What’s Inside...
Public Affairs Officer Howard Sam Samuelson Assistant Public Affairs Officer Courtney Pollock
2016 NAVY BALL
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Leading Chief Petty Officer CPO (SW) Ben Farone Editor PO3 Matthew Duncker Skywriter Staff PO3 Matthew Duncker
PFA CYCLE 2
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Host Nation Relations Masako Takakura Sumie Maruyama Ikumi Tanaka Webmaster Noriko Yamazaki
Facebook.com/naf.atsugi
HOLIDAY MAILING DEADLINE
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ON THE COVER STUDENTS FROM SHIRLEY LANHAM ELEMENTARY SIT FOR A PRESENTATION DURING THE ENERGY FAIR AT NAVAL AIR FACILITY ATSUGI IN HONOR OF ENERGY ACTION MONTH (U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY PETTY OFFICER 3RD CLASS MATTHEW C. DUNCKER)
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Turning the Page
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Pictured from left, Naval Air Facility Atsugi Commanding Officer Capt. Phillip J. Mills delivers the opening remarks at the 1994 Navy Ball. Pictured below, Naval Air Facility Atsugi Commanding Officer Capt. John Bushey delivers the opening remarks during the 2016 Navy Ball held at the installation’s Atsugi Convention Center, celebrating 241 years of the United States Navy.
PHOTO BY PO3 MATTHEW DUNCKER
OCT. 1994
A look back at Skywriter news from past decades and what’s happening today.
N A F AT S U G I HOLDS NAVY BALL PHOTOS BY PO3 MATTHEW C. DUNCKER
This year’s Navy Ball, hosted at the Atsugi Convention Center, celebrated the theme “America’s Sailor, For 241 years: Tough, Bold and Ready!” and marked the Navy’s 241st birthday. “The Navy Ball is a huge part of our heritage and tradition. We celebrated the Navy’s birthday of October 13, 1775 and a large amount of preparation went into the event. I volunteered to be part of the Navy Ball Committee this year because I wanted to have a feeling of what it entails to prepare a Navy Ball. It definitely was a great feeling to come together with all the Sailors that volunteered for the committee. This event’s success was attributed to the consistency and dedication that the Sailors of the committees put in place throughout the whole year. We did 12 fundraisers and with the donations from various organizations, we raised over $33,000. This event is important to Atsugi because we are able to show our Sailors here how much we care about our naval heritage and tradition and instill in them a sense of pride. This event wasn’t just for our Sailors, but also to celebrate this event with different branches of our military, Japanese partners and civilians as well.” - CPO Roberto Salas Jr.
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P H YS I C A L C Y C L E 2 F I T N E S S N A F AT S U G I A S S E S S M E N T PHOTOS BY PO3 MATTHEW DUNCKER
Naval Air Facility Atsugi Sailors participated in the Navy’s Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) at the installation’s Halsey Gymnasium. The PFA is a semi-annual evaluation of a Sailor’s ability to perform a determined amount of upper body, core and cardiovascular exercises. Sailors performed abdominal curlups, pushups, and a cardio test consisting of a run, bike, elliptical or swim. 6
SEXUAL ASSAULT
PREVENTION AND RESPONSE S U M M I T PHOTOS BY CPO BEN FARONE
The Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Summit held at Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi is a platform to identify critical issues concerning the SAPR program. The summit is another avenue to let NAF Atsugi leadership know what works, what doesn’t and identify how this issue can be minimized. The end-goal is to provide leadership with some deckplate insight on how to eradicate sexual assault, enhance victim care and improve the quality of life on the installation. “Your feedback helps us improve quality of life here at NAF Atsugi,” - NAF Atsugi Sexual Assault Response Coordinator Diane Heard. 7
C O N S E R V AT I O N THROUGH EDUCATION
STORY BY CPO BEN FARONE PHOTOS BY PO3 MATTHEW DUNCKER 8
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ith a focus on partnering with future leaders, Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi held the installation’s 14th annual Energy Fair alongside students from Shirley Lanham Elementary School Oct. 12. As with every year, the students participated in a poster contest but this year upped their involvement with their very own projects on alternative and renewable energy. “We saw some really great student presentations on a variety of excellent energy concepts. I was extremely impressed with the students’ ingenuity and the effort they put forth in their projects and presentations!” said Jacob Neith, NAF Atsugi’s Energy Manager. According to NAF Atsugi Commanding Officer, Capt. John Bushey, who provided guest speaker remarks at the event, providing this education is an essential step in reducing our environmental footprint, and sharing ideas across generations will help our future leaders be responsible stewards of our resources. “They are going to be the leaders of the future. So they’re going to be the ones leading us as a society, a culture, a global community towards the future, so it’s important for them to understand where we are and where we’re going as well as to utilize their thoughts on how we can do it better so we can make it successful for everybody.” In addition to the booth where students showcased their ideas, nine Japanese companies, including the Tokyo Electric Power Company, sent representatives to the base to demonstrate
their water and energy saving initiatives. Tokai University also attended the event and brought along their award winning, energygenerating bicycle. Through infrastructure updates and vigilance within the community, Atsugi has met or exceeded energy reduction goals, year after year. According to Neith, the base continues to meet the yearly goal of reducing energy and water usage by 2.5 percent and 2 percent respectively and through further base-wide efforts, we can continue our energy reduction record. “The goal of providing education on energy awareness for the students and their families will hopefully lead to a significant reduction in energy and water consumption.” 9
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SHOW SOME LOVE KICKS OFF STORY BY PO3 MATTHEW C. DUNCKER
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h i s y e a r ’s C o m b i n e d F e d e r a l C a m p a i g n ( C F C ) k i c k e d o ff O c t . 3 a t N a v a l A i r Facility (NAF) Atsugi and will continue until Dec. 2. T h e C F C , c r e a t e d t h r o u g h e ff o r t s w i t h i n t h e E i s e n h o w e r a d m i n i s t r a t i o n t o establish standards and coordination on federal workplace solicitations, was first conducted in 1964. It allows federal employees to donate to more than 2,600 d i ff e r e n t n a t i o n a l a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l c h a r i t i e s , r a n g i n g f r o m s m a l l c o m m u n i t y o rg a n i z a t i o n s t o s o m e o f t h e l a rg e s t a n d m o s t w e l l - k n o w n g l o b a l c h a r i t i e s . “By donating through the CFC, Sailors have an opportunity to not only help v a r i o u s c h a r i t i e s b u t a ff e c t c h a n g e i n l o c a l a n d g l o b a l c o m m u n i t i e s a s w e l l , ” s a i d N A F A t s u g i C F C C o m m u n i t y A r e a P r o j e c t O ff i c e r, C h i e f P e t t y O ff i c e r Allan Rosete. T h o s e w h o c h o o s e t o p a r t i c i p a t e a r e a b l e t o d o n a t e t o t h e c h a r i t y, o r c h a r i t i e s , of their choice. There are representatives in every department and tenant command aboard Atsugi that can provide information and catalogues detailing what charities are available. “I have a friend who was just treated for cancer so charities that aid cancer research and animal welfare programs are the charities I like to donate to,” said P e t t y O ff i c e r 2 n d C l a s s K e l o n a A d o r n o . “ I f e e l l i k e I ’ m h e l p i n g b y d o n a t i n g through the CFC.” R o s e t e s a i d t h a t l a s t y e a r, t h r o u g h t h e C F C , N A F A t s u g i S a i l o r s w e r e a b l e t o raise almost $15,000 for charities of their choosing and donating to the CFC is e a s i e r t h a n e v e r. I n t e r e s t e d s e r v i c e m e m b e r s c a n g o t o h t t p s : / / c f c o v e r s e a s . o rg / and make their donations online. Those who are unable to donate online can speak with the CFC key workers or representatives within their respective commands who can provide a pledge card to fill out. Members can also donate through the payroll deduction method, which allows them to specify a certain amount to be withheld from their payroll e a c h m o n t h f r o m J a n u a r y t o D e c e m b e r. “ We s t i l l h a v e f i v e w e e k s u n t i l t h e d e a d l i n e s o S a i l o r s h a v e p l e n t y o f t i m e t o speak with their command representatives,” said Rosete. “Everyone should do their part and donate to help others.” For more information, contact your unit CFC representative or go to h t t p s : / / c f c t o d a y. o rg / .
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PHOTO BY PO3 JAMES LEE
YOUR AIRWING AT SEA
PHOTO BY LT. CHRIS PAGENKOPF
Seaman Charles Childers, assigned to the “Royal Maces” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27, takes fuel samples from an F/A-18F Super Hornet on the flight deck of the Navy’s only forwarddeployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan.
PHOTO BY PO3 NATHAN BURKE
An F/A-18E Super Hornet pilot, center, assigned to the “Eagles” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 115, debriefs his flight with ground crew following an air warfare training evolution aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76).
Sailors remove tire chocks from the landing gear of an MH-60R Sea Hawk, assigned to the “Saberhawks” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 77, as it prepares to take off from flight deck of the Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), during Exercise Invincible Spirit. 13
PHOTO BY PO3 MATTHEW DUNCKER
DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT
Naval Air Facility Atsugi
Seabees
How do you describe your departments primary What can you tell us about your group that others mission? may not know? The amount of construction experience and technical knowledge is limitless within our department. If we cannot complete a project, we can guide the customer in the right direction to get the project completed.
As a tenant command aboard Naval Air Facility Atsugi we enable the installation commanding officer the ability to provide mission and infrastructure support services in support of forward-deployed naval forces (FDNF) assigned to or transiting through NAF Atsugi and or the Seventh Fleet AOR.
Something special... How do the services you provide support the Seabees make up a very small part of the Navy, command’s mission? but what we lack in personnel, we make up for in the quality of missions and projects we complete. Every year, the Seabees construct and put on the annual haunted house event which hosts numerous satisfied visitors from both the military and host nation community.
Our primary services include providing installation beautification and self-help project oversight and support to enable commands the ability to complete projects normally completed by contractors or our in-house Public Works Department maintenance crews. This reduces critical maintenance backlog within Public Works and saves the installation or tenant command(s) money while completing the project within the customer’s schedule.
HOW CAN YOUR CUSTOMERS REACH YOU? You can reach the Seabees at PWD DSN phone: 2642540 or by email at M-AT-NAVFACSEABEES@ fe.navy.mil. 14
COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF VOLUNTEERS WHO OFFERED THEIR TIME TO THE YAMATO STATION CLEANUP DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.
THE FOLLOWING PARTICIPANTS PROVIDED SIGNIFICANT VOLUNTEER SUPPORT: CAPT BUSHEY CWO5 VALENTINE CPO SALAS PO1 DUDLEY PO1 GARCIA PO1 HAMMAR PO1 HURICKS PO1 JOHNSON PO1 LOPEZ PO1 RAMBHARACK PO1 VALDRIZ PO1 WUEST PO2 ADHIKARI PO2 ARANAS PO2 BORROMEO PO2 BUNDANG PO2 MASON PO2 PAGUIRIGAN PO2 SHRICKHOUSER PO2 WEBB PO2 YORK PO3 AGUILA PO3 PORTILLOBONILLA SN HORGA SN ZERTUCHE SAM SAMUELSON
THANK YOU!
Flight Line News Briefs are compiled monthly news reports from squadrons, tenant commands, departments and command groups onboard Naval Air Facility Atsugi.
VFA-102
On Oct. 11, 2016, Cmdr. Gregory Malandrino relieved Cmdr. Rafe Wysham, as commanding officer of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102, the“Diamondbacks.” Cmdr. Barrett Smith assumed the role of VFA102’s Executive Officer.
VFA-195
VFA-195 was evaluated by Commander, Naval Air Forces Aviation Maintenance Management Team FIVE for the 2016 Aviation Maintenance Inspection (AMI). After two days of intense inspections and contingency response drills while underway onboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), the Dambusters’ preparation and attention to detail shined through to deliver one of the best AMI evolutions the inspectors have seen during the past five years. VFA-195 earned a score of 99.8 percent on the inspection, ranking the squadron’s Maintenance department as the number one maintenance program out of the last one hundred inspected.
BHC Atsugi
On October 12-13, 18 staff members participated in the biannual First Receiver Operations course. This training is designed to educate first receivers on life saving skills required to triage, initiate field treatment, and decontaminate victims from hazardous materials. The course culminates in a final timed exercise in which staff members don personal protective equipment, set up the decontamination shelter, and work as a team to decontaminate casualties.
MWR
During the month of October, MWR Atsugi held three live concerts: The hard rock band, Sixx:A.M., put on an electrifying show; the award-winning American country band, Parmalee, cranked out old and new hits; and Pop singer, Daya, dazzled an energetic crowd of kids and adults with songs from her new album “Sit Still, Look Pretty” to cap off an eventful NSF Atsugi Naval Security Forces (NSF) month of live performances. conducted four anti-terrorism drills which exercised its ability to respond to emergency situations, and honed the skills of NAFA’s patrolmen. NSF executed the drills with negligible impact to base residents. The exercises included securing NAF Atsugi’s entry control points, recognizing false identification, improvised explosive devices, low flying aircraft attacks, and gate runners. 15
CNFJ FIRE DEPT.
On Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, CNFJ Fire Department Atsugi hosted an open house. The event kicked off with a fire truck parade through housing. Afterwards, the community gathered at the fire house for games and activities for children as well as a fire hose bowling contest for adults.