Our organization supports Richard Rothschiller's request for DBET documents noted below
jim albertini
Our organization supports Richard Rothschiller's request for DBET documents noted below
Jim Albertini, President of Malu 'Aina
cc Media and officials
-- Jim Albertini Malu 'Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Ola'a (Kurtistown) Hawai'i 96760 Phone 808-966-7622 Email j...@malu-aina.org Visit us on the web at www.malu-aina.org
Second request.
Survey finds broad support for Hawaii military presence
Hawaii residents generally support the military’s presence in the islands, which employs 73,072 Department of Defense employees and pumps billions into the local economy each year, officials with the state Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism announced Wednesday.
DBEDT’s online survey of 541 adult island residents was conducted in November and was the first of its kind for its new Military and Community Relations Office. It had a margin of error of approximately plus or minus 4 percentage points.
It showed that 62% of residents feel “positively” about the military’s presence in Hawaii, with 74% agreeing that it “strengthens” Hawaii’s economy. The military on Oahu ranks No. 2 in the nation in personnel spending at $5.6 billion, according to DBEDT.
The Department of Defense has an annual goal to spend 22% of its contract dollars through Hawaii’s small businesses, according to DBEDT. In 2023, $1.3 billion went to small businesses in Hawaii, helping them to obtain goods and services. And $233 million went to Native Hawaiian businesses, according to DBEDT.
In 2023, the Department of Defense also invested approximately $147 million in grant funding to directly support Hawaii schools, communities and natural resources.
“These grants help improve classrooms, support infrastructure and offset the costs that come with educating a highly mobile student population,” said John Greene, deputy director of the Military and Community Relations Office.
Military spending, Greene said, also supports environmental and natural resource efforts including, “habitat restoration, watershed protection, invasive species management and wildfire prevention.”
Military spending also funds grants to support the community with things such as community infrastructure, and natural disaster and emergency preparedness.
DBEDT’s Military and Community Relations Office used a mango tree in its new “Military In Hawaii Economic Impact Factbook” released Wednesday to illustrate the impact of military spending across Hawaii.
The trunk of the mango tree represents direct impacts such as military pay, civilian salaries and direct contracts, according to Laurie Moore, executive director of the Military and Community Relations Office.
The branches are indirect impacts, which are suppliers and vendors who support military operations, she said.
And the fruit represents everyday spending from civilian and military employees.
“What this model shows is that defense spending doesn’t stop when a paycheck is issued or a contract is signed,” Moore said.
While responses to the survey were generally positive about the military, there were some areas of concern such as environmental stewardship.
“Only about one-third of residents believe the military does a good job protecting natural resources, and just 20% are aware of military-funded environmental programs operating in Hawaii,” Moore said.
In 2021, a fuel spill at the Navy’s Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility threatened to contaminate the underground drinking water supply for half of Oahu and led to revelations that the Navy had covered up previous spills despite decades of assurances.
And on Wednesday, Honolulu police temporarily closed Farrington Highway near Kahi Mohala after workers discovered unexploded ordnance during a shoulder excavation between Kahi Mohala and Aloun Farms. It was unclear how old the ordnance was or where it originated.
The Army and Gov. Josh Green continue to negotiate the future of Army leases on state land that could affect the size of the U.S. defense forces’ footprint across the islands and their ongoing, live-fire training and other drills.
DBEDT’s military economic factbook offers scenarios on what Hawaii could lose if the military presence were reduced.
“A 10% reduction in military presence is estimated to result in a $1.7 billion decrease in our state’s GDP (gross domestic product), the loss of more than 9,000 jobs and a significant reduction in personal income across multiple sectors,” Moore said.
DBEDT plans to update its new factbook annually.
“This research helps us understand where trust exists, where skepticism remains and where engagement needs to be strengthened,” Moore said.
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2026/01/15/hawaii-news/survey-finds-broad-support-for-isle-military-presence/-- Jim Albertini Malu 'Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Ola'a (Kurtistown) Hawai'i 96760 Phone 808-966-7622 Email j...@malu-aina.org Visit us on the web at www.malu-aina.org