is fully aware of the World War II contributions of 
     Hawaii's soldiers of Japanese ancestry fighting to prove 
     their loyalty. He is impressed by the still-continuing 
     reunions of those groups with sons and daughters pledged to 
     carry on.
       He knows there are scratchy points in military-community 
     relations such as the Makua Valley beach landing exercise, 
     which he called off at the request of Governor Cayetano and 
     leaders of the Leeward Oahu community.
       But he has faith the community remains behind the essential 
     use of Hawaii facilities to train fighting forces. He works 
     closely with Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, who says ``this community 
     pulls out the stops for the military more than any place I've 
     ever seen.''
       He's a Navy man, of course, who sees more of our mainland 
     coasts than inland, but his Army deputy, Lt. Gen. Joseph 
     DeFrancisco, concurs. The only place DeFrancisco can think of 
     that comes close to matching us in showing its patriotism is 
     the Gulf Coast area of Georgia around Fort Stewart and Hunter 
     Army Airfield. Our Navy League chapter of 5,000 is the 
     biggest in the U.S.
       Servicemen in Hawaii get stickers for their ID cards that 
     entitle them to kamaaina discounts in Waikiki an elsewhere. 
     They also get auto license discounts and reduced tuition at 
     the University of Hawaii.
       There's a two-way street, of course. The armed services are 
     among the very best Aloha United Way contributors. They 
     provide emergency medical airlifts and rescues at sea, are 
     prompt with community disaster relief. They have adopted 130 
     public and private schools for renovation help and grounds 
     cleaning. They recently gave six schools 205 computers.
       They host the Special Olympics for children with 
     disabilities, serve as Big Brothers and Big Sisters, help 
     tutor children in all grades, and dig in for projects like 
     litter cleanup around Diamond Head. They co-host Hydrofest, 
     join in community parades and open their bases for 
     visitation. Veterans' medical facilities at Tripler Army 
     Medical Center are first-rate.
       Hawaii's high cost of living is a concern for many service 
     people, alleviated by the fact that 78 percent are housed on 
     base. Past criticisms of our schools seem to have eased with 
     more military-community interaction.
       Most land use concerns have been quieted by creation of a 
     joint military-civilian task force to review military needs 
     and relinquish unneeded properties.
       Makua is the current hot potato. The canceled beach landing 
     would have been a first, but continuing use of the valley 
     itself as a weapons training area remains a high priority 
     need to the military, an intrusion to the civilian critics.
       It is the kind of thing the governor and other top civilian 
     officials will have to weigh carefully in light of the $3.4 
     billion annual military spending here that is based heavily 
     on our year-round training capability for all 
     services.

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