Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is congratulating the Chief of Staff of her congressional office, retired Col. Leafaina Tavai, for her recent induction into the Army Ordnance Hall of Fame.
COL (R) Tavai was the first Samoan to be selected and was inducted into the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame, Class of 2024 on May 6th, 2024, at Fort Gregg-Adams (formerly Fort Lee), Virginia.
Congresswoman Amata said, “Whether you know her as Ina, or Chief, or Colonel, with this induction into the Army Ordnance Hall of Fame, she has a doubly historic place in our islands. She is the very first of our people to attend and graduate any of the nation’s prestigious service academies—in her case, West Point. Now, she leads our effort to help many others from our islands follow her footsteps to a service academy.”
Leafaina Tavai is from Gataivai, the daughter of the late High Chief Atiumaletavai Kaleopa Vaikī Tavai and the late High Talking Chief Feagaimaali’i Lauolive To’omalatai Tavai. 
She graduated from Samoana High School and left the islands for the first time to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, where she graduated in 1989 and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps.
She was the first from American Samoa to be nominated by our Member of Congress Fofo Suni to the military academies, and the first to graduate from West Point.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, an Executive Master’s in business administration degree (EMBA) from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas and a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.
In 2014, when Amata was first elected, Colonel Tavai was retiring from her 25-plus years of service to the United States in uniform. She has served as Chief of Staff for the congressional office since day one, which will be ten years in a few months
Col. (R) Tavai said, “I’m so thankful to God, the love and support of my family, all of American Samoa, and the many great soldiers I served with over 25 years. This ceremony meant so much to me, but our family deeply missed our parents, making it an emotional day. This honor was for them and all the sacrifices they made to give our family a better life and future. My dad, High Chief Vaiki Tavai, always told me to never do anything to embarrass our family name; if I do, don’t ever come back home! I’ve always kept that close to my heart and did everything with our family name and American Samoa in mind. Dad, Mom, I hope I’ve made you proud. Thank you from my heart to all of American Samoa.”
