“Navigator”
Navy Region and MIDPAC command to change today June 26, 2015
www.cnic.navy.mil/hawaii www.hookelenews.com
Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs
With the traditional reading of official orders, exchange of salutes and ceremonial speeches, command of Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific will pass from Rear Adm. Richard L. Williams Jr. to Rear Adm. John V. Fuller at 10 a.m. today. The ceremony will be held at Kilo Pier at Joint Base Pearl HarborHickam. Commander Navy Region Hawaii has leadership oversight of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Oahu and Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai. Commander Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific has leadership oversight of the 11 surface ships homeported in Hawaii. Vice Adm. Kenneth E. Floyd, commander of U.S. 3rd Fleet, will preside at the ceremony. U.S. 3rd Fleet
Volume 6 Issue 24
provides the realistic, relevant training necessary for an effective global Navy and leads naval forces in the eastern Pacific from the west coast of North America to the international date line. Vice Adm. Dixon Smith, commander of Navy Installations Command, will also participate in the ceremony. Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) is responsible for worldwide shore installation support for the United States Navy under the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). Smith was the Navy Region Hawaii / MIDPAC commander from 2008 to 2011. Williams has served here since July 2013. He will leave Hawaii to become commander of Carrier Strike Group 15 in San Diego. Fuller comes to Hawaii after serving as deputy, littoral combat ships, N96, U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Omari K. Way office of the Chief of Naval Rear Adm. John Fuller meets with Rear Adm. Rick Williams on the eve of their change of command. Operations.
JBPHH welcomes new vice commander, 647th ABG commander Senior Airman Christopher Stoltz
Joint Base Pearl HarborHickam Public Affairs Col. David “Bull” Kirkendall relinquished his command of the 647th Air Base Group (ABG) and vice command of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (BPHH) to Col. Richard Smith during the 647th ABG change of command ceremony held June 19 at the Missing Man Formation, located at JBPHH. As the 647th Air Base Group commander, Kirkendall led more than 950 personnel and five squadrons to deliver the full range of mission support for base, theater and global air and joint operations. As the deputy Joint Base commander, he assisted the Joint Base commander with activating, integrating and guiding more than 50 installation support functions for operations, supporting
U.S. Air Force photo by David D. Underwood Jr. Col. David A. Kirkendall, departing commander, 647th Air Base Group and deputy commander, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH), speaks at the change of command ceremony June 19 at JBPHH. Rear Adm. Rick Williams, commander of Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, and Col. Randy S. Huiss, commander of 15th Wing, are at the right of the podium. more than 38,000 personnel and their families. Kirkendall was presented with the Legion of Merit for
his outstanding service and those achievements, he accomplishments as com- thanked the people who mander to the 647th Air helped make them happen. Base Group. As he recalled “These incredible Airmen
and Sailors here today represent a small portion of the capabilities we bring,” he said. “Every day, these people work tirelessly behind the scenes to make things work.” “These are the heroes of our Joint Base. Many times, they are unsung and underappreciated—always there, always ready, and more capable than many of you could ever imagine.” Kirkendall’s next assignment will place him not too far from JBPHH, however, as his next mission takes him to PACAF as the 613th Air Operations Center vice commander. “Thank you for allowing me to serve alongside all of you,” Kirkendall said. “This has been an experience I will never forget. I am proud to have had the chance to walk in each of your shoes, to fully understand the sacrifices you make, that others may benefit from the often thank-
less work that you do,” he said. Rear Adm. Richard L. Williams, commander of Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, was the guest speaker and provided some parting words to the former Joint Base vice commander. “Bull Kirkendall has embraced the challenges and found innovative ways to provide support to our submarines, our surface ships, our aircraft and, more importantly, to the people here, to our veterans and to our families,” said Williams. Smith, who previously served at the Pentagon, said he hopes to provide the same excellent support to JBPHH, Airmen, Sailors and their families. “I am excited and grateful to have this opportunity,” Smith said. “My family and I are very happy to settle in. We’re even happier at the fact we can now call Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam our home.”
PACAF commander shares lessons learned during Sisters in Arms forum Story and photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Hubenthal
Defense Media Activity – Hawaii FORT SHAFTER—U.S. Air Force Gen. Lori J. Robinson, Pacific Air Forces commander, spoke to military service members during a U.S. Army Pacific’s (USARPAC) Sisters in Arms event held June 18 at Fort Shafter. During the forum, Robinson shared her Air Force career experiences and highlighted lessons she learned while overcoming obstacles to help provide advice
to those in attendance and describe what her idea of great leadership is. “Leadership to me is about the institution, not about you,” Robinson said. “Making people better than you equals great success when you have a great attitude, aptitude, and you take advantage of opportunities that are provided to you.” During her career, spanning more than 30 years, Robinson has seen a lot of change in both acceptance and opportunity in the Air Force. “In the United States Air Force, I’m a commander, I’m a general, I’m an Airman, and I happen to be a
woman,” Robinson said. “Over time in my long career, I watched things change. I’ve watched attitudes change. I’ve watched our service become more and more inclusive with more diversity of thought and more diversity of background, race and gender. All of those things make us a better institution,” she said. Robinson said having a good attitude, building a strong aptitude, and taking advantage of opportunities is important in obtaining success. “It’s about the way that you lead,” Robinson said. “It’s about the way that you take care of your Soldiers
and take care of your Airmen.” Sisters in Arms is a U.S. Army-hosted forum, open to all services and genders, designed to help educate, mentor and empower female Soldiers. U.S. Air Force Gen. Lori J. Robinson, Pacific Air Forces commander, shares career stories and advice to overcome challenges during a Sisters in Arms forum June 18 at Fort Shafter, Hawaii. Sisters in Arms is a U.S. Army-hosted forum, open to all services and genders, designed to help educate, mentor and empower female Soldiers.
Oahu’s plastic bag ban to take effect July 1 at island businesses groceries or other merchandise. Similar bans are already in place Assistant Editor, Ho`okele throughout the state of Hawaii, including Maui, Kauai and the Big IsAs of July 1, Oahu businesses will land. be prohibited from providing plastic For more information regarding the checkout bags and non-recyclable pa- plastic bag ban, visit www.opala.org. per bags to customers at the point of Image courtesy of opala.org sale for the purpose of transporting Brandon Bosworth
15th Operations Group changes hands, Merritt awarded LOM See page A-2
Navy Reads: People of Charleston show better way See page A-4
Volleyball’s ‘greatest coach’ tutors players at JBPHH See page B-3
Moving forward: ‘Our work is not yet finished’ See page A-3
Taking Back Sunday performs free concert at JBPHH See page B-1
Joint Base offers kid-friendly activities throughout summer See page B-6