Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 6, 1 May 2008 — Stryker [ARTICLE]

Stryker

The Army has announced it will permanently station a Stryker Brigade unit at Schofield Barracks. The decision is being hailed by U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka, who said Hawai'i offers a strategic loeahon that will serve nahonal security needs and aid in the training for troops bound for Iraq. The decision also clears the way for eomplehon of more than $250 million in construction projects to facilitate operations of the 19-ton Stryker combat vehicles on O'ahu. Environmental and Hawaiian groups have opposed the Pentagon plan to make Hawai'i the home of a fifth Stryker brigade. Attorney for the opponents David Henkin has argued that the Army needed to consider the potential for negative enviromnental impacts of Stryker vehicles in Hawai'i. Opponents won a federal court order two years ago requiring the Army to eomplete a supplemental environmental impact study examining alternative locations before deciding where to station the Stryker Brigade. The Army completed the statement two months ago. Henkin said last week he is reviewing the Army's decision and a final court review of Stryker-related construction projects planned for Hawai'i. □