Austin’s Red Hill visit Swift, safe defueling urged

Sep 30, 2022

Heather Mongilio asks about Austin’s recent Red Hill visit and a reported plan supplement contemplating thirty rather than 120 days for defueling. Ryder confirms that Austin visited the facility and Joint Task Force Red Hill in Hawaii the preceding week and met the INDOPACOM and task-force commanders. He says their discussions emphasized defueling as swiftly and safely as possible, notes Rear Admiral Wade has taken command, and stresses environmental and community impacts. He does not confirm the proposed thirty-day timeline or announce that defueling is complete.

Austin visits Hawaii’s Red Hill fuel-storage facility and Joint Task Force Red Hill on September 30, 2022, meeting the INDOPACOM and task-force commanders. Ryder’s October 4 retrospective says the discussions emphasized defueling as swiftly and safely as possible. He notes Wade’s command and continuing work, with environmental and community impacts central. Asked about a proposed thirty-day defueling period, he does not confirm that timetable. Neither completion of defueling nor a new definite deadline is established.