Skywriter - April 2023

April 2023

SPRING FESTIVAL 2023

NAF Atsugi Spring Fest

Returns For First Time Since 2019

Naval Air Facility Atsugi

Month of the Military Child

Events, Festivals, Parades and More

Front: Local visitors pose for a photo during NAF Atsugi’s Spring Fest Friendship Festival April 22, 2023. (U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Rafael Avelar) Back: Local vistors coming onboard NAF Atsugi for Spring Fest Friendship Festival tour the base. (U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Henry Liu)

CMDCM CORNER

NAF Atsugi team, NAF Atsugi has many resources available to get you help if you need it.

Our Fleet and Family Services offers counseling for you and your family members, and the Chaplain is also available for counseling even if you have no religious affiliation. Our Chaplains also offer 100 percent confidentiality.

Military One Source is also available for you and your family members if you would prefer to speak to counselors not affiliated with Atsugi. Do not suffer in silence or make destructive decisions. I am rooting for you!

Take care of yourselves and each other.

April 1, 1893

April 4, 1949

April 15, 1961

On This Day...

April 25, 2009

The first nuclear-powered frigate, USS Bainbridge (DLGN-25), is launched at Quincy, Mass.

Navy General Order 409 establishes the rate of Chief Petty Officer.

The North Atlantic Treaty is signed in Washington, D.C., establishing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The treaty promotes peace and stability in the North Atlantic area collective defense effort.

Destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG 103) is commissioned at Naval Weapons Station Charleston, S.C., before cruising to her homeport at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.

With Command Master Chief Weba Roberts

FEST 2023

Festival was hosted April 22, 2023 at Naval Air Facility event showcased static displays, live performances and more than 34,000 visitors to the base. U.S. Navy photo by Communication Specialist 2nd Class Rafael Avelar

OPENING CEREMONY

Month of the Military Child

Shirley Lanham Elementary School students give a Taiko drum performance onboard Naval Air Facility Atsugi during a Month of the Military Child ceremony. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Henry Liu

A child of a Navy Sailor takes a photo with the Easter Bunny at Ranger Gym onboard Naval Air Facility Atsugi during Kidsz Fest. U.S. Navy

photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Henry Liu

FUN FAIR

Children of Navy Sailors attend a Fun Fair held onboard Naval Air Facility Atsugi. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Rafael Avelar

Navy Sailors and their spouses parade the streets of Naval Air Facility Atsugi with the students and faculty of Shirley Lanham Elementary School wearing purple to celebrate the Month of the Military Child.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Rafael Avelar

CHAPLAIN’S CORNER

Welcome to the Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Naval Air Facility Atsugi's installation chapel, the most distinctly Japanese-style building on the installation. Please take a moment to review some of the programs and services the Command Religious Program (CRP) has to offer for Sailors and the community.

Worship services are held in the Chapel, Bldg. 79, on the corner of Sherman Ave. and Oriskany St. Our Administrative offices are located in NAFA HQ, Bldg. 949's first deck, accross from the Atsugi Fleet and Family Support Center. Our Office hours are Monday - Friday 0730-1630

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

• Praise & Worship Teams

• Youth & Children's Programs

• Various Charity Support

• Operation Feed the Homeless

• Operation Taste of Home

• Operation Care Package

RELIGIOUS MINISTRY TEAM

COMMAND CHAPLAIN

LCDR J. D. Rozendaal (Evangelical)

RELIGIOUS PROGRAM SPECIALISTS

RP1 (FMF/IW/SW/AW) K. L. Castaneda

RP2 (FMF) T. P. Bellagamba

CREDO WORKSHOPS/ TRAINING

• Marriage Enrichment

• Relationship Enhancement

• Personal Growth

• Resiliency

• Suicide Prevention

• Suicide Intervention

• Personality Assessment

• Self-Awareness Asssessment

Need to talk..?

Our Chaplain, Lt. Cmdr. Jonathan Rozendaal, has an open door policy. Please feel free to stop by any time. You can also schedule an appointment by calling 264-3202, or by speaking with a chapel staff member. if you have emergent needs after hours, please call the Duty Chaplain at 080-5026-6358 for assistance.

"Here

NAF Atsugi MWR Nominated as Finalist for the National Gold Medal Awards

Award for Excellence in Parks and Recreation Management

Story By: Gregory Mitchell

NAVAL AIR FACILITY, Atsugi, Japan - Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi's Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) department has recently been nominated as a finalist for the 2023 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreational Management.

Founded in 1965, the Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the United States that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition.

"I think it is recognition of the tremendous work that this team does everyday," said Tara Culberson, NAF Atsugi MWR Program Director. "They are so committed to taking care of Sailors and familiesand this award nomination just acknowledges that."

NAF Atsugi is a finalist in the Armed Forces Recreation category. Other finalist are Dover Air Force Base, Dover, Delaware; Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation, U.S. Army Garrison, Fort Knox, Kentucky and Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Milton, Florida. The official winner in each category will be presented in October of this year during the Gold Medal Gala reception, which will be held in Dallas, Texas, as

MORALE, WELFARE AND RECREATION

part of the national recreation and park association's annual conference.

Culbertson views the entire NAF Atsugi MWR team as a group with 'superpowers,' a special set of skills that each employee has and also can be viewed as 'accepting of'.

"First, we are an organization of people who deeply care about people," said Culbertson. "We leverage the diversity of our staff, from all over the globe, to express their diverse thinking, different problem solving techniques, and different points of view."

The mission of NAF Atsugi has transformed over the last few years. Culbertson said that the MWR team has had to pivot, not only taking outstanding care of the commands already on base, but also hosting transient personnel and temporary military detachments from other bases and other service branches.

"Handling change, and surging to meet demand, is another superpower of ours - flexibility," she continues. "Our last superpower is location. These MWR superstars take customers to the largest city in the world, beaches for water activities, a wealth of outdoor adventures, and some of the best snow conditions in the world for skiing or snowboarding. I could not be more proud of what they do on a daily basis."

(NAFA SARC – Shacquanda Clark)

Iron Chef Atsugi

Sailors assigned to NAF Atsugi participate in an Iron Chef competition held at the Far East Cafe Galley. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Henry Liu

The Final Word

WITH NAVAL AIR FACILITY ATSUGI COMMANDING OFFICER CAPT. J. M. MONTAGNET

NAF Atsugi Community,

So with the printing of this month's issue of the Skywriter, the 2023 NAF Atsugi Spring Festival fulfilled its promise to be that huge event that everyone did not want to miss, and I have to admit that it lived up to and exceeded all expectations!

So this years' Spring Festival was a collaborative effort between ourselves and our JMSDF partners. All in all, I think I speak for both sides of the house when I say that we were extremely happy to see everyone who came on out to enjoy themselves and experience a spectacular event!

I am very thankful for the dedication and efforts of our JMSDF partners and CAG-5. They committed on a large scale by providing a wide variety of planes and helicopters. And I think it's safe to say that these awesome static displays lived up to expectations! There was an amazing amount of food and beverages, great live performances, plus a multitude of bouncy toys for the kids.

And with that, I think it is important to send a Bravo Zulu to our security and emergency services who all ensured the safety of the patrons while standing by to help and render aid if needed. I cannot say enough about their professionalism and dedication to standing the watch! Thank you to them all!

Please remember that as members of this community, safety is everyone's responsibility. So again, please don't miss out on this opportunity! Saturday, April 22, 2023 from 1100 to 1830! Come on out and enjoy the fun!

Now on a separate note, I would like to bring up the fact that the NMRTU Atsugi Medical Homeport Clinic now has officially updated their hours of operation. These Extended Care appointments will go on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 0800-1600, then 1700-2000; and on Wednesday from 0800-1400, then 1700-2000.

Please be advised that excluding holidays, the extended evening hours are by 'appointment only', with Lab and Pharmacy walk-in services available until 1900. Lastly, Bravo Zulu to the entire clinical staff. We see nothing but total dedication to duty from our Corpsman and Officer Corps!

And while we are talking about health and safety, recently there has been an increase in traffic accidents both on and off-base and not only in Atsugi, but Region-wide as well. This has caught the attention of US Forces Japan himself, Lieutenant General Rupp. Point blank, we ask that everyone -please- take that extra minute in your day when driving, ensure you pay close attention anytime you are behind the wheel, wherever you happen to be.

For all of us as SOFA members, we need to understand that driving in Japan is a privilege, and not a right! Please drive safely and think about how your actions--or inattention--could affect others and always remain cognizant of your surroundings!

So, in closing, after all the extreme hard work that was put into the Spring Festival, I want to thank each and every one of our departmental staff members and JMSDF partners. Each and every one of you have put in a lot of extra man hours to ensure that our community had an event that will be truly remembered for many years to come!

The effort that was put into this event has been a direct reflection of the pride and commitment that everyone has here onboard NAF Atsugi!

As always, please continue to take care of yourselves, your shipmates, family and friends - put a smile on your face and a smile on the faces of everyone you meet whenever you can - life is so precious!

Thank you again!

SEE YOU NEXT SPRING FEST!