It’ll take a few days to go through today’s budget proposal from President Barack Obama. But based on a first look by members of Hawaii’s congressional delegation, press reports and releases, here are some highlights:

— According to Sen. Mazie Hirono’s office, the proposal includes $44 million more than this year in federal military construction for the state.  The totals are $75 million for Fort Shafter, $237 million for Kaneohe Bay, $30 million for Pearl City,  $58 million for Pearl Harbor, $4.8 million for Pearl Harbor-Hickam, $2.6 million for Ford Island and $2.8 million for Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

— The East-West Center received the $10.8 million, which would be a $6 million reduction from last year, the center said.

— According to the Defense Department, it includes “enhancing defense of the homeland against ballistic missiles by taking steps to increase the number of Ground Based Interceptors and upgrade the missile field at Fort Greely, Alaska.

— The proposal includes funds to emphasize the military’s shift to the Pacific and Asia by hardening of airfields, protection of critical strike capabilities such as bombers and F-22 squadrons, and developing Guam as a strategic hub. 

— According to the Defense Department release, the proposal requents base alignment and closures over the next five years. A statement said base closures are “the only effective means of achieving infrastructure consolidation. This BRAC round adds $2.4 billion to costs in the next five years, but would eventually save substantial sums. The actual closing of bases would involve a multiyear process that would not start until 2016, after the economy is projected to have more fully recovered,” the statement said.

However, both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees have added lines in the military budget authoriazation act forbidding base closures.

— According to the Defense Department, military personnel will receive only a 1 percent pay increase, which Stars and Stripes said is “the lowest annual raise in the history of the all-volunteer force.

— Medical personnel, particularly working-age retirees wil pay more for health insurance;

— Native Hawaiian programs received the same amount as it has been getting, according to Hirono’s office.

— According to Hirono’s office, the Honolulu Rail Transit project received the $250 million it had been expecting to receive.

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— Kery Murakami

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