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Download a .pdf of the memo here or see the complete text below:
January 1, 2022
To the Community of Hawaii:
The foundation of the Department of the Navy is built on trust – trust of our civilian and military leadership, trust of our Sailors and Marines that we serve with, and trust of the nation, people, communities and families that we swear oaths to defend.
Hawaii has always placed great trust in our Navy. As a Navy veteran and as Secretary, I know that the Navy must earn that trust each and every day – this is very personal to me.
Your trust has been challenged with this past month’s drinking water contamination, and we know it is up to the Navy to repair that trust. We understand the hurt this has caused many of you, and we are committed to making it right.
Our direct support to those affected and to the entire community will continue in earnest. We have brought together the full resources of the Department and our interagency partners to address the range of issues the community faces. We are engaged with Federal, State, Local, and Native Hawaiian leaders, and we are so grateful for their partnership and perspective – they are tremendous advocates for the community. To provide the most up-to-date information, we conduct daily Facebook Live events and our website, www.navy.mil/jointbasewater, has information on resources available for you to include lodging assistance, medical care, family support, ways to report concerns, flushing and sampling plan details, links to town halls and events, news, facts sheets, and frequently asked questions. Please continue to let us know how we can best support you.
Together with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Hawaii Department of Health, and the Military Services, we are working to ensure the Navy’s drinking water system complies with Hawaii’s safe drinking water requirements. We are being methodical, comprehensive, and safe to validate that our actions do no harm to any person or the environment. These collective efforts are the key to restoring safe drinking water as quickly as possible and enabling families to return to their homes.
Happy New Year to you and your loved ones. Please know your health, safety, and well-being are priorities of the Department of the Navy, and we remain in critical response mode on supporting the community until this is resolved.
Carlos Del Toro
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