Lt. Col. Kevin Cronin will be Pohakuloa Training Area’s new garrison commander effective Friday, June 4.
While it’s still more than a month before he takes charge, Cronin is currently being prepared and oriented by the outgoing commander, Lt. Col. Loreto “JR” V. Borce. Once onboarded, part of his turf is to oversee negotiations for the Army’s renewal of the lease on a Hawaii land.
“Though the U.S. Army’s lease on the Garrison at Pohakuloa doesn’t expire until 2029, the military is already conducting an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in anticipation of seeking a renewal for use of the 23,000 acres of state-owned land," a recent Big Island Times article stated.
The existing 65-year lease between the military and the state of Hawaii expires on Aug. 16, 2029.
"Under the lease, the Army paid $1 for the entire 65-year period," West Hawaii Today reported.
The Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) is strategically located between Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and the Hualalai Volcanic Mountains.
PTA serves as a support to the U.S. Army Pacific training strategies and simulations, and economic driver providing jobs to the locals harboring good relationships with the community especially during the unprecedented time of the COVID-19 pandemic.