Senior Military Commanders Provide Update on Security Concerns in the Asia Pacific and the Status of Military Forces Based in Hawaii
HONOLULU (January 2, 2014) – Chamber of Commerce Hawaii will host its 13th Annual Hawaii Military Partnership Conference, Security: Hawaii and the Asia Pacific Economy (SHAPE), on Tuesday, January 7, 2014, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballrooms.
Hosted by the Chamber’s Military Affairs Council (MAC), the conference serves as an annual forum for senior military commanders to update government and business leaders on security concerns in the Asia Pacific and on the status of military forces based in Hawaii. Top military leaders will discuss the looming threats of sequestration and potential impacts on commerce and trade in the Asia Pacific and Hawaii economies.
“The Chamber hosts this important conference every year as the conduit to update business leaders, elected officials and concerned citizens about the status of the military’s impact in Hawaii,” said Chamber President and CEO Sherry Menor-McNamara. “As our state’s second major source of revenues and with Hawaii’s strategic mid-Pacific location, it’s imperative that we proactively work together to protect, enhance and bolster relations with the military.”
The conference will be facilitated by General David Bramlett, U.S. Army (Retired), with the morning session featuring briefings by:
- Lieutenant General Thomas Conant, Deputy Commander, U.S. Pacific Command
- General Herbert Carlisle, Commander, Pacific Air Forces
- Lieutenant General Terry Robling, Commander, Marine Forces Pacific
- Lieutenant General Dan Leaf, U.S. Air Force (Retired), Director, Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies
- Major General Kurt Fuller, Commanding General, 25th Infantry Division
- Rear Admiral Cari Thomas, Commander, 14th Coast Guard District
- Major General Darryll Wong, Commander, Hawaii National Guard
- Rear Admiral Bret Muilenburg, Commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Command-Pacific
- Rear Admiral Rick Williams, Commander, Navy Region Hawaii/Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific
Luncheon remarks will open with a keynote address by Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr., Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, followed by Admiral Thomas B. Fargo, U.S. Navy (Retired) and chairman of Huntington Ingalls Industries, who will share plans for a new proactive strategy being rolled out by the Chamber’s MAC to secure the military’s presence in Hawaii. Governor Neil Abercrombie will close the luncheon by addressing his appreciation and support of the military in Hawaii.
In 1985, the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii officially established its Military Affairs department to serve as the state’s liaison in matters relating to the U.S. military. The Chamber formed the Military Affairs Council comprised of Chamber business leaders, Hawaii government officials, and retired military flag and general officers to protect and preserve the military’s presence in Hawaii, promote public awareness and understanding of issues challenging the military locally and nationally, and serve as the advocate for the military and their families.
In a recent survey conducted for the Chamber, Hawaii Business Roundtable and The Pacific Resource Partnership, nine out of 10 Hawaii voters believe that the U.S. military’s presence in the islands is important to the state’s economy, and a solid majority – 77 percent – supports continued military training exercises in Hawaii. Full results of this Hawaii sentiment survey can be found at http://cochawaii.com/news.asp.
As the leading “Voice of Business” in Hawaii, the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii is the state’s largest organization advocating for businesses in Hawaii. Established in 1850, the Chamber works on behalf of its approximately 1,000 member companies and the business community, as a whole, to advance the state’s economic climate and help businesses succeed. The Chamber supports its members with training, business building and networking opportunities; lobbies government and advocates on behalf of business interests; and serves as a liaison between civilian and military communities in Hawaii.
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Contact: Lori Abe
808-545-4300
808-282-4398 (mobile)
labe@cochawaii.org