Secretary of the Army's Letter to Hawai’i Governor
(UPDATE: Governor's response below)
News release from U.S. Army Pacific Public Affairs, Aug 21, 2025
FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii – This morning, the Secretary of the Army, Dan Driscoll, sent Governor Josh Green the letter below, highlighting the critical importance of the partnership between the Army and the State of Hawai’i.
The United States Army Pacific (USARPAC) remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering strong relationships with Hawai’i, a partnership that has been instrumental in ensuring the security and readiness of our Nation.
As the gateway to the Indo-Pacific, Hawai’i plays a pivotal role in supporting the Army’s mission to maintain peace and stability in the region.
USARPAC stands ready to support this process and work collaboratively to build a mutually acceptable framework that balances the Army’s needs with the values and priorities of Hawai’i’s people.
Click link below for Secretary of the Army’s letter to Hawai’i Governor Josh Green
PDF: Letter to Governor Green (text below)
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SECRETARY OF THE ARMY
WASHINGTON
AUG 20 2025
Dear Governor Green:
Thank you for meeting with us during our recent trip to Hawai'i. We greatly appreciated the opportunity to discuss the important partnership between the State of Hawai'i and the Army.
Hawai'i has been generous in its support for the Army and has leased numerous lands to us over the past 65 years. These lands are critical to the Army's ability to project U.S. power in the Indo-Pacific, serving as a vital logistics hub for rapid troop deployment.
We also understand these lands are very important to the people of Hawai'i. We want to work with you to come to a mutually acceptable framework by the end of this year that will allow us to move forward. Working together and with congressional support, we believe land exchange can be part of this framework.
Army training lands in Hawai'i are vital to U.S. national security interests. While we always hope for peace, we must plan for war, and these lands are vital to supporting training and ensuring warfighter readiness across Army Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve Soldiers in Hawai'i. To lose access to critical training lands would be detrimental to U.S. national security and create a vulnerability that we, as a Nation, cannot afford.
I look forward to working with you to finalize this framework. It is imperative that we move quickly to resolve this issue now. We cannot wait, as our Nation depends on its Army to always be ready.
Sincerely,
Dan Driscoll
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GOVERNOR GREEN ACKNOWLEDGES RECEIPT OF U.S. ARMY LETTER ON MILITARY LAND LEASES IN HAWAIʻI
News Release from Office of the Governor, August 21, 2025
HONOLULU – Governor Josh Green, M.D., announced today that his office has received an official letter from the U.S. Secretary of the Army, Dan. P. Driscoll, outlining the Army’s intent to reach a new framework on military land leases in Hawaiʻi by the end of this year.
The letter underscores the Army’s position that continued access to training lands in Hawaiʻi is critical to national security and reflects a commitment to continue discussions with the state. As the gateway to the Indo-Pacific, Hawaiʻi plays a pivotal role in supporting the Army’s mission to maintain peace and stability in the region. The Army has signaled its intent to work toward outlining general terms of a framework agreement by the end of this year, versus the previously stated 60-day timeline.
The concept of a land exchange has been raised as one possible option, but no specific parcels have been identified and no official conversations on parcels have occurred to date between Governor Green and Secretary Driscoll. Any such proposal may be subject to state and federal review, as well as evaluation by stakeholders before moving forward. By law, the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) hold statutory authority over state lands, while the Governor’s office plays a facilitating role. Any formal exchange would ultimately require BLNR action and compliance with state law.
“The original lease for the Pōhakuloa Training Area was signed in 1964 for just $1 and it expires in 2029. Federal leaders have stated there are national security considerations at stake and they’ve made clear they could act through eminent domain, which would take the land without giving Hawaiʻi anything in return,” said Governor Green. “We in Hawai‘i know the best path is always through collaboration which acknowledges our values.”
“That’s why I’m insisting on a fair deal, for example, the return of lands like Mākua Valley, cleanup of contaminated training areas, protection of our water and a commitment to build thousands of new homes to relieve pressure on our housing market,” said Governor Green. “I’m also pushing for lands that can be transferred to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, so more Native Hawaiian families have the opportunity of homeownership. And I want the military to invest in renewable energy and safer infrastructure to lower costs for our people.”
“While some may say we are being too accommodating, the truth is this path ensures that Hawaiʻi’s people and values come first,” Governor Green said. “By negotiating firmly and fairly, we can secure real benefits for our future while maintaining national security.”
The Governor’s office will continue discussions with federal leaders and keep the public informed as negotiations progress.
At the end of this month, the state will launch a new public website to provide transparency throughout this process. The site will include formal documents received from the Army, background on the leases and updates as discussions progress.
The Office of the Governor will provide further updates, including the state’s formal response to the Army, in the weeks ahead.
Here is a link to the U.S. Army Pacific website that also has the Secretary’s letter.
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