Skywriter — July 2021

______

_________ Naval Air Facility Atsugi July 2021

NAF Atsugi Mass Vaccination Program FFSC ICR Program Alive and Running “Let Freedom Ring” Independence Day Celebration

What’s Inside...

Public Affairs Officer Howard Sam Samuelson Deputy Public Affairs Officer Greg Mitchell

“Let Freedom Ring” Independence Day Celebration Page 04

Editor Greg Mitchell Skywriter Staff MC2 Olivier Clement MC3 Rafael Avelar Public Affairs Staff Ikumi Tanaka Maika Fujisaki

FFSC ICR Program Alive and Running

Facebook.com/naf.atsugi

Page 06

Youtube.com/NAFAtsugi @NAFAtsugiJP www.issuu.com/nafatsugi

NAF Atsugi Mass Vaccination Program Page 10

CHECK OUT OUR LATEST LEADERSHIP GUIDANCE VIDEO

2

ONLINE

On The

Cover

Front Cover: HM3 Johnathan Norton, NMRTU Atsugi, administers a COVID-19 vaccination to a local area employee onboard NAF Atsugi Back Cover: HN Jules Tsai, NMRTU Atsugi, administers a COVID-19 vaccination to a local area employee onboard NAF Atsugi

CMDCM CORNER

With Command Master Chief Weba Roberts

Team Atsugi, Every person on this base is vital to our success. This summer as you explore Japan and activities on base, plan and focus on safety.

Here are some tips for success this summer: • Have an emergency bag packed and readily available in case of natural disaster.

• Thoroughly inspect your vehicles before starting a family trip.

• Pull over to a rest stop if you’re tired.

• Wear sunscreen and drink lots of water when outdoors.

• Practice fire safety when barbequing.

Your safety and that of your family is the most important. Take care and continue to look out for each other!

July 20, 1846

July 4, 1992 USS George Washington (CVN 73) is commissioned at Norfolk, Va. The ships sponsor is First Lady Barbara Bush.

The sixth carrier in the Nimitz-class of supercarriers, it is the fourth warship to be named after the first president of the United States.

In the effort to negotiate a treaty with Japan, Commodore James Biddle arrives with the ship of the line, USS Columbus, and the sloop of war, USS Vincennes, at Edo (Yedo), Japan. These are the first U.S. warships to visit Japan.

July 28, 1973 Skylab 3 is launched. The mission is the second to the first U.S. manned space station. The commander of the mission is Capt.

Alan L. Bean, USN, the pilot is Maj. Jack R. Lousma, USMC, and the Science Pilot is Owen K. Garriott, a former Navy electronics officer. The mission lasts 59 days, 11 hours and includes 858 Earth orbits. USS New Orleans (LPH 11) recovers the crew.

July 12, 2003

3

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) is commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk. The ninth in the Nimitz-class of nuclearpowered supercarriers, the ship’s motto is Peace through Strength, a phrase coined by President Reagan.

“Let Freedom Ring” Indepen Held at NAF Atsugi Story by: NAF Atsugi Public Affairs Office

A

TSUGI, Japan (July 5, 2021) – Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi, Japan’s Morale and Welfare Entertainment (MWR) presented a “Let Freedom Ring” Independence Day Celebration aboard the installation, July 1-4.

American separation from Great Britain.

From that day forward, the birth of the nation was formed. For firstterm Sailors serving in the Pacific, this event was a unique opportunity to pay homage to the birth of the United States while residing in the The event was held over the course land of the rising sun. of four days, paying tribute to Independence Day for the United “Being from home back in San States of America. On July 4, Diego (Calif.) and now living in a 1776, the Second Continental foreign country for the first time, Congress unanimously adopted this isdefinitely a first for me,” the Declaration of Independence, said Yeoman Second Class Petty which announced the then colonial Officer Tavian B. McKinney, a

4

Sailor stationed at the headquarters building aboard the installation.

“Being a part of this after all we have been through with COVID-19, this is truly a humbling experience.

I think each and every one of us should be extremely thankful to be here today.”

The event served as a climactic spectacle that signified the ending of the recent liberty and leave restrictions policies that were dealt to all Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) sponsored personnel, dating back to March of 2020.

ndence Day Celebration

5

FFSC ICR Program alive and running Onboard NAF Atsugi

NAF Atsugi Public Affairs Office

Experiencing local Japanese culture by unique means Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi, Japan’s Fleet and Family Service Center (FFSC) conducts an Intercultural Relations (ICR) Passport Program which is an award program created to encourage community members to travel and experience culture in Japan.

During the period of CNFJ Liberty Restrictions and Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration, the ICR staff had temporarily paused advertising this program considering possible risks.

Liberty restrictions have somewhat relaxed and there still remains Covid-19 concerns however, everyone can still explore the country to find beautiful places and enjoy sightseeing safely while following the health-oriented guidelines established by the command properly

Photo provided by FFSC Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Dakota Love, formally of Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi Security, poses with FFSC Training Instructor Nodoka Takahashi upon receiving her certificate as the first awardee of the FFSC ICR Passport Program Award in 2021.

ICR Passport Program: An award program created to encourage community members to travel and experience culture in Japan. During the period of CNFJ Liberty Restrictions and Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration, the ICR staff have temporarily paused advertising this program considering possible risks. There still are Covid-19 concerns out there, yet we would like to thank MA2 Love for giving us a good example to find beautiful places and enjoy sightseeing safely while following the guideline properly.

6

What and How? Come see us! Stop by at the FFSC and pick up your “Passport” Booklet. Anyone can participate in the program if you have already done the mandatory Basic ICR Class.

When you travel in Japan or participate any off-base activities, keep a record to show us where you have been or what you have done, e.g. any receipts, ticket stubs, photos of you and sceneries of the place you have visited.

After the adventure come see us again. We will figure out how many points you earn based on the distance from here to the place you have visited. You also earn some points when taking any Japanese language or culture related classes on or off-base.

Your sightseeing travels, off-base activities, or other applicable experiences will be listed up in your “Passport” Booklet. The points will be accumulated then finally, when you made a hundred points you will be certified as an “Advanced ICR Specialist”!

We hope this program encourages you to enjoy sightseeing, and motivates you to experience and learn more about Japan!

For more information please contact FFSC ICR staff at 264-FFSC (3372) or email: ffsc-at-classsignup@fe.navy.mil

7

VISIT:

Jog Pre

A green island at the southernmost part of Miura Peninsula. The island has a park with bountiful nature and restaurants serving seafood fresh from the boat.

8

gashima efectural Park Lying at the eastern half of the island is Jogashima Prefectural Park, a scenic spot featuring the beautiful contrast of preserved greenery against rough rocky terrain. From the park you have the magnificent vista of Mount Fuji, Hakone Volcanic peaks, Boso Peninsula, Sagami Bay, Izu Oshima Island, Izu Peninsula and Tanzawa Mountains.

dead of winter. It is also home to a large number of water birds such as Japanese cormorants (Phalacrocorax capillatus), pelagic cormorants and eastern reef herons; their habitat is preserved as a Natural Monument of Kanagawa Prefecture.

Near the habitat is a monument bearing the poem Jogashima no The island is known for its Ame (”The Rain of Jogashima”) 300,000 bulbs of double by Hakushu Kitahara, an archdaffodils that bloom in the shaped rock formation and

9

Jogashima Lighthouse. In and around the island are many restaurants serving seafood fresh from the boat, making this island one of the most popular day-trip destinations for Kanto-area residents.

Take the Keikyu bus bound for Jogashima from Misakiguchi Station on the Keikyu Main Line; get off at Hakushu-himae bus stop and walk about 20 minutes.

NAF Atsugi mass vaccination program for local area employees is underway NAF Atsugi Public Affairs Office

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ange Olivier Clement NAVAL AIR FACILITY ATSUGI, Japan - Medical staff members began administering vaccinations to a selected group of local base employees most of whom are Japanese for COVID-19 at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit (NMRTU) Atsugi, Japan, June 18, 2021.

A selected group of employees who received their first dose of the Moderna vaccine consisted of 22 individuals, each of whom serve in various forms of leadership support roles onboard the installation.

After an agreement between U.S. Forces Japan and the Japanese government to inoculate the employees, the base proceeded to open up vaccines for the rest of the local workforce. To date, NAF Atsugi has conducted three separate mass inoculation events.

According to Lt. Jessica Lopez of NMRTU Atsugi, this program will have a major positive impact on the mission readiness of the installation.

“Having the local base employees vaccinated decreases the stress that can occur when our Japanese partners who are subject matter experts are down and in the grand scheme of things will also help keep our community as a whole healthy,” said Lopez.

Among first-world countries, Japan has lagged behind with regards to distribution of vaccines to its population. However, a recent approved push by the Japanese government to vaccinate its people has been implemented, predominantly in the form of state-run mass COVID-19

(U.S. Navy photo by Greg Mitchell/Released)

Hospitalman Jules Tsai, assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit (NMRTU) Atsugi, Japan, administers the Moderna COVID-19 vaccination to a local area employee aboard Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi.

inoculation centers throughout the country.

With the Tokyo Olympics scheduled to kick off July 23, Japan plans to extend its current state of emergency in designated areas to last until the end of the games. Since April 25, various parts of the country have been under the virus emergency, a measure that has forced the early closing of bars and restaurants, while also banning the sale of alcohol.

Up until now, the focus outside the base fence lines was to inoculate the elderly first but has recently expanded to people aged 18 or older at largescale centers in densely-populated areas such as Tokyo and Osaka.

Japanese workers aboard the installation view vaccination

10

availability on NAF Atsugi as an added bonus, an additional way to enable them to access health care to combat COVID-19’s spread at a more rapid rate.

“I am really happy, and I would like to say thank you to NAF Atsugi’s leadership for providing us this opportunity,” said Master Labor Contractor (MLC) Fujino Reselosa.

For the medical personnel at BHC Atsugi, the view of shot distribution is seen as an opportunity for them to give back to the host nation community.

“It feels good to be able to help our host nation of Japan, but also all the people who help us at the clinic and on the base in general,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd class Mark Perez.

11

CHAPLAIN’S CORNER

12

For Appointments: 264-3959 or 0467-63-3311

13

14

The Final Word WITH NAVAL AIR FACILITY ATSUGI COMMANDING OFFICER

CAPT. J. M. MONTAGNET NAFA Atsugi Community, Recently I had the pleasure of promoting several of the command’s enlisted folks to the new ranks of E-4, E-5, and E-6! Additionally, we recognized quite a few more of our sailors for various well-deserved professional and volunteer awards.

What made this ceremony special is that we were able to stage the ceremony, on an actual stage! This was an in-person, well-attended command awards ceremony that included family members, friends, and department supporters of the awardees.

This is one of the wonderful results of our continued fight against the virus. As we’ve had enough vaccines to restore important events such as these ceremonies that help us reinforce the great professional development of our workforce, for example. All of this happening while japan struggles with a fourth wave - and even new emergency measures.

This lag in vaccinating the citizens of japan is resulting in an actual increase of emergency measures. The governor of Kanagawa has instituted what he’s calling “complementary emergency measures” to the most recent health emergency countermeasures announced by the Tokyo metropolitan government.

Kanagawa’s measures expose the reality that the virus is still out there, still extremely contagious and the vaccine remains the ultimate weapon against its continued spread. This is having a dramatic impact on the upcoming Olympics, and that is just one unfortunate outcome. Not only have they eliminated spectators from most of the games, but there are reports that a number Olympians and more than 50 associated with the games have contracted the virus.

There’s a lesson here - and even a hopeful sign. Most - if not just about all - of the cases are among the unvaccinated, and that’s even true here with the few new cases we’ve reported. This couldn’t be a starker example that once the acceptance of the vaccine rises, we should see a proportional drop in cases. It does appear to be a race in time, but we can win this with more vaccines.

As always, our concern most definitely include our continued respect for the communities outside the gates and the guidelines they feel are necessary to protect their citizens. We already provide guidance that our off-base members - and those traveling off base - abide by all the local health care restrictions imposed locally. And that still remains the case - even in this new heightened state of health care state of emergency throughout Kanagawa. As always, continue to abide by the most recent P-H-E, of course.

Lastly, I need to quickly credit my command chief information officer. This may be a bit of a non-sequitur - but this applies to everyone - not just the NAFA community. By now, everyone is aware of the many serious incidences of computer network hacking around the globe. So cybersecurity is an increasingly vital protection. So, I’ll leave everyone with one question: when is the last time you changed the passwords to your computer and computer-based accounts?

We may be talking human virus today - but we’ll certainly be talking about human-caused computer viruses for the foreseeable future. One of the simplest protections against malicious hacking and introduction of computer virus ransom software is as simple as the continuous changing of passwords and the addition of multi-factor authentication. Please do your part to help us all remain cyber safe! Thank you all!

CAPT John M. Montagnet Commanding Officer U.S. Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan

15