By Capt. Robert Prince and Senior Chief Petty Officer Eddie Ko, Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands
As the new Commanding Officer and Command Senior Enlisted Leader of Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), we are honored to serve this extraordinary community. PMRF has long been recognized as a national defense asset, but to those of us lucky enough to live and work here, it is also something more personal: a place of purpose, partnership, and pride.
For Command Senior Chief Ko, this assignment is especially meaningful. Born and raised in Nānākuli and a proud graduate of Nānākuli High and Intermediate School, returning to serve in Hawai‘i brings things full circle. For Captain Prince, who has spent his Navy career flying and leading, this opportunity is about carrying forward PMRF’s proud mission while strengthening the partnerships that make Kaua‘i so special. Together, we share a commitment to service that extends beyond the base.
We know that PMRF is often seen through the lens of its military mission. But here on Kaua‘i, we are also the island’s largest high-tech employer and third-largest employer overall. Most of our team members, civilian and contractor alike, are your neighbors. They’re parents, coaches, volunteers, and caretakers. They contribute to a local economy that benefits from more than $170 million in annual activity, including emergency services, communications infrastructure, and well-paying jobs that help families thrive.
Our community presence doesn’t stop there. This past summer alone, we were privileged to support or host events such as the Summer Solstice ceremony at Lua Kupapa‘u O Nohili, the America’s Most West Freedom Fest, and career fairs for Kaua‘i students. We welcomed the Aha Moku Council, Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), and Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) officials for site visits, expanded our internship programs and opened our gates to the community for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and cultural learning. Each event reinforced that PMRF is not only about mission readiness; it’s about community readiness, too.
We understand that in Hawai‘i, āina carries deep meaning encompassing the Hawaiian worldview of a reciprocal and familial relationship between people and land, and that with our presence comes responsibility. Military use of public lands will always raise important questions. Earlier this year, the Navy and NASA released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement regarding continued use of state lands. Although the public comment period is now closed, we remain committed to transparency as the process moves forward. We will continue listening to and working with community members to address the protection of cultural resources, ecosystems, and public interests.
The conversation we are having is ultimately about values: how we preserve Kaua‘i’s natural resources and cultural heritage while supporting local jobs, education, safety, and shared prosperity.
As new leaders at PMRF, we are committed to strengthening the bonds already in place and building new ones rooted in openness, respect, and shared purpose. With continued dialogue, collaboration, and trust, we can ensure that PMRF remains not only a defense asset for the nation, but a source of pride, opportunity, and service for Kaua‘i today and for generations to come.
Capt. Robert Prince is the commanding officer of Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands, and Senior Chief Petty Officer Eddie Ko is the command master chief of Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands.