U.S. Military’s Strategic Training Land in Hawaii Faces Native Opposition Amid Sovereignty Concerns

In the heart of Hawaii's Big Island lies Pohakuloa, a high-altitude plateau essential for the U.S. military’s live-fire training exercises — the only site in the state large enough to accommodate battalion-level drills. As tensions rise in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly with China’s increasing assertiveness around Taiwan, the Pentagon views this area as crucial to rapid deployment and readiness.Yet deep-rooted opposition from Native Hawaiian communities threatens the Army’s continued presence here. The federal lease on state lands at Pohakuloa expires in 2029, providing an opportunity for Native voices long overshadowed by military priorities to demand change.Historical Wrongs Fuel Present ResistanceFor...