{"id":417960,"date":"2025-04-18T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-18T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=417960"},"modified":"2025-04-18T22:28:36","modified_gmt":"2025-04-18T22:28:36","slug":"hawaii-celebrates-blessing-of-new-water-tank-at-schofield-barracks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=417960","title":{"rendered":"Hawaii Celebrates Blessing of New Water Tank at Schofield Barracks"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii \u2014 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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\n SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii \u2014 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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\n SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii \u2014 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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\n SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii \u2014 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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\n SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii \u2014 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.<\/p>\n

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.
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\n SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii \u2014 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.<\/p>\n

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.
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\n SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii \u2014 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.<\/p>\n

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.
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\n SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii \u2014 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.<\/p>\n

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.
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\n SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii \u2014 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.<\/p>\n

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.
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii \u2014 In a ceremony rooted in tradition, partnership, and shared responsibility, U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii commemorated a new 2-million-gallon concrete water tank\u2014a key milestone in the Army\u2019s $1.2 billion, 10-year plan to modernize water infrastructure across its Oahu installations.<\/p>\n

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\u2014each reinforcing the ceremony\u2019s emphasis on unity, cultural respect, and community care.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis tank is more than steel and concrete,\u201d said Col. Rachel Sullivan, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii. \u201cIt\u2019s part of a promise we\u2019ve made\u2014to 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019s efforts to be a responsible steward of local water infrastructure\u2014preserving access for residents within and beyond the installation footprint.<\/p>\n

Sullivan noted that the tank\u2019s added capacity is critical to emergency response and system resilience\u2014not just for Army families, but for the surrounding region that relies on a common aquifer system.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur role is to ensure our infrastructure supports readiness without compromising the broader community\u2019s access to water,\u201d said Sullivan. \u201cThis project strengthens our system without taking away from our neighbors.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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\u2014preventing outages for more than 5,000 homes and 40 barracks.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis tank holds the equivalent of three Olympic swimming pools, or 16 million bottles of water,\u201d Biggerstaff said. \u201cAnd we built it at a fraction of that bottled cost\u2014without a single reportable injury and with long-term resilience in mind. It\u2019s a win for the Army and for the people of Hawaii .\u201d<\/p>\n

The tank was delivered in partnership with CCI Facility Support Services, with oversight from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 Schofield Barracks Area Office, ensuring every aspect met safety and engineering standards, from 757 cubic yards of concrete to intricate post-tensioned cable systems.<\/p>\n

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\u2014symbolizing the living, communal value of water and the people it sustains.<\/p>\n

\u201cWater is life,\u201d said Kekoa. \u201cAnd it must always be shared and protected\u2014with aloha\u2014for all who live here now and for the generations yet to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2014a commitment not only to the Army\u2019s mission, but to the island community it calls home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1 \/ 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption \u2013 SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii \u2014 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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":417962,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-417960","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\/417960","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=417960"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/417960\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":417966,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/417960\/revisions\/417966"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/417962"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=417960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=417960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=417960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}