The U.S. Army declared war on grunge, garbage and clogged gutters yesterday, as scores of warriors fanned out across O'ahu to participate in 150 Make A Difference Day projects.

In addition to clearing out and cleaning up, the soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division (Light) and U.S. Army Hawai'i braved the rains to repair buildings, trim trees, paint walls, mentor kids and visit aging veterans.

The soldiers joined millions of volunteers performing similar duties in communities throughout the state and the nation — all part of the annual goodwill celebration created by USA Weekend Magazine and held on the fourth Saturday every October.

While one group removed jungle debris and trash at Kalihi Valley Park, another washed and painted interior walls and woodwork at River of Life Mission in Chinatown.

They scrubbed windows, ceiling fans and blinds for senior citizens in East O'ahu, recarpeted the office of the American Diabetes Association on Beretania Street, and fixed chicken dinners to raise funds for Helemano Elementary School in Wahiawa.

Kendrick Washington, of the Army's Public Affairs Office, said he couldn't give an exact count of how many soldiers and their family members were involved in so many tasks, but the total would easily top the 1,000 mark.

"One, we want to be good neighbors," Washington said. "We're here in the military as guests of the Hawai'i community.

"But the other thing is that we are a part of this community, and our kids are part of this community, so it only makes sense for us to give back."

Washington's son, Isaiah, 5, goes to kindergarten at Wheeler Elementary School, where around 125 Army workers did everything from painting railings and walls to cleaning gutters to removing invasive plants from a garden of indigenous species.

Staff Sgt. Brian Davis, the man in charge of removing unwanted plants, had his team digging deep.

"We're working on the root systems so they don't regrow," he said.

Among the workers taking orders from him was Lt. Col. James T. Barker, commander of the 1st Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment — Davis' unit.

"He's got my wife involved in this, too," Barker quipped. "I've got bosses all around me."

Pat Ganaban, with Wheeler Elementary's Primary School Adjustment Project, said it would have taken the school a year and half to do what the Army accomplished in one day.

And while the cost to the school for yesterday's benevolence totaled zero, an added benefit is that custodians are freed up to concentrate on completing other projects benefiting students.

"It really makes a big difference," Ganaban said.

What didn't make a difference, according to Rema Eltringham, coordinator of the school's Parent Community Network Center, was the rain.

"I've been doing this three years and it has rained every Make A Difference Day," she said.

"And even when many of the soldiers were deployed to the Middle East last year, we still had 75 soldiers come here and do projects."

The efforts continued all through the day, despite the weather.

At Mililani High School, Lt. Col. Malcolm B. Frost, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, stood ankle-deep in mud along with about two dozen other soldiers as the rain came down near the tennis courts.

"Basically, what we're doing is building a sidewalk — about a 140-yard project connecting the handicapped parking here at the high school to the access to the football stadium," he said.

Watching from a distance, Gail Nishimura, student activities coordinator, said what began as a Make A Difference Day project had turned into something approaching a Make A Difference Week endeavor.

"We thought they could just come and dig it, put in the forms and pour the cement," said Nishimura, who dodged raindrops beneath an oversized umbrella.

"But now they say it's probably going to take about four days."

None of which seemed to faze any of the men working in the trenches.

"Ain't no big deal, really," said Pvt. Justin Walker, 21, of Lubbock, Texas.

"This is what I used to do before I joined the Army — landscaping and construction."

Still, he was glad to be able to help out.

"Maybe the boss man will give us the day off, or something," he said after a moment's thought.

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.