February 12, 2015 - Skywriter

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What’s Inside...

Public Affairs Officer Howard Samuelson

PERSONAL READINESS

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Assistant Public Affairs Officer Mrs. Natalie Stamey Leading Petty Officer MC1(SW/AW) Barry Riley Editor MC1(SW/AW) Barry Riley

GIANT JAPANESE KITE

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Skywriter Staff MC3 Jason C. Bawgus MC3 Ryan G. Greene Host Nation Relations Masako Takakura Sumie Maruyama Ikumi Tanaka Webmaster Noriko Yamazaki

SAPPORO SNOW FESTIVAL

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CAPTAIN’S CALL AT VAW-115

Contributors MWR Marketing FFSC Commissary Public Affairs Navy Exchange Public Affairs The Tenant Commands

ON THE COVER

In this edition of Captain’s Call the Commanding Officer and CMC visit VAW115 and bring you the latest news and updates from around the base. Click the video to watch, or visit www.Youtube.com/NAFAtsugi.

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Chaplain Lt. Steven Roberts, of NAF Atsugi’s Chapel, speaks to a crowd of sailors during a recent personal readiness summit. at the base’s Cinema 77, Photo

by MC1 Barry Riley.

TAX Season:

It’s

N A F A ’ s V I T A C e nt e r is H e r e t o H e lp Story by MC3 Jason Bawgus

T

ax season, for some, can be a stressful and confusing time.

Having to deal with credits, deductions, itemizing, returns and a federal tax code spanning more than 70 thousand pages can be a daunting task for anyone to navigate.

The Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is established every year to ensure service members and their dependents receive the support they need to file their taxes correctly and on time.

“We are offering self-service tax assistance for sailors and dependents stationed at NAF Atsugi,” said NAF Atsugi VITA Site Coordinator Legalman 1st Class Shante Davidson. “Important

things to bring are their W2’s, two forms of authorized photo ID, and their banking account number and routing number for electronic filing of taxes.”

According to the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps official blog, service members using a Navy tax assistance center will save money. Commercial tax preparation companies can charge more than $170 for a typical electronicallyfiled return. There is no charge for Vita self-service tax preparation.

Additionally, access to free and quick filing at Navy tax centers provides an important money-saving alternative to costly “refund anticipation loans” offered by many commercial tax preparation companies.

“Customers should know that VITA is just a self-service tax service

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and does not prepare taxes. If tax preparation is needed one resource is www.militaryonesource.mil that offers a diversity of resources,” said Davidson.

With a team of more than 20 members, the NAF Atsugi tax office is staffed and ready to provide customer support but they can always use more help. Interested volunteers can obtain training and information by emailing shante. davidson@fe.navy.mil with TAX VOLUNTEER in the subject line.

Setting up a customer appointment is as easy as calling the VITA center at 264-4015 starting on February 12 from 1200-1600. The NAF Atsugi VITA office will remain open through May for all Sailors and their dependents who may need help filing any late or back taxes.

21 ST CENTURY SAILOR BRINGS P.21st R. SUMMIT NAF ATSUGI CentuTO

STORY BY MC1(SW/AW) BARRY RILEY

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s part of the 21st Century Sailor initiative, a team of Navy program managers from the U.S. visited Naval Air Facility Atsugi for a base-wide personal readiness summit the week of Feb. 3-6.

“This event was a great opportunity for our Sailors and leadership to hear from and interact with the Navy’s Sailor and Family program managers across a spectrum of fields including leadership, accountability, readiness, health and wellness,” said NAF Atsugi’s Commanding 4

Officer Captain John Bushey.

The tree-day multi-faceted event kicked off with Comedian Bernie McGrenahan and his “Comedy is the Cure” standup show at the base’s Cinema 77, Feb. 3. This event was geared toward taking a comedic approach to talking about more serious subjects including drug and alcohol abuse, suicide and sexual harassment.

As the week progressed, base leadership, program managers and Sailors E4 to E6 each attended all hands calls in their respective groups at the base’s Cinema 77.

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PHOTO BY MC3 JASON BAWGUS

Each group was provided with pertinent information regarding topics like leadership and personal behavior, alcohol and drug abuse, suicide prevention, updates to the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program, Transition GPS, physical readiness, command managed equal opportunity (CMEO) and more.

Sailors were also given an opportunity to pose questions to the group of program managers in a panel-style setting.

The team also met with program managers in individual “break out” sessions to provide more in depth information regarding specific changes to each program including CMEO, command fitness leaders, ombudsman and family readiness group members, drug and alcohol program advisors command urinalysis coordinators, suicide prevention coordinators and more.

“Today, our Sailors can take everything they learned and experienced at the Personal Readiness Summit and apply every element to their career development and personal behavior. The fact that the Navy sent this team to Atsugi and forward deployed naval forces underscores the commitment to ‘getting it right’ and their goal of ‘hearing from the Fleet’ ensures these programs have the correct focus,” Capt. Bushey said.

PHOTOS BY MC1 BARRY RILEY

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Local Organization presents Base Commander with 7-foot Kite Story by MC1(Sw/AW) Barry Riley

"We’ll just keep flying jets until we get a chance to fly the kites… We won't give up until we get a chance to fly these kites," said Carrier Air Wing Five Commanding Officer Capt. William Koyama during a small ceremony with the Shinwa Kai Association, a local group for kiteflying enthusiasts, and a few base community members.

According to Koyama, the original intent of the group’s visit to the base was to come together and fly kites with the base community members on Tailor Field, but due to inclement weather the event was tentatively rescheduled for a future date in May. The day’s events moved to the Fleet and Family Support Center lobby where the Shinwa Kai Association presented three traditional Japanese takos (kites) to NAF Atsugi Commanding Officer Capt. John

Bushey. One kite in particular, which stood 7’x7’, was specially made with an NAF Atsugi logo and will be displayed here on base.

“Unfortunately we were rained out today, but we really appreciate any chance to get the community together for a unique intercultural experience,” said Bushey.

According to Koyama, the idea for the event came about via a brief conversation with Ayase City Mayor Seijiro Kasama during an annual mochi pounding event at the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Gym. The traditional Japanese kites on display at the event caught Koyama’s eye and he asked Kasama about them.

“I didn’t even realize they were kites at first, so when I learned what they were, I was very interested,” said Koyama.

About a week later at another

command function, Koyama brought up the subject again with Kasama, who replied that he had a friend in the Shinwa Kai Association.

From there the two began to plan out the event.

“I think he was surprised that I wanted to follow through,” said Koyama. “Kasama is a good friend of the kite group, so he talked with them and we came up with a date and made it happen.”

Toward the end of the gathering, the organization presented both Bushey and Koyama each with a koma, which is a traditional Japanese toy similar to a spinning top.

“The more we do with the community, the more we understand each other, and gain knowledge on the things that each group cares about,” Said Koyama. “We will have a chance at bettering our relationship when we both understand what we are trying to accomplish.”

PHOTOS BY MC1 BARRY RILEY

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Local Sailors visit

Sapporo for Annual

Snow Festival

Welfare, & Recreation (MWR) Liberty Blue Jacket Liberty Program and provided a free roundtrip to Sapporo to eight Sailors from every installation in 7th Fleet.

The Blue Jacket program was created to help junior Sailors in Japan get out and explore more of Japan at a discounted or reduced rate, or free of charge.

For sailors to be selected for this trip, they were either designated as having a high number of community service hours within MWR or the Liberty Program, or were selected by their commands as outstanding junior Sailors.

“This program is the first of its kind,” said Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi Liberty Coordinator Senita Martin. “The Navy has allotted quite a bit of money for the liberty program to take our Sailors around Japan for pennies on the dollar.”

During the trip, Sailors were able to experience all that

Story by MC3 Ryan Greene

Landing in Hokkaido, Sailors from all around the 7th Fleet began the first of a four day journey around the northern most island of Japan heading toward Sapporo for the annual Yuki Matsuri, or snow festival.

The day began at the crack of dawn for the Sailors as they were driven to the airport, then flown across the country to board another bus, and finally headed into downtown Sapporo, all before lunch.

“We were really fortunate to be able to see most of the snow festival from the bus, because of where our hotel was,” said Personnel Specialist Seaman Apprentice Christian Tanaquin, of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 12. “The day started early, but we were all so stoked to have been chosen to be a part of this trip.”

The trip to Sapporo was organized by the Morale,

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Sapporo had to offer, from the world famous Snow and Ice Festival, to the birth place of miso ramen and a tour of the Sapporo Chocolate Factory.

“I think, more than anything, my favorite part of this trip has been the snowboarding,” said Airman Apprentice Devon Tindol, of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 141. “While the main group took the first day to tour the sights of Sapporo, some of us were able to snowboard on the freshest powder in Japan in Otaru. It was crazy just how beautiful everything was from the mountain. I’m so thankful to the NAF [Atsugi] Liberty crew who helped put this all together for me and so many others.”

Tindol wasn’t the only one with words of praise for the Liberty team.

Many Sailors on the tour expressed their thanks, citing a desire to explore Japan, but never quite having the knowledge or time to plan out such an event.

“For me, it’s been a huge blessing to have the Liberty center, and of course Senita, to help us get out and explore all of the different and exciting places,” said Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class Jessica Belk, of Aircraft Intermediate Department. “Everything from this weeklong, all-expense paid trip, to the daily trips into Tokyo to the theme restaurants, it really has made my time here in Japan so much better.”

Martin was quick to point out that getting trips like this together aren’t always easy or simple projects, adding that they had been in talks for this trip for almost four months.

“I’m so grateful to hear my Sailors saying these things

because it really does have a huge impact on me,” Martin said. “Honestly, these guys are my friends and I’m really thankful that the Navy has seen fit to reward them for all of their hard work and dedication.”

For more on how to get involved with the NAF Atsugi Liberty Program, or to become one of their Ambassadors, be sure to stop by the NAF Atsugi Liberty Center today. Be sure to check out their facebook page

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF MWR LIBERTY

SAVED ROUNDS

Photos from around the naf atsugi community

Commuity Champions Operation Clean-up (OCU) is a junior Sailors’ group who picks up trash from

Main Gate to Ebina Kinrin Park near Sagamino Station, and sort it every Sunday morning from 1000-1200. the

SLES CHILDREN PARTICIPATE IN SPELLING BEE

January Cumulative Volunteer Hours AS2 Michael Lewis (AOMD) 8hrs AE1 Cory Davis (VFA-195) 2hrs AOAA Tyler Lazor (VFA-195) 2hrs

FFSC STAFF WEARS ORANGE IN SUPPORT OF Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

MA2 Beau Trimble (Security) 4hrs AE2 Brandon Phillips (VAQ-141)8hrs PR2 Nelson Peters (VAQ-141) 8hrs AME1 Ferdinand (VAQ-141)8hrs

VFA 195 SAILORS SWEAT IT OUT IN A COMMAND PT SESSION 10

AT2 Wiles Alec (VAQ-141)2hrs AM1 Sarit Mey (VAQ-141)2hrs

ReL Ase During the day he’s a hardcharging aviation survival equipmentman, serving as Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 115’s Aviation Life Support Systems leading petty officer.

Being a father of four, a husband and working in such a high-paced job are all bound to come with their share of stress, and to that PR1 James Colar says Photography is his way to release.

“Sometimes I just want to get away, you know? We work [several] hours a week... I’m constantly deploying... so photography helps me relieve that release. I can just pick my camera up and escape from my every day stress,” said the New Orleans native.

“I like to capture life as it is, and tell that story in a way that you may not have necessarily seen it,” said the 15-year Navy veteran. “The Navy has afforded me the opportunity to see and do things that I never thought that I could have, so when I have the chance to, so I like to freeze those moments in time.”

What’s your release? To be featured, e-mail us at Skywriteratsugi@Gmail.com.

Check us out at www.youtube.com/ NAFAtsugi to see this webisode and more!

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STORY & PHOTO BY MC1(SW/AW) BARRY RILEY

Having been in Japan since 2007, Colar said he is no stranger to the sights and the culture, but picked up the camera a little less than two years ago to document the scenery as he sees through his own eyes.

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