Experience Pohakuloa Toxins?

     The Military Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) is hosting an “Experience Pohakuloa Day” on Thursday, April 20, 2023.  It is inviting school children and the general public to this Open House event on the base.  Teachers, parents, children, and the general public need to be aware of the dangers of Depleted Uranium (DU) radiation, and a wide range of toxins that have been used at Pohakuloa over more than 75 years of bombing and shelling.  Inhalation of Depleted Uranium (DU) oxide dust particles is “the most deadly form of radiation.” This is according to Hawaii resident, Dr. Lorrin Pang, MD, 25 years retired from the Army Medical Corps and listed in the who’s who best doctors. See PSA by Dr. Pang here: https://vimeo.com/19153948

      Let’s be clear. DU metal on the ground at Pohakuloa does not pose a serious health threat. But if that metal has been hit with high explosives it burns and turns the metal into DU oxide dust particles which can be carried long distances in the wind. If anyone inhales DU oxide particles those particles can remain in your body for decades causing a wide range of problems including cancer, and genetic damage to future generations. 

      DU was first used by the military at Pohakuloa in the early 1960s fired into the 50,000-plus acre impact area. That impact area has been subjected to decades of high explosives firing ever since. The military disclosed in an Environmental study in the early 2000s that over 14 million live rounds are fired annually at Pohakuloa. A current figure is not available. I suspect it is even higher now.

      There are dozens of various DU weapons in the US arsenal since the 1960s used by the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. Modern DU weapons are known as “penetrators.” They are made of solid DU metal. When fired, the DU metal begins to burn and when it hits a hard target –tank, armored vehicle, etc. it slices right through the armor, like a hot knife through butter, and explodes at 3000 degrees. There is no documentation that DU penetrators have been fired at Pohakuloa but for decades there was no documentation that Davy Crockett DU spotting rounds were used either. Then in 2007 documents appeared that DU spotting rounds were used at Pohakuloa for the Davy Crockett Nuclear weapon system.  The numbers range from 750 to over 2000 Davy Crockett DU spotting rounds fired at PTA.  But given the fact that all sorts of weapons have been used at Pohakuloa, it seems reasonable to conclude that DU penetrators, along with other DU spotting rounds besides Davy Crockett, may also have been fired at PTA. That’s why it is extremely important that independent comprehensive testing and monitoring be done to determine the full extent of DU and other toxic contamination and what’s coming off PTA blowing in the wind. If the military has nothing to hide they would welcome, and pay for,  such an independent study to assure the confidence of the community. But the military has been stonewalling efforts by the community calling for such a study since 2008. See Hawaii County Council resolution 639-08 passed by a vote of 8-1.

     How come? Is it to keep troops, residents, and the tourist industry in the dark? Don’t we all have a right to know?

Are we Inhaling DU Oxide Dust and other military toxins?

1. Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties.
   4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, anti-Hawaiian, anti-Black, anti-Asian, anti-Russian, anti-LGBTQ, etc.
   5. Seek peace through peaceful means and work for justice in Hawai`i and around the world.

Contact: Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action
P.O. Box 489 Kurtistown, Hawai’i 96760 Phone (808) 966-7622. Email: ja@malu-aina.org

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— Jim Albertini Malu ‘Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown) Hawai’i 96760 Phone 808-966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org Visit us on the web at www.malu-aina.org

Protect Hawai’i Keiki

On Thursday, April 20, 2023, school children and the general public are invited to the 133,000-acre heavily contaminated military Pohakuloa Toxic Area (PTA) in the center of Hawai’i Island from 9 AM – 1 PM for what’s billed as “Experience Pohakuloa Day.” Some schools are planning field trips to Pohakuloa.

Call your local school to voice safety concerns!

Protest Experience Pohakuloa Day 8:30 AM April 20^th PTA Main Gate

Car pools leave Hilo –Saddle Rd & Komohana at 7:30 AM

Danger: Pohakuloa

Toxic Area

Clean Up the Military Toxic Mess & Stop Bombing!

Return the Land to the Hawaiian People!

Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action

P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown), Hawai’i 96760

                          Phone (808) 966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org to receive our posts.

For more information see http://www.malu-aina.org

March 31, 2023, Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet – week 1122– Fridays 3:30-5 PM downtown Post Office

Protect Hawai’i Keiki

On Thursday, April 20, 2023, school children and the general public are invited to the 133,000-acre heavily contaminated military Pohakuloa Toxic Area (PTA) in the center of Hawai’i Island from 9 AM – 1 PM for what’s billed as “Experience Pohakuloa Day.”    

Call your local school to voice safety concerns!    

Protest “Experience Pohakuloa Day”

      Pohakuloa is a live-fire military base that has been bombed and shelled for more than 75 years, with a wide range of toxins, including Depleted Uranium (DU) radiation, lead, perchlorate, cluster bombs, white phosphorous, etc., etc. Millions of live rounds are fired annually at PTA, from small arms to howitzers, to bunker-busting bombs. B-52 and B-2 bombers train for nuclear war with practice bombing runs to Pohakuloa, from Missouri, Louisiana, and Guam. For years the military denied using DU at PTA until they were caught.

      How bizarre for the military to host an “Experience Pohakuloa Day” in light of the above. There can be no greater desecration than bombing and shelling the ‘aina. The continued live fire of high explosives, re-suspends many of the toxins present at PTA. These toxins can then be carried long distances in the high winds that frequently blow through the Saddle Region. Inhaling tiny DU oxide particles can cause several cancers and genetic damage that can be passed to future generations. A comprehensive, independent, investigation is needed to determine the full extent of military DU contamination and other toxins present at PTA.

     Please share the Public Service Announcement (PSA) below with teachers, parents, and students of Hawaii Island. The PSA and additional information is available here https://malu-aina.org/?p=8819

PSA – Parents of young children and pregnant women are warned of the dangers of DU (Depleted Uranium) and other military toxins at the Pohakuloa Training Area! Please view the short video of Dr. Lorrin Pang, M.D., public health officer and retired 24 years in the Army Medical Corps explaining the health dangers of inhaling DU oxide dust particles (See https://vimeo.com/19153948). As Dr. Pang explains, especially vulnerable are young children and pregnant women.

Stop Bombing Pohakuloa! Clean up the Military Mess!

Return the Land to the Hawaiian People!

1 . Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject violence & war as solutions. 3. Defend civil liberties.
       4. Oppose all discrimination: anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, anti-Hawaiian, anti-Black, anti-Asian, anti-Russian, anti-LGBTQ, etc. 5. Seek peace through peaceful means and work for justice in Hawai`i and around the world.

Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action

P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown), Hawai’i 96760

                  Phone (808) 966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org to receive our posts.

For more information see http://www.malu-aina.org