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It's a tough job, reporting on the military from Hawaii, but someone has to do it.

I arrived at Hickam Air Force Base earlier in the afternoon with more than 30 members of Fairbanks' Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. Over the next few days you'll be reading about some of the things the ESGR is experiencing here, including a tour of the USS Arizone Memorial and an update from Pacific Command.

Pacific Command not only encompasses Hawaii, but about half the planet, including potential hot spots in Asia.

It was something of a bumpy ride to get here though. We had to arrive at Eielson at 5 a.m. (meaning an even earlier wake up time), and then there was a lengthy delay because of a light bulb outage or possibly a gremlin on the wing of the KC-135 we were flying on. I'm not sure exactly what the problem was, but they don't think it will impact the flight back. Hey, we got here alright.

The KC-135, an aerial refueling plane, isn't exactly meant for passenger travel though. Sure there were commercial-style seats and a safety breathing, but that's where the similarities end. This plane is LOUD, and no matter how much the heat is turned up, it's always cold on the floor. I kept a bottle of iced tea near my feet for the flight, and after six hours, it was only a little warmer than when I took it out of the fridge in the morning.

Not to mention there's something about the flight that made me feel a little sick to my stomach, which is something I've never gotten on a commercial flight, or even one of those station wagons with wings that fly into the bush.

But I'm here in one piece now, and exciting updates are soon to follow.