STAND. COM. REP. NO. 464

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 515

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 515, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of: 

 

Adjutant General of the Department of Defense

 

G.M. No. 515

MAJOR GENERAL DARRYLL D.M. WONG,

for a term to expire December 1, 2014,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of Major General Darryll D.M. Wong from Governor Neil Abercrombie; United States Senator Daniel K. Akaka; United States Representative Colleen Hanabusa; United States Transportation Command, United States Air Force; Pacific Air Forces, United States Air Force; Headquarters Air Mobility Command, United States Air Force; United States Army, Pacific; United States Pacific Command; Hawaii Army National Guard; Hawaii Air National Guard; Office of the Senior Enlisted Leader, Headquarters of the Hawaii National Guard; Hawaii Air National Guard Headquarters 154th Wing;  Civil Air Patrol, Hawaii Wing, United States Air Force Auxiliary; United States Marshals Service; National Guard Bureau; Office of Veterans' Services, State of Hawaii Department of Defense; City and County of Honolulu Police Department; County of Hawaii Police Department; County of Maui Police Department; Sandwich Isles Communications, Inc.; The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; Oceanit; Aloha Air Cargo; Galen Enterprises LLC; Special Olympics Hawaii; TriWest Healthcare Alliance; BAE Systems Spectral Solutions; The Gas Company; Iolani Palace; and thirty-one individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition from one individual.

 

     Major General Darryll D.M. Wong is currently the Commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard, which is the eighth largest Air National Guard unit in the nation.  Major General Wong's military service includes active duty service in the United States Air Force from 1972 to 2001 as a pilot.  He has been with the Hawaii Air National Guard since 1984.  Major General Wong is the architect of the first ever Air National Guard Associate Unit in the C-17 Operational Flying Squadron, and the creator of the 201st Signal Intelligence Squadron.  The Major General has led and guided the Hawaii Air National Guard to become the only Air National Guard unit to own the F-22 fighter jet.  He has been an Aloha Air Cargo Pilot since 2008 and was previously an Aloha Airlines Pilot for over thirty years.

 

     Major General Wong received a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of Hawaii and a Master of Business Administration from the Shidler College of Business, University of Hawaii where he also earned a Certificate in International Management.  The nominee has completed several military affairs related programs, including the Air War College, Air Command and Staff College, and Program for National and International Security Management at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.  Major General Wong has received numerous awards and decorations, including the Legion of Merit, Vietnam Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, and the Meritorious Service Medal.  He has also been active in community affairs, particularly athletics and has served as a volleyball coach at Maryknoll High School, Kamehameha School, and Punahou School.

 

     Your Committee notes from the nominee's personal statement that he has been inculcated with a strong desire for public service in the values learned from his ethnic background and from his Maryknoll School education.  One of Major General Wong's strongest capabilities is his ability to translate vision into a strategic plan that accomplishes its objectives and also links everyone together from the top down to the individual workers.  Another of his strengths is his diplomacy in that he works well with diverse agencies and groups of people to resolve issues and to address everyone's issues to find win-win solutions.  He arrives at creative solutions after careful and thoughtful listening.  As a people person, he connects people by having an interest in them.  However, the Major General can also make hard decisions while bringing energy to an organization by motivating people to achieve more.   Your Committee believes these qualities are timely in that his skills are needed to prepare for the Asian Pacific Economic Conference to be held in Honolulu this fall.

 

     Your Committee notes further from Major General Wong's personal statement that his goal for the State Civil Defense is to identify all capability gaps to successfully implement the 2009 Hawaii Catastrophic All-Hazards Concept Plan and take remedial action.  He also plans to reinstate the State Tuition Assistance Program to help defray the cost of educating young guardsmen to be educated through the University of Hawaii System.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair