Woman leads pilots in Pacific ADVERTISING Woman leads pilots in Pacific HONOLULU (AP) — Gen. Lori Robinson received a fourth star Thursday and became head of Pacific Air Forces, making her the first woman to lead the major air command.
Woman leads pilots in Pacific
HONOLULU (AP) — Gen. Lori Robinson received a fourth star Thursday and became head of Pacific Air Forces, making her the first woman to lead the major air command.
Robinson, who now oversees more than 46,000 personnel, 10 wings, nine bases and about 400 permanently assigned aircraft in a region that encompasses 52 percent of the globe, is the Air Force’s second female four-star general after Gen. Janet C. Wolfenbarger, who was promoted to the service’s highest rank in 2012.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Gen. Lori Robinson, commander, Pacific Air Forces,” an announcer said during the command change in Hangar 19 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
“Wow, wow,” Robinson said hearing the new title.
She thanked Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh III and Adm. Samuel Locklear III, the head of U.S. Pacific Command, for the confidence to select her “at a time when regional and global events pose increasingly serious challenges to the international community and to our national security.
“Our international friendships and partnerships have never been more important than today as we endeavor to safeguard and continue an environment that has fostered prosperity in the region and the world over the past decades,” Robinson said. “In these coming weeks, I look forward to a seamless transition by meeting with our key allies and partners.”
Locklear, whose headquarters are at Camp H.M. Smith, noted the gravity and importance of Pacific Air Forces in a region where North Korea continues to be “extremely unpredictable” and now has “road-mobile nuclear weapons that can range our homeland.”
Locklear also pointed out the rise of China and India in the region that’s the most militarized in the world.
Alumnus gives $69M to UH
HONOLULU (AP) — An alumnus has donated $69 million to the University of Hawaii, the largest gift by a single donor to the university system.
The commitment is on top of the $31 million that Jay Shidler previously donated to the college of business.
The college was named for Shidler after his initial donation of $25 million in 2006. He later gave $6 million more.
University officials and the University of Hawaii Foundation say the latest gift will be donated over Shidler’s lifetime and through his estate, for the benefit of the Shidler College of Business.
As part of the donation, Shidler plans to contribute interests in income generated by land leased to office buildings in major mainland cities.
Shidler is the founder of The Shidler Group, a real estate investment organization.
