FReeper Canteen ~ Road Trip: Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii ~ 05 AUG 2025

Serving The Best Troops, Families, And Veterans In The World!! | The Canteen Crew

[laurenmarlowe]

 

 

~The FReeper Canteen Presents~

Road Trip: Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii

Pōhakuloa Training Area (PTA) is located on the island of Hawaiʻi in the high plateau between Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and the Hualālai volcanic mountains. It includes a small military airstrip known as Bradshaw Army Airfield. The area of 108,863 acres is the largest United States Department of Defense installation in the state of Hawaii, or anywhere in the Pacific.

The name of the current facility comes from puʻu pōhaku loa, which means "long rocky cinder cone" in the Hawaiian Language, although like many other Hawaiian names, the same name has been used for other places on the island. Pōhakuloa Training Area lies in a high plateau between lower slopes of Mauna Kea to approximately 6,800 feet in elevation and to about 9,000 feet on Mauna Loa.

The training area is about midway between Hilo, on the east coast and the Army landing site at Kawaihae Harbor. It is used by both the U.S. Army and Marine Corps.

The only road access is via the Saddle Road (Hawaii Route 200), which is paralleled by a tank trail. Heavy equipment is either flown into Hilo, or else shipped via barge to Kawaihae Harbor, about 40 miles away on the Saddle Road. Because of this remoteness, the area is used mostly for short training sessions.

PTA's firing ranges allow units to conduct small-arms and crew-served weapons familiarization training and qualifications, as well as artillery and mortar live fire. Through the years, PTA’s ranges and training areas have helped Army, Marine, Air Force and Navy units maintain their combat readiness and prepare for war.

Most recently, 25th Infantry Division units, Kaneohe-based Marines and Hawaii Army National Guard Soldiers prepared at PTA for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

Learn More About Pohakuloa Training Area HERE!!

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT~Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allies military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before. 

Please remember: The Canteen is a place to honor and entertain our troops. The Canteen is family friendly. Let's have fun!

We pray for your continued strength, to be strong in the face of adversity.

We pray for your safety, that you will return to your families and friends soon.

We pray that your hope, courage, and dignity remain unbroken, so that you may show others the way.

God Bless You All ~ Today, Tomorrow and Always

 

 

[PROCON]

Aloha Lauren and thanks for tonight’s Road Trip!

[radu]

Greetings to all at the Canteen!

To all our military men and women, past and present,

THANK YOU
for your service!

[laurenmarlowe]

Aloha ahiahi PROCON!

[laurenmarlowe]

Howdy radu!

*HUGS*

[radu]

Howdy, lauren. *Hugz*

All going well down your way? It’s looking a bit smoky today, from the north and from the west. I feel for y’all.

[Huskrrrr]

Thanks gang, you’re the best. 🤗🤗🤗

[radu]

Howdy, PRO.

Are you still enjoying the break from the heat? We are and it’s nice!

[luvie]

~ Road Trip: Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii ~

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT

Showing support and boosting the morale of
our military and our allies' military
and the family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OTHER THREADS

CLICK FOR current local times around the world

CLICK FOR local times in Seoul, Baghdad, Kabul
New York, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Anchorage

To every service man or woman reading this thread:

Thank you for your service to our country.
No matter where you are stationed,
No matter what your job description
Know that we are are proud of each and everyone of you.

To our military readers, we remain steadfast
in keeping the Canteen doors open.

The FR Canteen is Free Republic's longest running daily thread
specifically designed to provide entertainment and moral support for the military.
The doors have been open since Oct 7 2001,
the day of the start of the war in Afghanistan.

We are indebted to you for your sacrifices for our Freedom.

NOTE: CANTEEN MUSIC
Posted daily and on the Music Thread
for the enjoyment of our troops and visitors.

[laurenmarlowe]

Going good here, thank you, and hope you are as well!

We’ve had air quality warnings for several days, bad allergy days, but it rained really good early this morning, so today was not too bad, only 90 degrees, LOL!

But back to hotter than you-know-what by the end of the week!

Hope you have a pleasant week.

[left that other site]

Hi Everybody!

(((HUGS)))

[laurenmarlowe]

Thanks for joining us Huskrrrr!

[laurenmarlowe]

Good evening luvie!

*HUGS*

[laurenmarlowe]

Good evening to you left that other site!

*HUGS*

[Theoria]

Great times at PTA. Moon Drop zone. Exactly like it sounds. Pigs the size of bears, and weather from freezing cold to heat seizure hot.

[ExTexasRedhead]

Victory at Sea (1952) | E6 ‘Guadalcanal’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoO1_rety60

Comments below the video:

“I was very young watching this with my South Pacific Marine Vet dad when I eagerly awaited this show. Our first TV and this fantastic show. I was too young to appreciate the importance of this time. I do now. My unit did a beach landing at the Qua Viet River on the DMZ and I remembered the shots of the Marines doing the same in this series. Luckily we had a cake walk. viewed in San Diego, California USA by a Tet Offensive combat engineer survivor.”

Foxhole Features YT Series

https://www.youtube.com/@FoxholeFeatures

[SkyDancer]

~ Evening All! ~

~

~ Welcome To My World ~

I’m Down There Somewhere

[laurenmarlowe]

Sounds like quite the experience!

Thank you for joining us this evening.

[PROCON]

Hiya radu, sorry I didn't respond last night, just being a lazy butt.

We've cooled down, suppose to rain a bit Wednesday so the cooling continues and feels good!

Are the kittehs behavin'?

[radu]

Howdy, luvie.

I reckon you didn’t step outside today other than to make sure the kitties had plenty of water.