Coming home
By B.J. Reyes
Photo courtesy Djou for Hawaii
Former Congressman Charles Djou is returning to Hawaii after a deployment to Afghanistan with his U.S. Army Reserve unit.
Djou, who plans to run again for Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District, deployed in September with the Army’s 10th Mountain Division as an adviser on the rule of law in a province near the Afghanistan and Pakistan border.
Djou is a major in the Judge Advocate General Corps of the Army Reserve.
His pending return was announced late Monday by his wife, Stacey, in an email to supporters:
As a supporter and friend of Charles and the campaign, I wanted to share with you the good news that Charles is on his way home from Afghanistan. After many months of deployment in one of the most dangerous provinces in Afghanistan, we are happy and relieved to finally have him on American soil and coming home to Hawai`i soon.
Thank you for your kindness and support through what has felt like a lifetime apart for us.
With gratitude and fondest aloha,
Stacey
Djou is expected to face Democrat U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa in the Nov. 6 general election in a rematch of the 2010 election won by Hanabusa when Djou was the incumbent. Djou served in Congress after winning a special election to fill the final months of the term vacated by Neil Abercrombie, who resigned to run for governor.
Political Radar
February 21st, 2012 at 1:49 pm
How many years was Djou able to avoid deployment while regular grunts were serving multiple tours and service members at the end of their terms were receiving “stop loss” orders extending their service against their will? I guess it helped to have friends in higher places. Now he has served enough to help market himself in his run for congress. Funny how things work out.
February 21st, 2012 at 1:50 pm
Right on, Djou. Thanks for serving our country proudly.
February 21st, 2012 at 4:26 pm
At least Djou has served his country. Mitt Romney, who has five strapping sons, was asked in 2008 what any of them had done to serve our country after 2001. He replied that they were “serving their country by helping in his presidential campaign”. They all did find time to go on their LDS missions, also. How many young men and women did volunteer since 2001? Djou is one of them. (I’m a Hanabusa supporter but lets give Djou credit.)
February 22nd, 2012 at 1:49 am
Kolea, for shame. How pathetic that you can’t see past your partisan blinders to thank a fellow American for donning the uniform of our military and VOLUNTEERING to serve our country. Looking at that picture of Major Djou, I only see combat fatigues — I don’t see donkeys or elephants. Looking at you, I only see a jackass.
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:15 pm
Kolea, if you want to make charges like that, get a real name. Until then, you are just a coward from the Hanabusa campaign.
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:38 pm
Seems they have only a few females who serve on the battle front. The rest stay home and comment.
Seems one who comments should serve in the Military before they sprout 2 cents.
Djou is in the reserves and not regular Army.
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:36 pm
Nonsense. The facts support my statement. While Bush was president, Djou managed to avoid serving in a war he supported. Yes, his specialty was not a combat role. But there is a strong need for JAG officers in combat zones and the support areas as well.
And now, as if to prove my exact point about the political value of Djou’s service to his campaign, his supporters come online to sing his praises.
Feel free to Google my pen name name and Hanabusa’s to see if you can find evidence which supports the charge I am “from the Hanabusa campaign.” Not that evidence plays much of a role in GOP talking points, but I have been a pretty consistent critic of Colleen Hanabusa over the years. When, in my opinion, she makes a mistake, I have called her on it. I have gotten some grief for my frankness.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:02 am
Ah, let folks like Kolea say what they want. I mean, how else are we gonna be to recognize those with incredibly wrong principles?
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:32 pm
Still Djou carried a weapon and knows how to use it.
One should look in the mirror and figure out what they see. I see a lingle look alike.
February 26th, 2012 at 10:09 am
Kolea,
You are totally mis informed about how the military deploys the reserves. Alot of the reserves are just that, RESERVE. Most reservist prepare the active duty for combat and serve along side of “US”. Someone has to keep the Home Land Secured…thus the reserves. I have served 2 tours in Iraq, 1 in Colombia and currently in Saudi Arabia and if it was not for the reservist figting the rear battle at HOME our country would be vulnerable. Most reservist are called on based on there branch. SJA is a specialty branch and most of what the SJA corps is support deployed Soldiers regardless of were they are at on the battlefield. However, you have the freedom to discredit someone who wears the American uniform as that is why Djou wears it! I would grade your comment: UNSAT! Ltc dlC,
February 26th, 2012 at 10:11 am
Kolea,
You are totally mis informed about how the military deploys the reserves. Alot of the reserves are just that, RESERVE. Most reservist prepare the active duty for combat and serve along side of “US”. Someone has to keep the Home Land Secured…thus the reserves. I have served 2 tours in Iraq, 1 in Colombia and currently in Saudi Arabia and if it were not for the reservist figting the rear battle at HOME, our country would be vulnerable. Most reservist are called on based on there branch. SJA is a specialty branch and most of what the SJA corps does is support deployed Soldiers regardless of were they are at on the battlefield. However, you have the freedom to discredit someone who wears the American uniform as that is why Djou wears it! I would grade your comment: UNSAT! Ltc dlC, MP, USA (active)
March 6th, 2012 at 7:10 pm
Someone should learn to Stand Tough For Understanding.
March 9th, 2012 at 4:06 pm
I propose congress immediately establish a fifth branch of the US Military to deal with the danger blasphemy against the prophet presents.