Hawaii Army Weekly:
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS — “Repeat after me. Get inside. Stay inside. Stay tuned.”
That was the message from Col. Stephen E. Dawson, commander of U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii, during a missile defense preparedness briefing at this month’s Community Information Exchange, Jan. 31, at the Nehelani. While almost a month has passed since a false missile alert sent to cellphones across the state of Hawaii on Jan. 13, preparedness continues to be a top priority for the Army.
Dawson’s briefing was aimed at making sure the community knows what to do in the event of a real missile threat and dispelling misconceptions. He reassured those in attendance that his intent was not to cause undue alarm or panic.
“If there is a missile inbound to the Hawaiian Islands, the U.S. Pacific Command will be the first to know,” he said. “They have the capability to detect a missile launch … and I can assure you … we have the ability to defend against a missile attack.”
