{"id":317567,"date":"2024-11-03T23:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-04T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=317567"},"modified":"2024-11-04T21:52:52","modified_gmt":"2024-11-04T21:52:52","slug":"garrison-hawaii-supports-makua-valley-cultural-access-for-20th-anniversary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=317567","title":{"rendered":"Garrison Hawai\u2018i Supports M\u0101kua Valley Cultural Access for 20th Anniversary"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Col. Rachel Sullivan, Commander of U.S. Army Garrison Hawai\u2018i poses with M\u0101lama M\u0101kua representatives and Garrison employees during the M\u0101kua Valley cultural access event, symbolizing the partnership and collaboration fostered over the past 20 years.
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\n Col. Rachel Sullivan, Commander of U.S. Army Garrison Hawai\u2018i, shares a moment with community members during the M\u0101kua Valley cultural access event, embodying the Army\u2019s commitment to building strong, respectful relationships with the local community.
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\n Under the warm Hawaiian sun, Col. Rachel Sullivan, Commander of U.S. Army Garrison Hawai\u2018i, joins community members and cultural practitioners at M\u0101kua Valley, honoring the valley\u2019s significance and celebrating 20 years since the cessation of live-fire training.
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M\u0101kua Valley, Hawai\u2018i \u2014 In a heartfelt celebration of heritage and partnership, U.S. Army Garrison Hawai\u2018i hosted a landmark three-day cultural access event in M\u0101kua Valley, marking the 20th anniversary of the Settlement Agreement that ended live-fire training in the area. For two decades, the Army has worked closely with community organization M\u0101lama M\u0101kua to support cultural access and environmental stewardship, and this milestone event underscored the deepening commitment to respectful collaboration and community engagement.<\/p>\n

Throughout the weekend, U.S. Army Garrison Hawai\u2018i provided substantial support to ensure a safe and meaningful experience for all attendees. Personnel from the Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division, Public Affairs, Range Control, and the Command Group joined forces to manage event logistics, deliver safety briefings, and guide attendees to significant cultural sites within M\u0101kua Valley. Soldiers and Army staff were present from dawn until dusk, demonstrating a commitment to fostering a spirit of respect and connection with the community.<\/p>\n

The weekend\u2019s activities included traditional Hawaiian elements that highlighted both Hawaiian culture and the Army\u2019s role as a steward of the valley. M\u0101lama M\u0101kua, the organization dedicated to preserving the valley\u2019s cultural and environmental heritage, led traditional ceremonies and facilitated a hands-on imu (underground oven) experience on the beach. Although the Army could not permit the imu in the valley itself due to fire hazards, they coordinated efforts to make it possible nearby, demonstrating flexibility and support for the community\u2019s cultural practices.<\/p>\n

Dr. Brian Padgett, an archaeologist with the Directorate of Public Works, shared his perspective on the anniversary\u2019s importance and the Army\u2019s role in supporting cultural access. \u201cThis anniversary isn\u2019t just a date,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s about a 20-year journey of listening, learning, and working together to honor and preserve M\u0101kua Valley. We take our responsibility as stewards seriously, and we\u2019re committed to strengthening this partnership for years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

The event also reflected the positive progress that can emerge from collaboration. Vince Dodge, a representative from M\u0101lama M\u0101kua, expressed appreciation for the Army\u2019s involvement. \u201cFor us, this journey has been about fostering trust and respect,\u201d Dodge shared. \u201cOur community has deep ties to the military, and our partnership with the Army has become an opportunity to build bridges, protect this sacred place, and celebrate together.\u201d<\/p>\n

U.S. Army Garrison Hawai\u2018i\u2019s support for the event underscored its commitment to safe cultural access, transparency, and environmental stewardship. Since the 2004 Settlement Agreement, which halted live-fire training, the Army has provided regular cultural access days, allowing M\u0101lama M\u0101kua and the local community to reconnect with their ancestral lands. This event was especially significant, commemorating two decades of progress in a spirit of shared responsibility and mutual respect.<\/p>\n

Colonel Rachel Sullivan, Commander of U.S. Army Garrison Hawai\u2018i, highlighted the importance of continued partnership: \u201cThis event symbolizes how far we\u2019ve come together. M\u0101kua Valley\u2019s legacy is shared by both the Army and the Hawaiian community, and we\u2019re honored to work alongside M\u0101lama M\u0101kua in ensuring that legacy is preserved and celebrated.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the cultural access event concluded, it left a profound sense of unity and hope for all involved. U.S. Army Garrison Hawai\u2018i and M\u0101lama M\u0101kua look forward to furthering their partnership, continuing to honor M\u0101kua Valley\u2019s cultural significance while building a future rooted in respect and collaboration.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1 \/ 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption \u2013 Col. Rachel Sullivan, Commander of U.S. Army Garrison Hawai\u2018i poses with M\u0101lama M\u0101kua representatives and Garrison employees during the M\u0101kua Valley cultural access event, symbolizing the partnership and collaboration fostered over the past 20 years. (Photo Credit: Robert Haynes) VIEW ORIGINAL 2 \/ 3 Show Caption […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":317569,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-317567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=317567"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317567\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":317573,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317567\/revisions\/317573"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/317569"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=317567"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=317567"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=317567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}