SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families.
Highlights include acknowledgments of the project’s completion, actions taken during a previous water crisis, and the significance of the water infrastructure improvements. Key speakers include Col. Rachel Sullivan and Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, who both expressed gratitude to the engineers, plumbers, and other essential workers involved. Additionally, Maj. (CH) Kim performed an invocation, and Kahu Kordell Kekoa led a traditional Hawaiian blessing and untying of the lei ceremony, emphasizing the cultural and practical importance of water. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families.
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Highlights include acknowledgments of the project’s completion, actions taken during a previous water crisis, and the significance of the water infrastructure improvements. Key speakers include Col. Rachel Sullivan and Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, who both expressed gratitude to the engineers, plumbers, and other essential workers involved. Additionally, Maj. (CH) Kim performed an invocation, and Kahu Kordell Kekoa led a traditional Hawaiian blessing and untying of the lei ceremony, emphasizing the cultural and practical importance of water. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a ribbon-cutting and Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families.
Highlights include acknowledgments of the project’s completion, actions taken during a previous water crisis, and the significance of the water infrastructure improvements. Key speakers include Col. Rachel Sullivan and Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, who both expressed gratitude to the engineers, plumbers, and other essential workers involved. Additionally, Maj. (CH) Kim performed an invocation, and Kahu Kordell Kekoa led a traditional Hawaiian blessing and untying of the lei ceremony, emphasizing the cultural and practical importance of water. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families.
Highlights include acknowledgments of the project’s completion, actions taken during a previous water crisis, and the significance of the water infrastructure improvements. Key speakers include Col. Rachel Sullivan and Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, who both expressed gratitude to the engineers, plumbers, and other essential workers involved. Additionally, Maj. (CH) Kim performed an invocation, and Kahu Kordell Kekoa led a traditional Hawaiian blessing and untying of the lei ceremony, emphasizing the cultural and practical importance of water. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families.
Highlights include acknowledgments of the project’s completion, actions taken during a previous water crisis, and the significance of the water infrastructure improvements. Key speakers include Col. Rachel Sullivan and Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, who both expressed gratitude to the engineers, plumbers, and other essential workers involved. Additionally, Maj. (CH) Kim performed an invocation, and Kahu Kordell Kekoa led a traditional Hawaiian blessing and untying of the lei ceremony, emphasizing the cultural and practical importance of water. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — In a ceremony rooted in tradition, partnership, and shared responsibility, U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii commemorated a new 2-million-gallon concrete water tank—a key milestone in the Army’s $1.2 billion, 10-year plan to modernize water infrastructure across its Oahu installations.
On behalf of the garrison, Deputy to the Garrison Commander David Roudybush welcomed guests and opened the event, which featured spiritual blessings from Capt. (CH) David Kim and Kahu Kordell Kekoa, and musical performances by the 25th Infantry Division Woodwind Quintet—each reinforcing the ceremony’s emphasis on unity, cultural respect, and community care.
“This tank is more than steel and concrete,” said Col. Rachel Sullivan, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii. “It’s part of a promise we’ve made—to rebuild, modernize, and secure our water system not just for the Army, but in a way that complements and respects our neighboring communities and shared resources.”
Awarded in late Fiscal Year 2021 at a cost of $16 million, the project replaces an aging water tank with a new, resilient structure designed to meet the daily needs of Schofield Barracks and Wheeler Army Airfield. Importantly, the project supports the Army’s efforts to be a responsible steward of local water infrastructure—preserving access for residents within and beyond the installation footprint.
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Sullivan noted that the tank’s added capacity is critical to emergency response and system resilience—not just for Army families, but for the surrounding region that relies on a common aquifer system.
“Our role is to ensure our infrastructure supports readiness without compromising the broader community’s access to water,” said Sullivan. “This project strengthens our system without taking away from our neighbors.”
She also reflected on a near-crisis in 2023, when three of five Clearwell pumps failed. Thanks to emergency conservation and assistance from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, the Army was able to maintain water service without interruption. When a fourth pump failed, an emergency replacement was quickly installed, and water was carefully distributed across 12 linear miles of pipeline—preventing outages for more than 5,000 homes and 40 barracks.
Department of Public Works employees Burt and Dan Ewen, plant operators Jareth and Josh, and key engineers from the Hawaii Infrastructure Task Force were among those recognized for their around-the-clock efforts during the emergency and beyond.
Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, District Commander for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Honolulu District, reinforced the shared benefit and fiscal responsibility of the project.
“This tank holds the equivalent of three Olympic swimming pools, or 16 million bottles of water,” Biggerstaff said. “And we built it at a fraction of that bottled cost—without a single reportable injury and with long-term resilience in mind. It’s a win for the Army and for the people of Hawaii .”
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The tank was delivered in partnership with CCI Facility Support Services, with oversight from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Schofield Barracks Area Office, ensuring every aspect met safety and engineering standards, from 757 cubic yards of concrete to intricate post-tensioned cable systems.
The ceremony concluded with a traditional Hawaiian blessing led by Kahu Kordell Kekoa, who invited key contributors to place handprints on the tank using sacred rainwater—symbolizing the living, communal value of water and the people it sustains.
“Water is life,” said Kekoa. “And it must always be shared and protected—with aloha—for all who live here now and for the generations yet to come.”
As the lei was untied and the Army song echoed across the installation, the new tank stood as a lasting symbol of partnership, preparation, and shared stewardship—a commitment not only to the Army’s mission, but to the island community it calls home.
At UH Hilo, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is not simply a subject taught in classrooms, it is a living language that connects us to this place, to one another, and to the generations who came before us.
This column is by Pelehonuamea Harman, director of Native Hawaiian engagement at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. In her columns, Pele shares Native Hawaiian protocols on the use of ōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), cultural traditions, traditional ways of Indigenous learning, and more. This column is on Mahina ʻOlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Language Month), celebrated every February to honor the Hawaiian language.Pelehonuamea Harman
Each year, the month of Pepeluali marks Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, a time dedicated to celebrating and uplifting the Hawaiian language. At the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is not simply a subject taught in classrooms, it is a living language that connects us to this place, to one another, and to the generations who came before us.
While Pepeluali gives us a focused moment of celebration, the Hawaiian language should not live only within a single month. ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi thrives when it is used every day.
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One of the simplest and most meaningful ways to begin is by pronouncing the words we already encounter daily with accuracy and care. Hawaiian is an oral language carried through voice and relationship. When we take the time to say words correctly, we demonstrate respect for the language and for the poʻe (people) who have worked tirelessly to ensure its survival.
Across our own campus, we have opportunities to do this every day.
Let us honor the names of our places by using them fully:
An attendee at celebrations on May 6, 2023, takes a photo of the new Edith Kanakaʻole mural by artist Kamea Hadar. The mural is located at Edith Kanakaʻole Hall, named after beloved educator Aunty Edith, on the campus of UH Hilo. (Photo: UH System News)
Kanakaʻole Hall, not “K-Hall.” (Formally Edith Kanakaʻole Hall, named after our beloved kumu.)
Waiʻōlino, not “CoBE,” for our College of Business and Economics. (Formally Hānau ʻO Waiʻōlino; waiʻōlino literally means sparkling waters, alluding here to bringing forth waters of wellbeing and prosperity.)
These names are not merely labels for buildings. They carry ʻike (knowledge), history, and meaning. Speaking them in their entirety acknowledges the stories and values embedded within them.
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Using ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi does not require fluency. It simply requires willingness. Each of us already knows words we can begin using more intentionally.
Greet one another with aloha.
Express gratitude with mahalo whenever possible.
Small choices like these help normalize Hawaiian language in our daily interactions and strengthen UH Hilo’s identity as a place grounded in Hawaiʻi.
One of the most common questions I am asked is: How do you respond in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi when someone says “mahalo” to you?
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Here are three simple and appropriate responses:
ʻAʻole pilikia — It’s no problem.
He mea iki — It is just a little thing.
Noʻu ka hauʻoli — The pleasure is mine.
There is no single correct answer. What matters most is participating in the exchange and allowing the language to live through conversation.
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Aerial view of the UH Hilo campus with Hilo Bay in the distance. UH Hilo’s commitment to Native Hawaiian success and place-based education calls on all of us to help create an environment where ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is visible, audible, and welcomed. (Archive photo)
UH Hilo holds a unique and important role as Hawaiʻi Island’s university. Our commitment to Native Hawaiian success and place-based education calls on all of us to help create an environment where ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is visible, audible, and welcomed.
You do not need to wait until you feel ready. You do not need to know many words. The language grows stronger each time it is spoken.
So during Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi and throughout the entire year I encourage the UH Hilo ʻohana to:
Use the Hawaiian words you already know.
Pronounce names and places with intention and care.
Greet others with aloha.
Share mahalo often.
Because when we use ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, we are doing more than speaking words, we are helping to perpetuate and uplift the native language of our home.
E ola ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. Let the Hawaiian language live.
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Tread Rosenthal, Trevell Jordan and Louis Sakanoko put up a triple block against BYU Cougars Trevor Herget during Wednesday’s NCAA men’s volleyball match at the Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
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Kainoa Wade came on strong to lead another balanced Hawaii attack with 16 kills and the third-ranked Rainbow Warriors responded to a rare set loss in a big way to defeat No. 6 Brigham Young 27-25, 23-25, 25-17, 25-18 tonight.
A Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 4,800, who showed up for a match scheduled just three weeks ago as a late addition to the schedule, saw Hawaii (13-1) drop the second set despite hitting .538.
UH had full command of the rest of the match and finished the night hitting .460 as a team. Louis Sakanoko added 15 kills, six digs and three aces and Adrien Roure had 14 kills in 24 swings.
Middle Travell Jordan posted a season-high seven kills in 11 swings with four blocks and Ofeck Hazan, who came into the match to start the third set, had four kills and two blocks.
Trent Moser had 18 kills to lead the Cougars (13-3), whose previous two losses came in five sets against No. 4 UC Irvine.
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UH’s loss in the second set was just its sixth of the season and third in its 13 wins. Hawaii has won 10 matches in a row.
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The two teams will play again on Friday night at 7.
