Congratulating Major General Kenneth S. Hara on His Service and Retirement

Floor Speech

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Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Major General Kenneth S. Hara, the Adjutant General of the State of Hawaii, on his retirement from the Hawaii National Guard after a celebrated 40 years of service to our state and our nation.

As Hawaii's adjutant general, Major General Hara serves as commander of the Hawaii National Guard and the director of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. In those roles, he has led the state's response to some of the most challenging and complex emergencies in Hawaii's history. In March 2020, just a few months after Major General Hara became the adjutant general, Governor Josh Green asked him to serve as the state's incident commander for the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to his leadership, Hawaii's response to the pandemic was among the most successful in the country.

Over the course of his career, Major General Hara also served as the dual status commander of Joint Task Force-50 in response to the Kilauea eruption and Hurricane Lane in 2018 and as commander of Task Force KOA after the 2006 Hawaii Island earthquake. And as a First Lieutenant over thirty years ago, he played a key role in supporting the state's response to Hurricane Iniki in 1992.

But what I will most remember Major General Hara for is his role in leading the state's response to the August 2023 wildfires on Maui and supporting their recovery. As the freshman representative for Hawaii's Second Congressional District that spans all eight of our islands, I am grateful to Major General Hara for his work in coordinating the state's response to this unprecedented disaster in our state's history alongside our local and federal partners.

Throughout his career in the National Guard, Major General Hara deployed three times. In 2005, he deployed to Baghdad, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as commander of the 299th Infantry's 2nd Battalion. In 2008, he deployed to Kuwait as deputy commander of the 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Then, in 2012, this time as commander of the 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, he deployed to Kandahar in Afghanistan.

His many awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with three Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Aviator Badge, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

Major General Hara's career continued a legacy of service that began with his late father, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Hara. Alongside his three brothers, Major General Hara has ensured that the Hara name is synonymous with service to our state and the nation.

This career dedicated to service has also been a family commitment, and I would be remiss if I did not also thank Major General Hara's wife Myoung and his children Kristin, Julia, Nichole, Justin, and Alicia. Their support and sacrifice made his success possible for all of us.

As he and his entire family transition to a new chapter, I proudly join them in celebrating a tremendous career that will continue to inspire and motivate future generations of leaders. But even more importantly, I wish them all the best in enjoying a well-earned retirement.

Mahalo to Ken for all that he has done and given to Hawaii and our country.

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