Hawaii Chapter

Welcome to the Hawaii Chapter of Naval Intelligence Professionals!

NIP-Hawaii is home to a vibrant mix of active duty, reserve, and retired members of our community and includes officers, enlisted, and Department of Defense civilians. NIP-Hawaii thrives in the lush environment of tropical Oahu and features socials that highlight the rich Naval Intelligence history that has long been a focal point of life in Hawaii. Many of the events that NIP-Hawaii hosts are structured to take full advantage of this unique historical location and the visits to the island by many of our top Naval Intelligence leaders while providing a chance for chapter members to socialize in a relaxed environment and to hear the latest about trends and milestones within the Naval Information Dominance Corps.

2011-2012 Events:

December – Remembrance of the Attack on Pearl Harbor

 

Each year, Oahu formally remembers the attack on Pearl Harbor that occurred on December 7, 1941. With the USS ARIZONA memorial and the USS MISSOURI within view in Pearl Harbor, NIP-Hawaii hosted a social in honor of the day in history and to offer members an opportunity to meet and collaborate in an effort to maintain a strong Naval Intelligence Community on the island. This event began with welcoming remarks by NIP-Hawaii senior mentor RDML Paul Becker, USPACOM J2, and also included a keynote address by RADM Samuel Cox, CYBERCOM J2, who provided keen insights of the status of our Naval Intelligence Community as seen through a historical comparison of the years and months leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

 

June – Commemoration of the United States victory at the Battle of Midway

Each year, Oahu formally remembers and commemorates the United States naval victory in the Battle of Midway that occurred from 4-7 June, 1942 near Midway Island. Long considered as a critical turning point of WWII in the Pacific, this victory was made possible in large part by the efforts of naval cryptologists and all-source intelligence professionals who decrypted the Japanese codes and gained advanced knowledge of the Japanese battle plan. ADM Nimitz, armed with this unique insight, was able to maneuver available naval ships, aircraft, and personnel based in Pearl Harbor to gain the upper hand over the Japanese force and inflict severe damage (including the sinking of the four principal Japanese aircraft carriers), thus reversing the advantage of naval aviation power in the Pacific.

This year NIP-Hawaii, with the help of Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, hosted a unique social event in the Station Hypo basement, the historic but largely forgotten place where a 24-7 watchfloor of naval intelligence and cryptologic professionals first broke the Japanese code. VADM(ret) Jacoby provided a keynote address for the event and relayed his experienced insights of the power of all-source intelligence and the historic lessons provided by Station Hypo. Additionally, the Navy Region Hawaii historian Jim Neuman was available to provide an interesting presentation about that period in American Naval history, the role of Station Hypo in the Battle of Midway, and the key people that were instrumental in discerning the Japanese intent and communicating those insights to senior U.S. Navy decision makers to influence war planning.

After-work Socials – A Great Opportunity to Stay Connected

On occasion, NIP-Hawaii also hosts low-key, after-work social events at the local Schooners Navy Pub that offer great opportunities for Naval Intelligence professionals to mingle with their peers as well as their seniors and retired members of the community in order to stay connected with what is going on in the Information Dominance Corps Community.

For example, in March 2012, NIP-Hawaii hosted a social. With the masts and rigging of the local marina swaying gently in the cool Hawaiian breeze, outlined on a backdrop of a colorful evening sunset, the group enjoyed laughs and stories for a couple hours prior to heading home. At that particular event, keynote comments were provided by RADM Tom Meek who emphasized the importance of staying connected as a community.