Located in beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii, Fort Shafter opened as an army post in 1907 with the construction of the now famous Palm Circle (which has become a National Historic Landmark.) Construction and expansion continued throughout the first half of the 20th century. Over the years, it remained a major place for Army Pacific commands. Today, Fort Shafter is home to around 5,000 Soldiers, civilians, contractors, and military families. It is one of the largest employers in Hawaii. It has given back some of the land on the army base, however, and is smaller than it once was, especially after a highway split the base in the 1970s.
Still, Fort Shafter plays an important role for all the Army's dealings in the Pacific-Asia theater. Especially since 9/11, Fort Shafter has served as home to U.S. Army, Pacific (USARPAC), and USARPAC has played a crucial role in defense for Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, and even Japan. In addition to defending, USARPAC can provide command and control for small scale contingency operations or serve as Combined or Joint Headquarters to support Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief and peacekeeping operations in the region, making it a very important part of the Pacific theater.