Have you checked out The Hot Seat? It's our opinion-page blog that brings in your elected leaders and people in the news and lets you ask the questions during a live online chat.

On The Hot Seat last week was Navy Adm. Gary Roughead, commander of the Pacific Fleet. Below is an excerpt from that Hot Seat session. To see the full conversation, go to The Hot Seat blog at www.honoluluadvertiser.com/opinion and click on "On The Hot Seat: Adm. Gary Roughead." (Names of questioners are screen names given during our online chat.)

Rabbit: With the emphasis placed on Iraq and Iran these days, is the Pacific relevant in world events? Is our Navy stretched to a point where it can no longer honor commitments to regional allies and partners?

Adm. Gary Roughead: The Pacific is increasingly relevant to world events, and the U.S. Navy provides security and stability that allows the Pacific region to prosper. I have not been restrained or constrained in my ability to employ naval forces to enhance Asia-Pacific security and stability.

Chris: Recently I watched the newest recruitment commercials on television and was very impressed by the versatility and humanitarian assistance of the Navy. The commercial shows the U.S. Navy providing humanitarian assistance throughout the Pacific after the destructive 2004 tsunami and assisting in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. I am curious if the humanitarian support the Navy provides is an intricate part of the U.S. Navy mission and training, or just a reaction to tragic natural disasters that happen to occur.

Roughead: The U.S. Navy's role in humanitarian assistance operations in the Pacific goes back many, many years. Not only in disasters, but also our deployment of our hospital ship Mercy to Southeast Asia, where over 61,000 patients were treated. Naval forces are well suited and trained to provide relief where and when needed. We are currently planning another humanitarian assistance mission with USS Peleliu, one of our large amphibious ships, to Southeast Asia and Oceania this summer.

Bill Prescott: Could Southeast Asia become the front line on the global war on terror? Terrorists are currently fighting in the Philippines and active in Indonesia. With threats difficult to forecast in this area, don't you think the decision to station a Stryker brigade in Hawai'i as a deterrent/response force a wise one?

Roughead: Our force posture, operations and relationships that we enjoy in the region can likely keep Southeast Asia from becoming the front line in the war on terror. Our Navy force posture in the Pacific enables us to respond to a range of contingencies. Key to our posture in the Pacific is the forward deployed naval forces, which will soon be enhanced with the replacement of the USS Kitty Hawk with a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS George Washington. All of the services are adding new capabilities in the Pacific that will better enable us to meet the challenges of tomorrow. In addition, we work closely with our friends in the region to include the Philippines and Indonesia to ensure the safety and security in the Pacific Ocean. I applaud the work that many of the countries in the region have undertaken to add to that security.

Helen: Would you please share with us the systems the Navy has in place to support the spouses and families of sailors who are deployed? How do spouses who need family assistance get connected with the right agencies? Are these agencies Navy, or do families use state or other service support? As an example, a spouse with a child who has special needs. And are there established support groups for spouses and families?

Roughead: We have several means of providing support to our families of spouses who are deployed. Command support groups and our ombudsmen network are able to provide the moral support and accurate information with regard to their needs. Commands are closely connected to the support groups and ombudsmen and respond quickly to needs as they arise. In today's environment, the ability to pass information to deployed units and back to ombudsmen is much easier than it was in the past. We also have an Exceptional Family Member Program, where those with special needs are provided additional attention. The number for Fleet and Family Support Center is 474-1999, and more information can be obtained there.

Paul: With all the concern about loud, active sonar and its effect on dolphins and whales, why does the Navy continue to use sonar in exercises like RIMPAC? Is sonar really necessary?

Roughead: I take my environmental responsibilities very seriously, and I have not gone to sea for 34 years without having a great love of the ocean environment and the creatures that live in it. But I also have responsibilities to train the sons and daughters of America who may be asked to go into harm's way. We must consistently train in undersea warfare, in a variety of ocean environments, to maintain proficiency. Exercises such as RIMPAC afford opportunities to train with mid-frequency active sonar. The planning and precautions which we take allow us to train and not harm the environment. Case in point, RIMPAC 2006, where there were no cases of harm to marine mammals.

Chris: Is there anything that you can do to curb the packs of young military men roaming Waikiki? Most of the night, female workers in Waikiki are terrified of being assaulted by them. My wife works in Waikiki at night, and I have observed countless fights, lewd conduct and lawlessness when the ships arrive. I think many females would breathe easier if the military command began policing their own in Waikiki, not just on the ships.

Roughead: Every year, many ships and thousands of U.S. and foreign navy personnel visit Hawai'i and enjoy their visit without incident. In addition to the 36,000 Navy men and women and their families who live in Hawai'i, all are interested in maintaining a safe community. Our sailors are great ambassadors of our country and Navy, and represent us throughout the world. I encourage you to immediately report any misconduct to local law enforcement, or the Navy, so appropriate action may be taken.

Bill Prescott: As a Native Hawaiian, anti-military and environmental groups often use Hawaiian culture as a basis for their arguments. The culture they refer to, sacredness of the land, rocks, etc., was one that was abolished in 1819. Are our military officers given any information on this subject so they'll know when they're being misled?

Roughead: We are very mindful of the Hawaiian culture and have great respect for that culture. Our approach to the environment and to our training responsibilities takes that into account. I believe it is important that all parties fully appreciate the facts and that we conduct our operations and responsibilities mindful of those facts. Among our 9,000 civilian employees in Hawai'i are many Native Hawaiians who also connect us to the Hawaiian culture and are part of who we are and what we do in Hawai'i.

Steve Doyle: Admiral, our American armed services have historically been at the forefront of social reform and change. In the 19th century, West Point (the "white bastion") graduated and commissioned the first African-American officers. Annapolis and the Navy were somewhat more phlegmatic. Wesley Brown became the Naval Academy's first African-American graduate in 1949. In the latter half of the 20th century, we have seen the desegregation of all of our armed services and the inclusion of women in active combat roles. In the 21st century, the issue of lesbians and gays serving in the military ("don't ask, don't tell") is being re-examined. What do you foresee as a result, in both the near and far term, the ultimate conclusion of these policy discussions?

On a different note, but also in line with a policy discussion, has any progress been made involving India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the U.S. Navy with regard to to the protection of the vital shipping lanes of the Malacca Straits, and will there be further cooperation among these nations' navies in securing the Straits?

Roughead: Last question first, the Strait of Malacca is extremely important to the Pacific region and to our country. I am very pleased with the cooperation in the region regarding security in the strait. I have no desire to patrol the strait and believe it is appropriate for the littoral nations there to maintain the security, which they are doing very well. We cooperate closely with those countries.

With regard to your comment on social reform and change, the policy that is in place is serving us well.

Mike: I hope that the military in Hawai'i will voice its opinion on the proposed rail route for Honolulu. The recent route change to Salt Lake will skip Pearl Harbor, Hickam and Fort Shafter. Being that the federal government will pay for most of it, please encourage those stationed at those bases who would use it to please speak up.

Roughead: I applaud the state's initiative to address the transportation challenges on O'ahu. We are adding additional housing on Ford Island to alleviate the traffic flow from West O'ahu. I also would encourage that the population of the bases and the housing areas be considered a factor in determining the design of the mass-transit system.

Drew Nealon: 1. I recently read the book "Corporate Warriors" by Peter Singer, and I'm worried about the extent to which our own military has taken to hiring mercenaries to do the job of soldiers. Mercenary companies are making tons of taxpayer money, and they're growing fast. How can we stop this? What are your thoughts on this?

2. It's no secret now that Richard Perle, Wolfowitz, and some of these other folks behind the so-called "project for a new American century" were planning on invading Iraq before Bush even won in 2000. What can we do to educate the public more about how much influence this group of people have within the White House?

Roughead: I am very proud of the Navy's total workforce, uniformed, government civilian and contractor. All are held to the highest ethical standards. None of those with whom I am privileged to serve fall into the category that you posed in your question. Our forces are engaged in a global war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. We must prevail there to ensure that the conflict is not brought to our shores.