Skywriter — 2022 Summer Edition

Naval Air Facility Atsugi Summer 2022

NAF Atsugi Bon Odori 2022

Taking part in a host nation tradition with members of the NAFA community and local visitors!

What’s Inside...

Acting Public Affairs Officer Greg Mitchell Editor Greg Mitchell

NAF Atsugi Participates in Ayase's Awa Odori Festival PG. 4

SkywriterStaff MC1 Richard Gourley MC2 Olivier Clement MC2 Rafael Avelar Public Affairs Staff Ikumi Tanaka Maika Fujisaki

NAF Atsugi Hosts the 2022 Bon Odori Open Base Festival

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Facebook.com/naf.atsugi

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

NAF Atsugi Heritage Committee Celebrates NHHM PG. 28

CHECK OUT OUR LATEST LEADERSHIP GUIDANCE VIDEO

ONLINE

On The

Cover

FRONT & BACK: Naval Air Facility Atsugi community members celebrate the Japanese tradition of Bon Odori during the installations open base event.

(U.S. Navy photos courtesy of NAFA PUBLIC AFFAIRS)

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CMDCM CORNER W i t h C o m m a n d M a s t e r C h i e f We b a R o b e r t s

The Navy Ombudsman is one of the most important members of the Command Support Team.

They are family member volunteers who dedicate their own time to help all our Sailors, even those who are unmarried or unaccompanied. They also have a direct line to the command leadership and often notify us of questions and concerns family members and Sailors have.

We need more ombudsmen for NAFA. If your spouse is interested in giving back to the community, please contact your chain of command, Kim Kuhns the NAFA Ombudsman, or me directly.

We will make sure they receive training and support.

August 3, 1958

September 1, 1942 The first Seabee unit to serve in a combat area, the Sixth Naval Construction Battalion, arrives on Guadalcanal.

USS Nautilus (SSN 571) becomes the first submarine to cross the "top" of the world during Operation Sunshine.

August 28, 1942

On This Day...

120 women are commissioned as ensigns or lieutenant junior grades as WAVES and report to "USS Northampton," Smith College, Northampton, Mass.

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September 3, 1783

The Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the American Revolution. The United States is acknowledged as a sovereign and independent nation.

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aval Air Facility Atsugi held its annual open base festival, Bon Odori ,on August 19. During the event, visitors to the base shared music, food, traditional Japanese dancing, carrying of the Mikoshi Shinto shrine and other aspects of the Japanese culture with members of the Naval Air Facility Atsugi community, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and local communities.

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CHAPLAIN’S CORNER WORSHIP SERVICES

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Sunday

0–1 Coffee&Fellowship 10–ChristianService

(Nursery and Children's Chapel Available)

Friday

• 1200 – 1st Friday Roman Catholic Mass

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Children's Church ages 3rd-5th Grade

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SMALL GROUP MINISTRIES

**Live-streamed services provided.** Contact our office or visit our Facebook page for other available virtual programs!

ChapelOffices264-3202 – / 0467-63-3202 24/7DutyChaplain– 080-5026-6358

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1730 – Adult Group Study

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M-AT-NAF-CHAPEL@OCONUS.NAVY.MIL www. facebook. com /ChapeloftheGoodShepherdNAFAtsugi

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(Childcare Available)

1730 – Youth Group (5th - 12th grade) WEDNESDAY 1930 – Roman Catholic Evening Prayer THURSDAY 1000 – Women's Group Study

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1700 – Roman Catholic Mass

TUESDAY: 1000 – Roman Catholic Women's Study

(Childcare Available) (Childcare Available)

SATURDAY 0800 – Men's Group Study

ForAppointments: 264-3959 or 0467-63-3311

Navy Medical Readiness & Training Unit Atsugi "Here to serve with care."

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HSC-12 Golden Falcons participate in local Disaster Drill

IKAWA, Japan - Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron TWELVE (HSC-12) Sailors recently participated in a local disaster drill conducted in Aikawa, a local municipality adjacent to Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi, Japan, Aug. 28. Aikawa is located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan and is approximately 14 km (9 miles) northwest of the installation within the Greater Tokyo area.

Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF), Aikawa Fire Department, Aikawa city officials, to include the Mayor, Yutaka Onozawa, along with local residents were in attendance to observe the training evolution.

The annual drill consisted of search and rescue and emergency airlift transportation relief efforts.

The training scenario called for HSC-12 to simulate a medical evacuation, which involved hoisting a dummy patient from a Japanese ambulance and simulate flying the patient to a hospital, then bring the dummy back, to include landing, and transferring the simulated patient back to a waiting Japanese ambulance.

Additional drill support was provided by NAF Atsugi Fire Department personnel, who provided

an engine for emergency response.

"It feels great to help further deepen relations with the local Japanese population and to show that we are also part of this community," said Lt. Cmdr. Greg Westin, who piloted the aircraft. "It's good practice for myself and the entire crew to see how we work with the Japanese in the event that here is a disaster where we would need to coordinate with the local emergency services."

U.S. Army Aviation Battalion Japan Soldiers based at Camp Zama, Japan also participated by providing a UH-60L helicopter to perform similar operations alongside the Golden Falcons.

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Japan is one of 15 countries that is positioned within the Ring of Fire, which is a region around much of the rim of the Pacific Ocean where many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur. The Ring of Fire is a horseshoe-shaped belt about 40,000 km long and up to about 500 km wide.

Japan is known for its natural disasters, and drills of this nature are held throughout the entire country on an annual basis.

Exercises held in this capacity demonstrate the U.S. Navy's capability in times of emergency response, while enhancing the continued positive and collaborative relationship that NAF Atsugi has with the surrounding communities

"In the end, I feel that it's just good training for both sides," said Westin. "It gives our host nation counterparts' the opportunity to get familiar with our equipment and for us to also learn what they have as well. Having that knowledge helps us cooperate better in the future."

Currently commanded by Cmdr. Johnathan Dorsey, HSC-12 was established in 1952 as Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron TWO (HS-2) in San Diego. HSC-12 is the oldest rotary wing squadron in the U.S. Navy. It deploys as a member of Carrier Air Wing FIVE (CVW-5) onboard the USS Ronald Regan (CVN-76) and maintains an executive transport detachment onboard USS Blue Ridge (LLC-19) in support of Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet.

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Lt.Gen.RickyN.Rupp,Commander,U.S.Forces Japan,arriveonboardNAFAtsugiAug.29th20 foranofficialvisit.

Whilehere,hetouredthebaseandtookthetimeto speaktoall-hands.

(U.S.NavyphotosbyMassCommunicationSpecialist2ndClassRafael Avelar)

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TheNAFAtsugiFleetandFamilySupportCenterhelda appreciationluncheonforthebaseombudsmenSept U.S. Navy photos by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Richard Gourley

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WE TRAIN...

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... LIKE WE

E FIGHT

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SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL

INSIDER THREAT AWARENESS

MONTH

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Members of the NAF Atsugi Heritage committee celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with traditional hispanic beverages and special meals from various countries at the Far East Cafe onboard the installation.

(Photos courtesy of the NAFA Heritage Committee)

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The Final Word WITH NAVAL AIR FACILITY ATSUGI COMMANDING OFFICER

CAPT. J. M. MONTAGNET Greetings, NAF Atsugi Community, When talking in terms of COVID-19, here onboard NAF Atsugi, our numbers are low, and they remain low. But please remember that if you do test positive, there are protocols to follow. You need to inform your command representative who will make sure that PrevMed does the close contact tracing appropriately.

This makes sure that anyone who is a close contact is aware. In short, it's ALL in the PHE, and it helps keep everyone around us informed and safe. Now, with respect to easing mitigations, effective September 7, Japan raised its daily entry cap on tourist arrivals from 20,000 to 50,000. I think this is great news and continues to move us in the right direction.

Prior to September 7, the government had required incoming travelers to take tests within 72 hours of departure and show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result. But from Sept 7, those vaccinated at least three times will only need to show proof of their three shots.

This is huge for us here at NAF Atsugi because this greatly reduces the timeframe for departures and arrivals in Japan, which is a plus for our service members and our families who are looking forward to traveling back home to the States So, everyone please prepare appropriately prior to departure. This includes having proper documentation on your person and simply knowing how much baggage you are allowed to carry on your flight.

This past September 21-30, 2022 the 'Japan Traffic Safety Awareness Week' campaign was held here in the host nation.

Even though the timeframe has passed, I am here to tell you that this should be a very big deal for each and every one of us each and every day who drives here in Japan.

The purpose of this campaign is to have everyone remember to remain safety-cautious when behind the wheel in Japan.

Interestingly enough, we've recently had an increase in fender- benders and doors flinging open on cars, things that could be easily avoided.

So please take some extra precautionary measures and simply pay closer attention to what we are doing when operating behind the wheel. If we can all do that, the negative numbers and traffic accidents should drop immensely.

I would like to close by applauding the efforts of our entire team here at NAF Atsugi and thank each and every one of you for your dedication to duty and service to the NAFA community. And lastly, to each of our family members, thank you for your continued committed devotion to remaining in line with health and safety protocols. Remember that what makes this base great is each and every one of you who live and work here! Thank you again!

CAPTJohnM.Montagnet CommandingOfficer U.S.NavalAirFacilityAtsugi,Japan

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