Friends Of Hickam
Who We Are.
Our Mission
The members of the Friends of Hickam will serve as facilitators between the 15th Wing Command at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam and the Hawaii community. We seek to support, promote and foster stronger community relations with those associated with the USAF/15th Wing Command at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam.
Our Story
In 1989, Hickam Air Force Base began looking for ways to bridge the gap between the local and military communities on Oahu; by providing support and assistance to enlisted military personnel and their families.
Started by Col. Don A. Lyons (then Commander of the 15th Air Base Wing), with guidance from Dennis Fujii (Hickam Public Affairs Office), the Friends of Hickam was initially a loose knit group of approximately 30 individuals/businesses, along with representatives from local school affiliates; with the first informal meeting taking place in the Daedalian Room, next to the historic Hickam Officers Club.
In 1991 Friends of Hickam members rushed to the aid of those military personnel who’d been deployed during the Gulf War; providing food, money, toiletries and other misc. items that were in short supply.
With the arrival of Brigadier General Dwight Kealoha (the newly selected Commander of the 15 Wing), came the idea of refocusing the FOH into a nonprofit organization, and it wasn’t long before a dedicated group of members assembled to reorganize the Friends of Hickam into an official autonomous organization; with its first official set of bylaws being signed in November of 1993.
In 2001, the Friends of Hickam reorganized again in order to meet all the legal requirements of the IRS and the State of Hawaii by establishing the current organization as a 501(c)(4), and subsequently a 501(c)(3) in 2011; allowing all Friends of Hickam donors to take advantage of tax benefits that were previously unavailable.
While a lot has changed since its informal beginnings in 1989, the Friends of Hickam has continued to hold firm to its original mission to serve as facilitators between the 15th Wing Command at Hickam Air Force Base and the Hawaii community.
For more information or to get a Friends of Hickam Membership Application, please email us at info@friendsofhickam.com.
The Friends Of Hickam Board
2023 Board Officers:
Blane Asao: President
Gwen Omori: Vice-President
Paul Kikuchi: Treasurer
Mat Shibata: Secretary
2023 Board Members:
Pam Cabrera: Director
Cary Miyashiro: Director
Steve Chow: Director
Carson Young: Director
Getting Involved
With a number of fun and exciting Community and Volunteer Service Events scheduled throughout the year, the Friends of Hickam are always looking for both Volunteers and Sponsors to help support the brave service men, women and families who have chosen to dedicate their lives to serving their Country.
From our Annual Golf and Keiki Fishing Tournaments to our Honolulu City Lights Tour, if you have a love for people and are interested in supporting and learning more the Air Force in Hawaii, we’d love to have you volunteer or join the Friends of Hickam Today!