FReeper Canteen ~ Road Trip: Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii ~ 24 MAY 2016

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | laurenmarlowe

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

~The FReeper Canteen Presents~

Road Trip: Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii

Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) is located on the island of Hawaii between Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and the Hualalai Volcanic Mountains. It extends up the lower slopes of Mauna Kea to approximately 6,800 feet in elevation and to about 9,000 feet on Mauna Loa. The training area is about midway between Hilo, on the east coast and the Army landing site at Kawaihae Harbor. The area is the largest DOD installation in Hawaii.

The PTA consists of 108,863 acres, of which 24,048 are leased by the Army from the State of Hawaii. The remaining land is ceded and includes the impact and range areas and a portion of the west maneuver area. The leased areas include the northern maneuver areas and the support complex.

The training site can be reached from Oahu by either direct military helicopter or fixed wing flights to PTA or by using commercial airlines to either Hilo or Kona. From Hilo or Kona the site is reached by using Saddle Road. The distance is approximately 40 miles to both towns. The Saddle Road is frequently closed to the public due to poor surface conditions caused by storms and heavy military vehicles.

In preparation for large scale training exercises at PTA, the ground forces are flown to Hilo and transported over Saddle Road. Supporting equipment and vehicles are transported from Oahu by ship or barge to Kawaihae and driven to the site. A tank trail parallels much of the Saddle Road. These movements involving personnel, equipment and light vehicles could ideally be accomplished by flying directly to PTA; however the 3,700 foot Bradshaw Air Field runway is inadequate to accommodate large transport aircraft such as the Air Force C-141's.

The physiography of Pohakuloa is deceptive in terms of training suitability.  Almost the entire site is level or gently sloping, uninhabited, and having few trees or deep gullies to inhibit training.  Nevertheless, a large percent of it is almost completely unusable for maneuvers due to the rough lava flows that occur over much of the surface area.  There are several geological features within the installation. Cinder cone hills or puu's, products of the latest eruptive activity on Mauna Kea, are found in the northern part of the installation and are surrounded by more recent lava flows from Mauna Loa. 

These recent flows (less than 200 years) are the most notable features of the central and southern landscape and together with the northern flows cover approximately 30% of the training area.  Recent lava flows surround and contrast with islands of vegetation call kipukas.  The two types of lava found throughout Hawaii, pahoehoe and 'a'a, are present at PTA as well.  The pahoehoe flows have smooth undulating surfaces and can be traversed on foot for short distances. The rough 'a'a, however, are jagged, slag-like piles of impassable material.

As the largest training area in Hawaii, Pohakuloa can be used to accomplish nearly all of the varying types of training required by the military forces.  PTA has a 51,000 acre impact area which is over 10 times the size of the one at Schofield Barracks.  There are approximately 32,000 acres free of recent lava flows and are considered fully usable for large maneuver exercises. 

Learn More About Pohakuloa Training Area HERE!!

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT~Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allies military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before. 

Please remember: The Canteen is a place to honor and entertain our troops. The Canteen is family friendly. Let's have fun!

We pray for your continued strength, to be strong in the face of adversity.

We pray for your safety, that you will return to your families and friends soon.

We pray that your hope, courage, and dignity remain unbroken, so that you may show others the way.

God Bless You All ~ Today, Tomorrow and Always

 

 

[MoochPooch]

Evening, Kathy. I’m so grateful for our armed forces — they’re an oasis of sanity in this crazy country.

[Kathy in Alaska]

YUCK!!! Not good for breathing at all. Be careful, especially with your allergies.

[radu]

LOL! I’ve been coughing and blowing my nose since I came back in but I’m used to it. Comes with the territory. When you live in farm country, you get used to dusty air.

They do have a “bad air” alert out for a couple of areas of TN for tomorrow. We’re just outside one of them.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening/morning, Mooch.

Sanity seems to be in short supply these day. We are so thankful for our armed forces, for sure.

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good Tuesday morning to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

((HUGS))Good morning, Ladies. Thanks for this morning's thread, Lauren. How's it going?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, E...((HUGS))...weather all calmed down?

You and Bo have a great Tuesday.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Prayers for Arrowhead's recovery, and in his absence....

[Kathy in Alaska]

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good afternoon/evening/night Troops, wherever you are.

Thank you for doing your part to help keep all of us free and safe.

Thanks, unique, for the pastries.

Coffee is always on........

[Kathy in Alaska]

God bless and keep safe our troops worldwide.

Good night.

Statler Brothers ~ How Great Thou Art

[beachn4fun]

Good morning Ma ((HUGS))

and everyone else.

Is it raining in Hawaii? If not, I’m so ready for this trip! LOL

Rumor has it that today will be sunny and warm, thus, I’ll be outside painting.

Hope you have a lovely, stress-free day.

[E.G.C.]

Tuesday Morning Coffee Bump.

Weather has calmed down for now. Just had a storm with thunder and lightning move through. Nothing much else came of it. Thankfully no loss of power here.

[left that other site]

I did a lot of gardening. The weather has been wonderful.

Today it is raining, so no motorcycle today.

I hope to do a nice set tonight.

:-)

[SkyDancer]

Hai, Good Morning (((HUGS))) Hopefully she’s doing okay ....

[luvie]

Perfect plan for my day off!
And exactly what I'm doing right now!
Adding one of my hubby's amazing rolls to the menu!
Maybe...MAYBE...I'll do some stuff later!
Maybe not!
Anyhooooooo...all you Early Birds have a Terrific Tuesday!
....and pace yourselves! It'll get done!
((((hugs))))

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good morning, LUV W. How’s it going?

[LeoWindhorse]

I am sad to say that in 9 years of direct action troop support I have seen the enthusiasm of volunteers and supporters fall off precipitously. I don’t blame the people who used to be avid volunteers , they could have stopped attending troop support events for a variety of reasons, not the least of which just being busy in their lives. being responsible people and not Deadbeats, we all have jobs , unlike the nitwit anti-military protesters. but there’s something else discernable to.....something that feels like demoralization among civilian military supporters. something like an overwhelming disgust with their commander-in-chief and his regime’s policies , a disgust which is spilling over to create a general malaise about those that’s served at this time and their support

[LeoWindhorse]

this said , PTA will have another change of command ceremony on June 1st and the Gathering of Eagles will be there in support and welcome to the new CO

[luvie]

Howdy, EGC! (((hugs)))

All is well so far. Another nice day off [I could get used to this!] in which I am trying NOT to find work to do. LOL!

Hope you and Bo have a nice time at the lake today...and enjoy the pie later. Yum! :)