HONOLULU — Marines and sailors from various units in Hawaii were honored at the sixth Honolulu Navy League’s Boots on the Ground 2014 Individual Augmentee Recognition Luncheon at the Ala Moana Hotel, Feb. 21, 2014.
According to Mike Buck, the emcee of the event, this will likely be the league’s last IA luncheon, due to the lack of IAs.
“Probably for the time being, (this will be) the last IA luncheon that we’re doing and that’s because there aren’t many IAs out there right now and that is a blessing,” Buck said. “But we know that we’ll be back in service should the need arise again and it is almost certain to do so.”
Rear Adm. Robert P. Girrier, the deputy commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, was the featured guest speaker at the event. Girrier recognized numerous individual service members in the audience and shared details of their IA experience.
Each IA was called to the stage by unit, and one by one, shook hands with current Navy League Honolulu president Carl Devoe and Girrier, and received a Boots on the Ground military challenge recognition coin.
Service members from Marine Corps Base Hawaii were among those being honored at the luncheon.