Nalo Resolution #1
Board asked to seek Bellows land
A proposed resolution claims the Air Force no longer needs 400 acres
and should give it up
By Kaylee Noborikawa
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jul 12, 2009
Some Waimanalo residents are calling for the U.S. Air Force to return
about 400 acres from Bellows Air Force Station because the land is
being used for recreation rather than critical military purposes.
"I'm asking the neighborhood board to adopt a resolution which asks
for the return (of the land), and I expect the neighborhood board to
transfer that resolution to Congress, our senators, and President
Obama," said Joseph Ryan, a former member of the Waimanalo
Neighborhood Board and a Waimanalo resident since the 1960s.
Ryan drafted the resolution after receiving an environmental
assessment in March by the U.S. Air Force which wants to construct at
Bellows 48 vacation rentals, a nine-hole disc golf course, a
community activity center, a car wash, a water park, a resort pool,
and a nine-hole par-3 golf course.
Ryan said his action is not related to the military's closing of
Bellows to the public for a month recently. The popular beach and
camping area was closed because of misuse and vandalism, military
officials had said. It was reopened over the July 4th weekend.
According to Ryan, the state should get the land, which was
appropriated by President Woodrow Wilson in 1917, since the military
is no longer using it for its original military purpose.
A total of 1,510 acres of ceded land was appropriated in the
presidential executive order, but in 1999, about 1,100 acres were
transferred to the U.S. Marine Corps, according to the Corps.
"When the Air Force decided by its EA to use the base for
recreational services, they made the decision that this is no longer
critical defense purposes. Recreation is a collateral purpose. It
doesn't support the primary mission," said Ryan.
The military responded by saying that although the primary mission is
recreation, the Armed Forces continue to train on the land. Hickam's
15th Security Forces Squadron, U.S. Marine Corps security forces, and
the Honolulu Police Department use Bellows for training, including
building clearing, hostage negotiation training, and robbery response.
"Bellows continues to fill key roles in troop recreation and
training," said Capt. Christy Stravolo of the Pacific Air Forces
Public Affairs. "One of the key priorities of the Air Force Chief of
Staff is airman morale and readiness. Bellows contributes to this
priority every day."
The Bellows Air Force Station offers cabins, camping sites, and other
recreational activities for military retirees, soldiers in the
reserve/guard, active military members, and U.S. Department of
Defense civilians. According to Stravolo, 500,000 visitors use
Bellows' facilities every year.
"Troops can't afford the expensive commercial establishments, so
here's a chance they have to relax with their families at a very
reasonable price. The fees they charge are quite a bit less than
Waikiki," said Gen. Robert Lee.
Lee is in charge of the Army National Guard at Bellows and trains
newly promoted sergeants on unit tactics.
"I think we can work it out with the community. We allow the
Waimanalo Neighborhood Board to use our facility for their meetings;
I believe we can work out a good solution," Lee said.
MEETING
The Waimanalo Neighborhood Board will meet at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at
Waimanalo Public Library to discuss the recreational use of land at
Bellows Air Force Station. Public testimony is welcome.
Source: http://www.starbull etin.com/ news/
20090712_Board_ asked_to_ seek_Bellows_ land.html
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Bellows Air Station Hawaii Rental Cabinby tink0403702,775 views
love how people think its their land..its gods land and no one else's to say whats done with it
jame2121 1 month ago
I'm glad she could give a more layman's term. I wish other people could understand it on this level, even more sad when other kanaka oiwi can't comprehend the current situation.
hnlmkk 2 years ago
too true on that. the 1893 overthrow was illegal.
hunhun23 2 years ago
It's very very simple there's no treaty of annexation, there is no power enumerated within article one of the US constitution that allows the US congress the power to annex a independent nation unilaterally . It's simple. We should all be saying with a very loud voice "WHERE"S THE TREATY". Aloha
RexHavok 2 years ago