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HONOLULU, Hawaii — The Hawaii Army National Guard conducted its first change of responsibility ceremony for the senior warrant officer leader at the 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Readiness Center auditorium on June 4, 2026 in Kalaeloa, HI.
During the event, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Kevin Aihara relinquished responsibility as the Command Chief Warrant Officer of the HIARNG to Chief Warrant Officer 4 Thomas Dias.
While change of responsibility ceremonies are traditionally associated with senior non-commissioned officers, establishing a formal ceremony for the state’s senior warrant officer leader reflects the growing strategic role of warrant officers within the command.
"The Command Chief Warrant Officer serves as a key member of the command team, standing alongside the commanding general and the command sergeant major," said Col. Ronald D. Hogsten, acting commander of the Hawaii Army National Guard. "Because warrant officers dedicate entire careers to mastering technical specialties, they provide unmatched continuity and institutional knowledge."
A central moment of the ceremony was the passing of the chief warrant officer guidon bearing the Eagle Rising insignia, symbolizing the transfer of authority, responsibility and accountability from the outgoing leader to the incoming advisor.
Aihara, who served as the state's fifth senior warrant officer leader, reflected on the unique weight of spearheading the cohort's initiatives.
"I wanted to focus on strengthening our cohort by improving career management, creating opportunities, empowering our warrant officers, and encouraging senior leaders to mentor the next generation," Aihara said. "More importantly, I hope we demonstrated the value warrant officers bring to planning, decision-making, and execution across the force."
During Aihara’s tenure, Hawaii advanced its warrant officer talent management, achieving a historic recruiting milestone with 16 new warrant officer accessions and reducing vacancies across the state to a record low of seven.
Following the transfer of authority, Dias outlined his commitment to the state’s technical experts.
"My commitment is simple: to advocate for our warrant officers, develop future leaders, and ensure our cohort remains technically proficient, ready, and capable of supporting the Hawaii Army National Guard whenever called upon," Dias said. Dias assumes the role as the state’s senior warrant officer advisor after previously leading talent management initiatives for the cohort, continuing the warrant officer tradition embodied in the motto, “Strength in Knowledge.”
| Date Taken: | 06.04.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 06.08.2026 19:10 |
| Story ID: | 567048 |
| Location: | KAPOLEI, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 22 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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