82nd Airborne Division inducts 7 into 2025 Hall of Fame: 'It makes you humble'
Several years later, he was a brigade sergeant major for the 3rd Brigade Combat team when his team was pulled from conducting live fire exercises at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Johnson, Louisiana, and ordered to return to Fort Bragg to prepare for deployment.
McFowler and his brigade were sent to the Middle East for combat operations in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
On May 21, McFowler again stood near Ardennes Street to become one of seven paratroopers inducted into the 82nd Airborne Division's Hall of Fame this year.
'There are so many great people in this division, and they picked a few and it makes you say, 'What did I do to get this,'' McFowler said ahead of the ceremony. 'It makes you humble.'
McFowler said that during his 35 years in the Army, which ended in 2001 when he was the senior enlisted leader for the U.S. Army Forces Command, he considered his assignments in the 82nd among the best he ever had.
The latest paratroopers inducted into the Hall of Fame are among 85 others in the division's 107-year history 'whose reputations will never decay among All Americans,' current division commander Maj. Gen. James 'Pat' Work said during the induction ceremony.
'They inspired leaders and led alike when the stakes were high,' Work said.
This year's inductees served between 1975 and 2020 and led in roles from squad leader to division commander, Work said.
Two were division commanders, one was a division command sereant major and three were brigade command sergeants major.
'Their journeys through Grenada, Panama, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan led to this Hall of Heroes. Each story is compelling in its own merits,' Work said.
Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Cliff Burgyone is another inductee.
Burgoyne was senior enlisted leader for the division from October 2019 to July 2020 and retired from the Army as the senior enlisted leader of III Corps after 37 years of service.
Following the ceremony, Burgoyne said that when he first enlisted in the Army, his dream job was to be an airborne first sergeant.
'You serve in the division really to protect our nation. This is who we call, we call the 82nd Airborne Division when there's a problem in the world, and you have to be ready,' he said.
Burgoyne said he is humbled to be part of the Hall Fame with others who helped develop him and others to be successful in the Army and life.
'If you take a look at the people in the crowd, they're the people and the legacy of this division,' he said.
Paratroopers, Burgoyne said, are willing to do anything for their fellow paratrooper, regardless of the sacrifice.
He said he is glad his son-in-law and daughter are now part of the division's legacy.
'What I'm proud of is just watching young paratroopers doing things without fear,' Burgoyne said. 'It's unique, because it's not taught.'
Other paratroopers inducted into the division's Hall of Fame this year are:
• Retired Gen. Richard D. Clarke, who was a a battalion commander in the division when he prepared and deployed his unit twice on short notices during the initial phases of the Global War on Terror.
Clarke was commander of the 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, deploying from January-June 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and from January-April 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Eleven years later he commanded the division and deployed with the headquarters, which served the Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command Headquarters during Operation Inherent Resolve.
Clarke retired from the Army in October 2002 as commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.
• Retired Lt. Gen. William Steele, who served in multiple roles in the division including battalion commander of the 2nd Battalion, 504th Infantry, and as division commander from 1993 to 1995, when he mobilized the division during Operation Uphold Democracy. The operation led to an airborne assault to oust Haiti dictator Raoul Cedras and restore democracy. Steele and the first wave of paratroopers were ready for combat assault when Cedras stepped down knowing that 61 C-130s were full of paratroopers en route. Steele retired from the Army as commander of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in 2001.
• Retired Command Sgt. Maj. L. Barnard Basnight, who was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 325th Infantry not long after enlisting in 1975.
Basnight rose through the ranks, becoming command sergeant major for the Combat Aviation Brigade. Since retiring in 2006 from the Victory Brigade at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, Basnight has continued to contribute as a military and veteran advocate in the 82nd Airborne Division Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars and other organizations.
• Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Rodger Blackwood, who was a leader in Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 73rd Armor. He helped integrate airborne armor for the division's rapid deployment capabilities and was part of the first Sheridan tank element from the 82nd to deploy during Operations Desert Shield and Storm, playing a critical role in the capture of Ali Al Salem Airfield in Kuwait.
Blackwood retired from the Army in 2013 as the senior enlisted leader for the U.S. Army Cyber Command.
• Retired Command Sgt. Maj. David C. Henderson, who served as first sergeant for the 4th Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment when it had a key role during the seizure of Omar Torrijos International Airport and Fort Cimarron in Panama during Operation Just Cause. Henderson also deployed with the division during Operation Desert Shield and spearheaded response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Henderson retired from the Army in 1999 as the senior enlisted leader for the division's 1st Brigade Combat Team.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Who was inducted into the 82nd Airborne Division Hall of Fame 2025?
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HONOLULU (AP) — A high-altitude plateau on the Big Island is the only place in Hawaii where thousands of ground forces can practice firing live munitions. It's also a place many Native Hawaiians consider the spiritual heart of the island. The U.S. military wants to keep training at this spot, called Pohakuloa, so it's ready to quickly send troops to Asia and the Pacific. Its importance to the U.S. is only growing as China becomes more assertive, particularly regarding Taiwan. But the Army's lease for state lands beneath a key part of the training range expires in 2029. Native Hawaiians upset with the U.S. military's history of damaging Hawaiian lands with target practice and fuel leaks want the Army out. 'They have bombed and contaminated not just our land but our waters,' said Healani Sonoda-Pale, a community organizer with the Hawaiian sovereignty group Ka Lahui Hawaii. 'When does this end?' 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Such talks can't begin until the Army finalizes its environmental study with a decision about its plans. The defense secretary's office then must sign off on acquiring land. Alice Roberts, U.S. Army Pacific's program manager for training land retention, said the service has had some informal conversations, including trying to understand the state's swap criteria. Buying the land would be a 'a big hurdle,' for the Army, she said, because two-thirds of the state House and Senate would need to approve such a transaction. U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, a Democrat, said the Army must double down on being good stewards and make up for the military's past mistakes. Tokuda wants the military to help increase Hawaii's housing supply, given that service members occupy 14% of Oahu's housing stock and that high housing costs are driving residents out. She said it could bolster Hawaii's water and sewer infrastructure. Hawaii Gov. 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US military's attempt to retain strategic land for training runs into Native Hawaiian opposition
HONOLULU -- A high-altitude plateau on the Big Island is the only place in Hawaii where thousands of ground forces can practice firing live munitions. It's also a place many Native Hawaiians consider the spiritual heart of the island. The U.S. military wants to keep training at this spot, called Pohakuloa, so it's ready to quickly send troops to Asia and the Pacific. Its importance to the U.S. is only growing as China becomes more assertive, particularly regarding Taiwan. But the Army's lease for state lands beneath a key part of the training range expires in 2029. Native Hawaiians upset with the U.S. military's history of damaging Hawaiian lands with target practice and fuel leaks want the Army out. 'They have bombed and contaminated not just our land but our waters,' said Healani Sonoda-Pale, a community organizer with the Hawaiian sovereignty group Ka Lahui Hawaii. 'When does this end?' The military controls about 5% of Hawaii's land, including bases for all branches. It has programs and staff to protect endangered and threatened species, prevent fires, and plant native plants. But past incidents have made many Native Hawaiians skeptical. The Navy turned the island of Kahoolawe, off Maui, into a bombing range after the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. The Navy returned it in 1994 after years of protests. But subsequent cleanup efforts have been incomplete. Live grenades and bombs remain scattered across a quarter of the island. Memories are still fresh from when the Navy spilled jet fuel into Pearl Harbor's drinking water from a network of underground fuel storage tanks and pipes in 2021. The leak prompted 6,000 people to seek medical care for rashes, nausea and other ailments and contaminated a Honolulu aquifer. The disaster occurred after admirals spent years dismissing community calls to move the tanks. On Tuesday, Honolulu's water utility sued the Navy seeking to recoup an estimated $1.2 billion that it has had to spend because of the spill. Also on Oahu, environmental advocates say Army live-fire training in Makua Valley sparked wildfires and destroyed native forestland and sacred cultural sites. A legal settlement stopped such training in 2004. Pohakuloa consists of rocky plains, hills and brush about 6,200 feet (1,900 meters) above sea level between the Big Island's tallest volcanoes, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. It hosts endangered species including the Hawaiian catchfly shrub. Early Hawaiians ventured across the plateau to reach a Mauna Kea quarry that produced high-quality basalt for stone tools and to travel between coastal towns. In 2022, Army staff discovered ancient wooden 'kii,' or figures, in a lava tube, an underground passageway created by molten rock. Consultants said the figures are from human burials, and state preservationists say they're among Hawaii's most significant archaeological finds. Pohakuloa Training Area spans more than 200 square miles (518 square kilometers). The section in question is only 17% of that total, but it's critically located in between two larger federal parcels. Troops fire munitions from the state-owned parcel onto federal lands. Other live-fire training areas in Hawaii are too small to accommodate battalions and brigades. Commanders say it would take too long to send troops, trucks and helicopters to the U.S. mainland for drills. 'What we anticipate in a future fight is that we will not have the time to recover that equipment and to position ourselves back into the region,' said Maj. Gen. James Bartholomees, U.S. Army Pacific chief of staff. Pohakuloa training, he said, allows troops to "move from Hawaii into the Indo-Pacific, into key terrain, to be prepared to meet our adversaries, or more importantly, to deter them.' The Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force exercise there, as do allied and partner militaries. The Hawaii National Guard accounts for one-quarter of Pohakuloa's training. County fire and police departments use it too. The Army prepared an environmental impact statement, including public feedback, that analyzed how the military's continued use of the land would affect plants, animals and cultural heritage. On May 9, the state land board rejected it after hearing hours of often emotional testimony in opposition. Among other issues, the board cited inadequate inventory of unexploded ordnance and insufficient inventory of ancient burials and associated artifacts. The Army is considering whether to appeal. It could also negotiate a land exchange with the state instead. Such talks can't begin until the Army finalizes its environmental study with a decision about its plans. The defense secretary's office then must sign off on acquiring land. Alice Roberts, U.S. Army Pacific's program manager for training land retention, said the service has had some informal conversations, including trying to understand the state's swap criteria. Buying the land would be a 'a big hurdle,' for the Army, she said, because two-thirds of the state House and Senate would need to approve such a transaction. U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, a Democrat, said the Army must double down on being good stewards and make up for the military's past mistakes. Tokuda wants the military to help increase Hawaii's housing supply, given that service members occupy 14% of Oahu's housing stock and that high housing costs are driving residents out. She said it could bolster Hawaii's water and sewer infrastructure. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green suggested in an interview with Hawaii News Now that the military could take the land through eminent domain, but Tokuda said she hasn't heard anyone in the military or President Donald Trump's administration mention that. Kaialiʻi Kahele, the chairperson of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, which advocates for Native Hawaiians, wants to see what federal lands the Army would offer. He wants to know whether it would be willing to reduce the impact of its training, and what sort of clean up and community benefits it would provide. 'We have to get to a point where you do training and then you clean up your mess,' said Kahele, a former congressman who served more than 20 years in the Hawaii Air National Guard and is now in the Air Force Reserve.
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
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US military's attempt to retain strategic land for training runs into Native Hawaiian opposition
HONOLULU (AP) — A high-altitude plateau on the Big Island is the only place in Hawaii where thousands of ground forces can practice firing live munitions. It's also a place many Native Hawaiians consider the spiritual heart of the island. The U.S. military wants to keep training at this spot, called Pohakuloa, so it's ready to quickly send troops to Asia and the Pacific. Its importance to the U.S. is only growing as China becomes more assertive, particularly regarding Taiwan. But the Army's lease for state lands beneath a key part of the training range expires in 2029. Native Hawaiians upset with the U.S. military's history of damaging Hawaiian lands with target practice and fuel leaks want the Army out. 'They have bombed and contaminated not just our land but our waters,' said Healani Sonoda-Pale, a community organizer with the Hawaiian sovereignty group Ka Lahui Hawaii. 'When does this end?' A problematic history The military controls about 5% of Hawaii's land, including bases for all branches. It has programs and staff to protect endangered and threatened species, prevent fires, and plant native plants. But past incidents have made many Native Hawaiians skeptical. The Navy turned the island of Kahoolawe, off Maui, into a bombing range after the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. The Navy returned it in 1994 after years of protests. But subsequent cleanup efforts have been incomplete. Live grenades and bombs remain scattered across a quarter of the island. Memories are still fresh from when the Navy spilled jet fuel into Pearl Harbor's drinking water from a network of underground fuel storage tanks and pipes in 2021. The leak prompted 6,000 people to seek medical care for rashes, nausea and other ailments and contaminated a Honolulu aquifer. The disaster occurred after admirals spent years dismissing community calls to move the tanks. On Tuesday, Honolulu's water utility sued the Navy seeking to recoup an estimated $1.2 billion that it has had to spend because of the spill. Also on Oahu, environmental advocates say Army live-fire training in Makua Valley sparked wildfires and destroyed native forestland and sacred cultural sites. A legal settlement stopped such training in 2004. The cultural significance of Pohakuloa Pohakuloa consists of rocky plains, hills and brush about 6,200 feet (1,900 meters) above sea level between the Big Island's tallest volcanoes, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. It hosts endangered species including the Hawaiian catchfly shrub. Early Hawaiians ventured across the plateau to reach a Mauna Kea quarry that produced high-quality basalt for stone tools and to travel between coastal towns. In 2022, Army staff discovered ancient wooden 'kii,' or figures, in a lava tube, an underground passageway created by molten rock. Consultants said the figures are from human burials, and state preservationists say they're among Hawaii's most significant archaeological finds. Pohakuloa Training Area spans more than 200 square miles (518 square kilometers). The section in question is only 17% of that total, but it's critically located in between two larger federal parcels. Troops fire munitions from the state-owned parcel onto federal lands. The land's importance for training and deterrence Other live-fire training areas in Hawaii are too small to accommodate battalions and brigades. Commanders say it would take too long to send troops, trucks and helicopters to the U.S. mainland for drills. 'What we anticipate in a future fight is that we will not have the time to recover that equipment and to position ourselves back into the region,' said Maj. Gen. James Bartholomees, U.S. Army Pacific chief of staff. Pohakuloa training, he said, allows troops to 'move from Hawaii into the Indo-Pacific, into key terrain, to be prepared to meet our adversaries, or more importantly, to deter them.' The Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force exercise there, as do allied and partner militaries. The Hawaii National Guard accounts for one-quarter of Pohakuloa's training. County fire and police departments use it too. Negotiations to exchange land The Army prepared an environmental impact statement, including public feedback, that analyzed how the military's continued use of the land would affect plants, animals and cultural heritage. On May 9, the state land board rejected it after hearing hours of often emotional testimony in opposition. Among other issues, the board cited inadequate inventory of unexploded ordnance and insufficient inventory of ancient burials and associated artifacts. The Army is considering whether to appeal. It could also negotiate a land exchange with the state instead. Such talks can't begin until the Army finalizes its environmental study with a decision about its plans. The defense secretary's office then must sign off on acquiring land. Alice Roberts, U.S. Army Pacific's program manager for training land retention, said the service has had some informal conversations, including trying to understand the state's swap criteria. Buying the land would be a 'a big hurdle,' for the Army, she said, because two-thirds of the state House and Senate would need to approve such a transaction. U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, a Democrat, said the Army must double down on being good stewards and make up for the military's past mistakes. Tokuda wants the military to help increase Hawaii's housing supply, given that service members occupy 14% of Oahu's housing stock and that high housing costs are driving residents out . She said it could bolster Hawaii's water and sewer infrastructure. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green suggested in an interview with Hawaii News Now that the military could take the land through eminent domain, but Tokuda said she hasn't heard anyone in the military or President Donald Trump's administration mention that. A call for a cleanup Kaialiʻi Kahele, the chairperson of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, which advocates for Native Hawaiians, wants to see what federal lands the Army would offer. He wants to know whether it would be willing to reduce the impact of its training, and what sort of clean up and community benefits it would provide. 'We have to get to a point where you do training and then you clean up your mess,' said Kahele, a former congressman who served more than 20 years in the Hawaii Air National Guard and is now in the Air Force Reserve. 'That should be the model of training that respects aina, respects this place and its culture and its people,' he said, using the Hawaiian word for land. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. 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