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

 

 

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mayor, and thank you for today’s sustenance for body and soul.

Did you make it through Monday ok?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hi Janey...((HUGS))...are you working in town? Planning routes for other pilots?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, radu...blue sky and sunshine over the city. Rain clouds all around.

You getting any closer to rain?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, ElevenB, and thanks for sharing your experiences.

And we thank you for your service to our country.

[PROCON]

Woo-Hoo, how goes the Tennessee day?

Is rain still on the way?

Son and I are going to eat at a great Mexican restaurant for lunch tomorrow, I'm licking my chops already.

I got my car (evil SUV) washed today and did a little misc. shopping and just hanging now.

[radu]

Howdy, Kathy.

LOL! Are you sure you haven’t moved down here to our area? You’re experiencing what we’ve experienced far too often. Rain all around and not a drop overhead.

No rain for us for another couple of days and even then, it’ll be an “iffy” thing. I need to water flowers tonight but the poor soybeans are on their own.

Has today at work been a little better for a change?

[Soaring Feather]

Have not seen much of a variety - so I don’t have much interest now. :-(

[Kathy in Alaska]

In first....Mac grabs the gold!!

[Soaring Feather]

Howdy! Hope all is well.

[Kathy in Alaska]

And a close second....Pro snags the silver!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

And rounding out the top three....Ms Feather bags the bronze!!

[radu]

Howdy there, PRO!!

Watching ‘12 Monkeys’ and FReeping during commercial breaks. LOL

Nice day here today, and warmer at last. Took Avatar to the vet to have a couple of bad teeth pulled. I’ll bring him home tomorrow afternoon.

Sounds like a fun day ahead for you tomorrow!

[radu]

Hey there, feathers!

All’s well here. How’s about up your way? :-)

[ConorMacNessa]

We continue to have sporadic rain. Looking at the radar in motion, it appears we are in a Nor'Easter The storm is moving to the southwest, contra the prevailing westerlies. Starting tomorrow we have a few days in the mid to high 80's - going directly from April Showers to Dog Days!

The trains were on time today - uneventful runs both morning and evening.

"I am an American fighting man. I serve in the forces guarding our country and our way of life.
I am prepared to give my life in their defense."

[PROCON]

You notice LUV isn't here yet?

I think since she has 3 days off in a row, she's probably napping now. :-)

[SkyDancer]

Hai. Nope, actually after my last flight(s) and the breakdown in Moline, IL I’m off the roster for a while so just kicking back and relaxing. Going to head up to the folks this weekend for some hiking and camping and fun. I like to study routes but our dispatcher is the one who does the planning and stuff. You have plans for the Memorial weekend?

[Soaring Feather]

Well, it was humid this afternoon and it did shower.

It is very pretty out there. Green green, I think there is a song with that name.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Peace and quiet would be nice. Lots of home projects that keep getting put off.

All depends on how my Mom is doing.

[radu]

Well, now that the show is over, I can pay attention. LOL!
And I do see LUV isn’t here yet.

Wait til the 50 comes up. She’ll sneak in. :-)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Today has gone pretty well....best Monday in weeks.