Military News 

Sunset at the Hale Koa Hotel. DoD Photo. It’s time for a vacation and the beach is the prime destination. Military members and their families planning their beach vacation need look no further. The following list is comprised of five of the greatest military beaches in the United States where military members are the priority. Not only are the beaches pristine, but each location has many support facilities to provide a great vacation spot while on a budget. Hale Koa Hotel, HI

Nancy and Charles Stanphill take a moment to pose for a photo. Photo by Charles and Nancy Stanphill. It’s January and the snowbirds are fleeing Oklahoma. We got our 30-day reservation at the Hale Koa Hotel in Waikiki, HI, but were unsuccessful in our attempt to stay a couple of days at Bellows Air Force Station on Oahu’s eastern beach. When we arrived at the Hale Koa, friends from Chicago and Washington State were waiting for us. When friends are waiting with drinks, check-in

Cindy and John in the boom operator’s compartment. They observed an in-flight refueling of two F-22 fighter aircraft from the KC-135. Photos by Cindy Gardner. It’s not that we’re experts. It’s just that we’ve been visiting the island of Oahu for 14 years. We are blessed with many island friends, so we’re out and about with them all the time. Hopefully we can share some insider tips to make your next trip more enjoyable. In this article we’ll talk about the non-touristy things

Island explorers Dee and Stan Ink at the Fern Grotto on Kauai, Hawaii. Photo courtesy of Stan and Dee Ink. About mid-January 2012, we decided we would try another Space-A trip to a warmer climate since Florida is not that warm in the winter. Our friends, Chuck and Mary Marquis, were game to go with us so we settled on Hawaii and beyond. After a last-hour Space-A cancellation at NAS Jacksonville (JAX), Fla., and then some bad information we received from the wrong website list