Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
PŌHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, Hawaii –
Army General Counsel Carrie F. Ricci was able to experience the U.S. Army’s commitment to the ʻāina, or land, at Pōhakuloa Training Area (PTA) with a tour from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii senior leaders, March 25, 2024.
Pōhakuloa Training Area, commonly called PTA, is the U.S. Army’s training complex on Hawaii Island. PTA’s 210 square miles comprise federally owned land and land owned by the state of Hawaii and leased to the Army. State-leased land accounts for roughly 17% of PTA.
In addition to being the premier training area in the Pacific, the PTA is also home to threatened and endangered species and Hawaiian cultural sites that the Army is committed to protecting.
“PTA is the ideal location for the Army and the joint force to train combat-credible forces prepared to fight and win,” said Ricci. “But this land can only be used if we care for it.”
During the tour, Ricci spoke with biologists, conservationists, and archeologists employed by the Army about the various conservation efforts. The Army sustains a seed lab and greenhouse on PTA to grow native plants and coordinates with Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) for opportunities to outplant within the community on the island, extending beyond PTA.
“I am so proud of the work being done by the Army and our partners to protect unique and endangered species that flourish at the PTA,” stated Ricci. “There are native species of plants found nowhere else in the world but the PTA, and they continue to flourish because of the Army’s conservation efforts.”
According to the PTA’s cultural resources team, cultural sites on PTA are preserved in place. There are currently 13 known burial sites on PTA that have been preserved in place. The Army continues to work closely with cultural descendants to follow the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) processes.
“One of the most moving experiences I had was visiting a protected cultural site with archeologists working at PTA,” said Ricci. “It is critical that we protect this land for those who will depend upon it thousands of years in the future.”
The Army in Hawaii invests $12 million annually in its natural and cultural resource stewardship programs. While some of the Army’s conservation efforts are mandated by the land lease agreement with the state, the Army has its own environmental requirements that must be followed along with compliance with all federal conservation laws.