WHEREAS, the 68^th Medical Detachment (Air Ambulance) of the U.S. Army, known to most civilians as the 68^th Medical Company, has been an integral line in the state emergency medical service system; and

WHEREAS, after dedicated service in Vietnam, the 68^th Medical Detachment (Air Ambulance) was redeployed to Oahu on February 5^th, 1972; and

WHEREAS, in 1974, a Military Assistance to Safety and Traffic (MAST) agreement was formally made with the State of Hawai`i to provide full-time MEDEVAC coverage for the island of Oahu, and for the outer islands when available; and

WHEREAS, during its stay on Oahu, the 68^th Medical Detachment (Air Ambulance) operated under the authority of Tripler Army Medical Center, and under the 45^th Corps Support Group while physically stationed at Hickam Air Force Base; and

WHEREAS, on March 1^st, 1992, the 68^th Medical Detachment (Air Ambulance) moved to its current home on Wheeler Air Force Base; and

WHEREAS, through late 2004, the 68^th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) flew over 6,000 missions to evacuate over 7,000 patients for emergency care under the MAST agreement with the State; and

WHEREAS, on November 17^th, 2005, the 68^th Medical Detachment (Air Ambulance) was reflagged to the C Company 3-25 Aviation Regiment; and

WHEREAS, the C Company 3-25 Aviation Regiment informed the State and City and County of Honolulu that emergency medivac helicopter flights would be suspended on April 1, 2006 due to the need to train for war duty as part of deployment of the rest of the Black Hawk helicopters to the Middle East over the summer; and

WHEREAS, whether we refer to this important part of our island community as the C Company 3-25 Aviation Regiment or the 68^th Medical Company (Air Ambulance), the men and women of this group and their services will be sorely missed; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, that this body honors, congratulates, and thanks the C Company 3-25 Aviation Regiment, formerly known as the 68^th Medical Detachment (Air Ambulance), for the service that they have provided the State of Hawai`i; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body also wishes the C Company 3-25 Aviation Regiment, formerly known as the 68^th Medical Detachment (Air Ambulance), a safe return from their deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Report Title:

C Company 3-25 Aviation Regiment; honor, congratulate, and thank