Guard commander takes on overseas duties

Hawaii National Guard Brig. Gen. Ken Hara, who authored a recent preparedness improvement plan after the Jan. 13 nuclear missile false alarm, is taking on added responsibility as a “wartime G3” operations officer for the U.S. Eighth Army in South Korea.

“He will remain as the state of Hawaii deputy adjutant general and in his primary military assignment as the commander of the Hawaii Army National Guard,” the state said Thursday in a news release. “This new assignment is a dual- hat, two-year tour and is an additional duty to his primary military assignment.”

Hara may have to travel several times or more a year to Camp Humphreys in South Korea and will be authorized up to 60 days on active duty a year for the assignment, said Lt. Col. Chuck Anthony, a Hawaii National Guard spokesman.

It was not immediately clear if Hara volunteered or was assigned the job, and what his exact duties as a “wartime G3” operations officer will be.

“At this point, all he really wants to say is that he’ll find out more about it when he goes there sometime next month,” Anthony said.

Hara will replace Brig. Gen. Christopher Fowler from the Washington Army National Guard in the Eighth Army job.

Headquartered at Camp Humphreys, the field army conducts armistice operations in South Korea partnered with South Korean forces. It has under its control the 2nd Infantry Division and other units.

“We must never forget that Korea is not at peace, and Eighth Army remains prepared to ‘Fight Tonight,’ ” the command said of its motto. About 28,500 U.S. service members are stationed in South Korea.

Gov. David Ige directed Hara to review the state’s emergency response systems and make recommendations for improvement after the Jan. 13 false missile alarm.

Hara found that a Hawaii Emergency Management Agency plan to address the ballistic missile threat had not been fully developed prior to the start of missile alert siren testing and internal missile alert drills — actions “contrary to HI-EMA’s established all-hazards approach.”

Hara comes from a family dedicated to the Hawaii National Guard. His father, three brothers, his son and cousins also have served.