Military

Naval Magazine, Lualualei
Lualualei, HI
Naval Magazine Pearl Harbor
NAVMAG Pearl Harbor (West Loch - aka "Westlock")

Naval Magazine Lualualei is contiguous to NRTF Lualualei. Lualualei may have been a weapons production center for Hawaiian warriors several hundred year ago, which would make it the oldest ammunition facility in the U.S. When the present facilities were built in 1934, several stones found on the site were identified as those used for sharpening spears and other Hawaiian war implements. Lualualei has a number of meanings, one of which is "flexible wreath", which is said to recall the war strategy of a chief who sent his ranks of Waianae warriors to surround the invading armies like a wreath, defeating them at the battle of Kipapa about 1410 A.D.

The Naval Magazine is located in Lualualei Valley on the leeward side of Oahu, with headquarters a few miles inland from the towns of Waianae and Nanakuli. The shipping and receiving center is located at West Loch. The Naval Magazine is a terminus for the kolekole Pass road which traverses the beautiful Waianae Mountains. The drive extends from the Waianae coast to Schofield Barracks and offers panoramic views. The road is closed to the public, but open to military personnel and their dependents on most days until sunset.

In January 2000 the designation Naval Magazine, Lualualei, Hawaii, was changed to Naval Magazine Pearl Harbor. The name change was a result of the command's recent headquarters move from the Lualualei Branch to Pearl Harbor's West Loch. Fifty W-80-0 munitions for Tomahawk SLCM's and 40 nuclear aerial bombs are stored in the Lualualei Naval Magazine (NAVMAG) at West Loch on Oahu, Hawaii.

Navy Region Hawaii encompasses Pearl Harbor, Barbers Point, Iroquois Point, NCTAMS (Wahiawa), West Loch and Lualualei. In April 1998, Weapons Department of the Naval Intermediate Maintenance Facility (NAVIMFAC) merged with the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. Weapons Production transferred to NAVMAG Lualualei and Weapons Handling went to the Shipyard & IMF.

In July 1995, the BRAC commission recommended the closure of the Guam Naval Activities, formerly the Naval Station and the Naval Magazine. The Naval Magazine functions were relocated to the Naval Magazine, Lualualei, Hawaii, and a number of the Naval Station functions were relocated to the Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

In April 1999 Naval Magazine (NAVMAG) Lualualei was named runner-up in the natural resources environmental category of the Navy's Pollution Prevention Award for industrial installations. NAVMAG Lualualei was commended for spearheading an extensive investigation of biological, historical and cultural resources and took measures to maintain and protect rare native plants by using base personnel and outside volunteers to fence sensitive areas. Additionally, education and awareness training was provided to base personnel and stray goats, pigs and cattle were eliminated to prevent degradation of existing natural resources. NAVMAG Lualualei has four wildlife management areas that total some 680 acres.

The potential out-sourcing of the Heavyweight Torpedo IMA Facilities in Pearl Harbor, HI and Yorktown, VA leaves the billet base for the Weapons subspecialty of the Submarine Machinist's Mate (MM) rating sea intensive. As a result of manning problems within the TM(SW) rating, the Submarine community agreed to take over manning responsibilities at the Heavy Weight Torpedo IMA Facilities in Pearl Harbor, HI, and Yorktown, VA. As a result of this agreement, assumption of the billets by Submarine ratings is being phased in over a five year period, starting in FY99 and completing in FY03. The NAVMAG Lualualei Heavy Weight Torpedo IMA has been submitted for out-sourcing in FY01 and is expected to be approved in the FY00 budget. CINCPACFLT has agreed to provide compensation for the loss of MM(Weapons) billets in addressing a sea - shore rotation imbalance. Discussions are now starting on out-sourcing the Yorktown Heavy Weight Torpedo IMA. Loss of these billets represents a significant loss in valuable rating specific billets generally lacking in the Weapons specialty.

In January 2000 Naval Magazine Lualualei held its official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the grand opening of the new headquarters building, located in the West Loch Branch, Ewa Beach. The Commanding Officer, Capt. Shawn Morrissey, kicked off the ceremony with an introductory speech. Following his speech, Lt. Leila Havadtoy provided a blessing for the new headquarters building. After the ribbon was officially cut, all attendees gathered together for a potluck barn-warming celebration, which was held right next to the waterfront and the headquarters. The headquarters move was a strategic plan to consolidate five departments and the executive staff to a single building. As a result of the consolidation, telephone lines, electricity/water usage, transportation and janitorial service expenses for the command reduced significantly. The Storefront Facilities Director, Norman Glenn, engineered the renovation of Building 562, the new headquarters. His storefront team ensured the renovation would create a habitable work environment for the command personnel. In addition, the Facilities Storefront initiated the installment of the new key system telephone lines. The AIS Director, Ron Schiemer, led his team during the successful implementation of the RITC-OBAN system for, not only the headquarters building but also, the entire command. Lt. Edmond Gawaran was the appointed OIC for the headquarters move and was responsible for ensuring the building was ready for operation NLT October 1999 and the physical move was coordinated in a timely and effective manner. All departments and divisions that were involved in the move contributed greatly in making the evolution a smooth transition.

Navy communications facilities were first installed on the Hawaiian Islands in 1916 at Hospital Point. Construction of the transmitting station at Lualualei, intended to support a receiver station installed in 1920 at Wailupe, commenced in 1933. The main antennas were completed in 1935 and the facility was activated in 1936.

Eastern Pacific Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station operates and maintains communications facilities and equipment for Naval shore installations and fleet units in the eastern Pacific. The installation operates six facilities on the island of Oahu, but conducts industrial operations primarily at the main station and receiver site in Wahiawa and the Naval Radio Transmitting Facility in Lualualei.

NRTF Lualualei occupies approximately 1,700 acres and lies in a large coastal valley near the southwestern shoreline of Oahu. NRTF Lualualei is located approximately 10 miles to the southwest of NCTAMS PAC Wahiawa. The topography is generally level and the elevation ranges from 10 to 100 feet above mean sea level. NRTF Lualualei is located on land that consists of a thin layer of alluvial and coastal sediments and reef deposits overlying consolidated limestone. Civilian land use surrounding this facility is largely rural and the site is surrounded by agricultural and small areas of Urban and Conservation Land Use districts. NRTF Lualualei is contiguous to the Naval Magazine Lualualei, which occupies an additional 8,105 acres of the valley. The nearest urban area is the town of Maili, which lies approximately 1 mile west of the station. The towns of Waianae and Nanakuli are also located nearby.

NRTF Lualualei has a residential population of approximately 25 people housed in 11 units. The station employs 35 Navy personnel, 15 civilians, 5 to 10 coast guard personnel, and a contractor. Residents of the Naval Magazine Lualualei use the facility as an exercise area.

The Lualualei family housing area is located within a large coastal valley on Oahu's southwestern shore in a rural part of Oahu in the Waianae District. Naval Magazine Lualualei (NAVMAG LLL) is situated on the eastern side of the valley and Naval Radio Transmitter Facility Lualualei (NRTF LLL) is situated on the western side. Kolekole Pass is a narrow mountain road across the Waianae Mountain Ranges that provides vehicular access to Schofield Barracks. Lualualei is approximately 27 miles from downtown Honolulu. The nearest town, Maili, is about one mile south of Lualualei. The Lualualei community has 57 two-, three- and four-bedroom homes for Senior Officers (O6), Field Grade Officers (O4-O5), Junior Officers (O1-O4, W1-W4) and enlisted (E1-E9) personnel. The homes were built between 1933-1938 and 1959. There are a variety of amenities between the single-story, one- and two-plex units. There are a total of 14 duplex and 29 single family dwellings at Lualualei. None are wheelchair/handicap adaptable.