MILILANI/ WAIPIO/ MELEMANU NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 25 c/o NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 530 SOUTH KING STREET ROOM 400 HONOLULU, HAWAII, 96813 PHONE (808) 527-5749 FAX (808) 527-5760 INTERNET: http://www.honolulu.gov
RESOLUTION IN STRONG OPPOSITION OF THE U.S. ARMY’S PROPOSED FORCE REDUCTION OF SCHOFIELD BARRACKS AND FORT SHAFTER BASES
WHEREAS, the United States Army is currently considering a proposal as a part of its 2020 Force Structure Realignment to eliminate 16,606 active duty soldiers from Schofield Barracks and another 3,786 active duty soldiers from Fort Shafter Army Base on the island of Oahu; and
WHEREAS, the total of this proposed force reduction will reduce 19,800 active duty soldiers from Oahu’s Army bases, including those soldiers’ families, an approximate 30,000 civilians; and
WHEREAS, this force reduction would reduce 5 percent of the island of Oahu’s total population and will affect the immediate communities which surround Schofield Barracks, including the communities of Mililani, Wahiawa, Waialua, and Kunia, resulting in a 38 percent population loss; and
WHEREAS, the economic impact of such a population loss will severely impact local construction, retail, real estate, professional, scientific, and technical services industries by an estimated loss of 20,000 jobs; and
WHEREAS, the total economic impact of this proposed force reduction will gravely hurt the State of Hawaii’s economy by an estimated loss of $1.35 billion, including an approximate loss of $9.2 million in sales; and
WHEREAS, the proposed reduction in Army personnel dramatically weakens the President’s stated national defense strategy “pivot to the Pacific”; and
WHEREAS, the proposed reduction will adversely affect the population, economy, and schools of our Central Oahu communities; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED that Mililani Neighborhood Board No. 25 strongly opposes the United States Army’s 2020 Force Structure Realignment proposal as it affects Schofield Barracks and Fort Shafter Army Bases located on the island of Oahu; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be transmitted to the United StatesArmy U.S. Army Environmental Command-Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Army 2020 Force Structure Realignment; the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Pacific; the Commanding General of the 25th Infantry Division; the Commander of the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade; members of Hawaii's Congressional delegation; the Governor of the State of Hawaii; area Legislators; the Director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism; the Adjutant General of the State of Hawaii; the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu; all Honolulu City Council members; the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii- MilitaryAffairs Council; Keep Hawaii’s Heroes; and all neighborhood board chairs.
Adopted by Mililani-Waipio-Melemanu Neighborhood Board No. 25 at its regular meeting of November 26, 2014, by a vote of 15-0-0.
______Richard G. Poirier, Chair
Oahu’s Neighborhood Board system – Established 1973