Computer glitch keeps Hawaii jet from Iraq

U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA » After flying nearly 12,000 miles across the Pacific and Southeast Asia, a Hawaii Air National Guard crew and C-17 aircraft won’t be picking up the last remaining 52 Schofield Barracks soldiers left in Iraq as planned — but will still fly the last leg of their trip home, officials said.

The malfunction of a computer tied in with the jet engines — one of two on board so configured — led to a decision Thursday (Hawaii time) to delay the scheduled flight of the big four-engine cargo carrier from an island base to Afghanistan and Iraq.

The trip to pick up the troops in Iraq was subsequently canceled.

The Spirit of Kamehameha had started its engines for takeoff at the base — which the Air Force identifies only as an "undisclosed location" in the U.S. Central Command area — when the computer problem was detected.

Another Air Force cargo jet will pick up the Schofield soldiers in Iraq and transport them to the island base. From there the Hawaii-based C-17 will fly the troops back to Hawaii after repairs are made.

The soldiers, including Maj. Gen. Bernard Champoux, commander of the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii, are expected to return to Hawaii and their families Sunday afternoon.

Champoux was the last division-level commander in Iraq, where only a few thousand troops remain as the United States brings to an end the nearly 9-year-old war. He deployed to Iraq with about 800 soldiers a year ago.

Capt. Brent Ishii, 35, one of six Hawaii Air National Guard pilots on the trip, said he was disappointed not to be going to Iraq.

"Obviously, we’d like to be the ones to pick them up (in Iraq), but it’s part of the mission — being flexible and rolling with the punches," he said.

The Hawaii Air Guard had hoped to add to its own history in the closing days of the Iraq War with the pickup of fellow Hawaii troops. Some Air Guard members have flown into Iraq more than a dozen times. Ishii has flown into the country twice.

"Certainly, closing out that chapter I’m sure would have been memorable, to see that full cycle after the initial surge into Iraq after 9/11 and see the last combat brigade pulled out," Ishii said.

The Air Guard is doing its part in getting the Schofield soldiers home the final thousands of miles to Hawaii.

"That’s the best part of the mission: to get those guys home to see their families for Christmas. Bottom line, that’s what we want to do," Ishii said.

The Spirit of Kamehameha, based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, was expected to first deliver more than 1,000 Army duffel bags and footlockers to Afghanistan that belong to deploying Alaska-based soldiers.

The gear was picked up at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson near Anchorage on Monday at the start of the mission.

The cargo will be unloaded and sent to Afghanistan on the airplane bringing the Hawaii troops to the island base where the Hawaii C-17 is now located.

The Spirit of Kamehameha also flew to Japan and Thailand before reaching the island base. The aircraft was expected to stop in Kyrgyzstan before heading into Iraq.