MEDIA RELEASE

HONOLULU—United States Army Garrison-Hawaii Command representatives and environmental officials met Wednesday night with State Historic Preservation Division, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and National Parks Service representatives for the first time in 2011 to review and discuss future programs for the protection of historic properties.

A Stryker medical evacuation variant at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar.

In December 29, 2010 the Army and SHPD officially extended and amended a January 30, 2004 programmatic agreement that outlines historical and archaeological programs and oversight guidelines relating to the transformation of the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Light) to a Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

The amendment continues programs outlined in the original agreement and will remain in effect until December 31, 2015. Tuesday’s meeting was held to solicit comment to proposed amendments to the PA to resolve and shortcomings that have been identified over the seven years.

Twenty-eight projects made up the original SBCT transformation programmatic agreement. Since 2004, thirteen have been completed, two have been cancelled, three are still in progress, and ten are still pending. The projects include a wide range of construction and modernization and include new and upgraded training facilities, road construction, vehicle wash facilities, ammunition storage, information infrastructure and airfield upgrades. Sites for the SBCT transformation upgrades include Schofield Barracks, Pohakuloa Training Area, Wheeler Army Airfield, and areas that connect Schofield Barracks to Dillingham and Helemano.

Each construction project has cultural resources that monitor for ground disturbance. Monitoring teams consist of one archaeologist and one cultural monitor. The agreement provides monitoring oversight. One to five teams monitor a cultural project throughout the construction work week.

“We will continue the important work of preserving sites and artifacts of historical significance, and remain committed to working closely with a variety of local community organizations while also never losing site of our primary mission – to insure we have the best-trained Soldiers in the world,” said Col. Douglas Mulbury, commander USAG-HI.

Seventeen of the original 28 projects pertain to Schofield Barracks and the other 11 projects are with the Big Island’s Pohakuloa Training Area.

A PTA meeting and review concerning the SBCT programmatic agreement is scheduled for the Big Island at PTA headquarters March 25 from 1 p.m.

“Through these meetings we maintain continuity with the goal of serving the original intentions of the programs,” said Mulbury.