The decision to invite Stryker vehicles to a Hilo Veterans Day parade is stirring up a military-grade headache.

The third annual parade begins at 10 a.m. today and runs through downtown Hilo, featuring seven bands, veterans of all wars from World War II to the present, and a flyover by a Black Hawk helicopter.

The featured veterans this year served in the military intelligence service of the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment during World War II. Hawaii's most recent veterans, comprising the 299th Cavalry Army National Guard, which recently returned from Iraq, will also be honored.

It's one of the bigger parades of the year, with some 50 units proceeding at a stately pace through Hilo's usual parade route. Estimates for participation range between 800 and 1,000 people.

But all of that is being overshadowed by a controversy over Stryker combat vehicles that have been invited.

Organizers hoped to keep word of the vehicles a secret from peace activists like Jim Albertini of the Malu Aina Center for Non-Violent Education and Action, in an attempt to ward off conflict.

Albertini found out anyway, and on Sunday wrote an open letter to Lt. Col. Warline Richardson of Pohakuloa Training Area, asking that the vehicles be kept out of the parade.

Albertini says he's concerned that the presence of the vehicles "glorifies war" under the guise of honoring veterans. He's also raised concerns that the Strykers, which are involved in training exercises at Pohakuloa, could be contaminated with depleted uranium and may pose a health risk to citizens.

Richardson called Albertini on Monday to confirm that two Strykers would be in the parade, but they would be unarmed command vehicles. There would be numerous other, non-controversial vehicles in the parade, including an ambulance and transport vehicles.

Reached at Pohakuloa, Richardson stepped back from confirming anything and referred questions to the U.S. Army Garrison public affairs office on O'ahu.

Pohakuloa's official word was "no comment," and Army spokesman Loran Doane would not confirm the vehicles would be in the parade.

Dan Kama, a board member of the parade, was also mum."What's going to happen at the parade happens," he said.

Supporters of the Strykers will wave flags and signs during the parade, said Daryl Smith, chairman of the local Republican Party.

"It's more of a tea party group than a Republican Party group," Smith said. "They're going to try and balance Jim's protest."

Albertini's peace group plans to hand out leaflets to parade-goers before it starts. The group will hold a peaceful sign-waving along Kamehameha Avenue, across from the Hilo Farmers Market.

There are no plans to disrupt the parade, Albertini said.