FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                           

November 3, 2005

Release M-91

MAYOR FORMS ARMED FORCES COMMITTEE 

Mayor Mufi Hannemann announced he has established the Mayor’s Armed Forces Committee to build a strong working relationship between the administration and the Hawaii region-level military commanders. The first meeting was held today.

“The need for a committee of this nature is abundantly clear. Indeed, the impact of the military in Honolulu cannot be overstated, especially in terms of economic scope and community influence. The Defense Department is second only to tourism as a portion of our economy and thousands of armed forces personnel and their families call Oahu home,” the mayor said. “Years ago, when I was on the City Council, I proposed a similar committee, and both sides found it quite useful.”

The group will meet twice a year and include Hawaii region-level military commanders from Navy Region Hawaii, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Army Garrison Hawaii, 15^th Airlift Wing, 14^th Coast Guard District, and the Hawaii National Guard. Members of the mayor’s cabinet may attend meetings as topics warrant.

This group is not a formal City and County of Honolulu advisory board and its committee members will not be paid.

The mayor said, “Since I’ve entered office, military commanders have repeatedly stated their eagerness to work with municipal leaders on a wide variety of issues. We want to build a conduit that both sides can utilize for greater coordination and cooperation.”

Contact:

Alex Berenberg, 523-4249