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January-MarchJanuary - March 2009 2009

Ryukyu Resident Engineer culminates career page 8

Misawa employee completes 50 years government service page 5 Bamboo Bridge Bamboo Bridge News magazine of the Japan Engineer District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers this Commander and District Engineer COL Lawrence B. Holmes issue INSIDE Deputy Commander LTC Edward A. Mead Vol. 28, Issue 1 Jan.-March 2009

Public Affairs Jay Woods and Grant Sattler Commander’s Corner page 3 • Authorization: Bamboo Bridge Employee reaches 50-year milestone page 5 is an authorized unofficial news maga- zine of the Japan Engineer District Okinawa club construction at halfway point page 7 published bimonthly in accordance with Ryukyu Resident Engineer nears retirement page 8 Army Regulation 360-1 and AR 360-81, under supervision of the Public Affairs Pacific Ocean Division Commander visits page 10 Office. Zukeran Construction Representative wins Hard Hat page 12

• Mission: The Bamboo Bridge Lodging renovation completed on Camp Zama page 13 supports the District Commander’s internal information program and Senior Engineer Conference attendance grows page 14 serves as a tool for accurately Chili’s restaurant nearing completion page 16 communicating policies and command philosophy to Japan Engineer District Headquarters observes Black History Month page 17 employees, partners, and customers. Yokota AB boiler project progresses page 18 Additionally, this publication highlights the employees, customers, projects, Out & About page 19 and activities of the district. Yokosuka, Sayonara & More page 20

• Circulation: 300 copies.

• Submissions: News, features, photographs, and art are solicited; publication depends on general interest as judged by the editor. No payment will be made for contributions.

• Contact: Send an e-mail to cepoj-pa@ usace.army.mil or write to U.S. Army Engineer District, Japan, Unit 45010, Attn: CEPOJ-PA, APO AP 96338- 5010.

• Contents: The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or the Department of the Army. News

On the cover: photo by Grant Sattler Shigeru Exchange Visit Yoshimoto District Deputy Commander LTC Edward Mead answers outside the questions from Japanese Ground Self Defense Force engineers Okinawa Area visiting the Japan Engineer District Headquarters March 4, Office. 2009. After a briefing on the organization and activities of the District, the engineers visited the Engineering Branch Technical photo by Grant Sattler Services Section to see CADD renderings of future projects. Commander’s Corner JED Continues to Succeed

Japan Engineer District Teammates, teamwork and quality of construction. During the Town Hall Once again, The Senior Engineer meeting in Okinawa BG Yenter Conference (SEC) was an announced that Mike Diaz had overwhelming success. The record won the POD Hard Hat of the Year setting attendance and comments Award. I can honestly say that we from our after action review proves completely surprised Mike with this that USFJ and JED are discussing award. Congratulations to Mike relevant topics and this annual and you can read more about his event is value added to everyone outstanding accomplishments in that attends. We were very fortunate this edition of the Bamboo Bridge. to have Mr. Joe Calcara, the Deputy The American Recovery & Assistant Secretary of the Army Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of for Installations and Housing, 2009 was signed by President as our guest speaker. It is rare Obama in February. This program to have so many senior leaders COL Lawrence B. Holmes is designed to put Americans to from Japan, HQ USACE and the work and stimulate the economy Department of Defense attending during these challenging economic the conference and staying with us for the entire week. times. Although the District will not receive funding On the weekend prior to the conference, JED’s senior directly from this program I do anticipate that we will leadership accompanied Mr. Calcara and Mr. Lloyd receive additional funding from some of the service Pike on site visits to Yokosuka, Iwakuni and Yokota. components to assist with additional operations and We were able to showcase our vast array of Japan maintenance projects. I know everyone is working Facility Improvement Projects, Defense Policy Review very hard to balance our current workload so that we Initiative (DPRI) Projects and Military Construction will be able to support what is shaping up to be a very Projects to our senior leadership. At every jobsite and busy year end. As we evaluate our increased workload, resident offices that we visited Mr Calcara and the I want everyone to understand that we will always entire group were impressed with the professionalism, strive to deliver world class quality, engineering teamwork and quality of construction. services & facilities for our customers, safely, on time, Additionally, we were honored to have BG Mark and within budget. Keep up the good work! Yenter attend the SEC and conduct site visits for his first trip to Japan as the Pacific Ocean Division (POD)Commander. BG Yenter spent over two weeks in Japan; He attended the SEC and visited Yokosuka, Iwakuni, Okinawa, Yokota and Camp Essayons! Army Strong! Zama. As he stated in two town hall meetings, he was also extremely impressed with the professionalism,

LAWRENCE B. HOLMES COL, EN Commanding

Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 3 JEDチームメートの皆さん、

先日行われたSECでは、非常に大きな成功を収めることができました。出席者数が大変多かった事や、その 後に寄せられたＡＡＲのコメントから、USFJとJEDは適切な論題を取り上げ、出席者の皆さんにとって有 意義だったことがうかがえます。今回は、ゲストスピーカーとして陸軍副次官補(施設、住宅担当)のMr. Joe Calcaraをお迎えしました。日本政府、USACE本部や国防総省から、これ程多くの上級幹部が会議に出席し 滞在するのは、非常に稀な事だと思います。会議開催前の週末には、JED上層部の案内でMr. Calcara とMr. Lloyd Pikeと共に横須賀、岩国、横田の視察を行い、広範囲に及ぶJFIP, DPRI, MILCONプロジェクトの数々を 紹介する事ができました。それぞれの現場や現場事務所に於いて、皆さんのプロ意識やチームワークの良 さ、工事の質の高さに、一同は深い感銘を受けていました。

BG Mark Yenterにとっては、今回がPOD司令官に任命されて初めてのSEC出席と現場視察となりました。日 本には二週間滞在し、SEC後に横須賀、岩国、沖縄、横田、キャンプ座間を訪れました。二度のタウンホール ミーティングでも述べられたように、皆さんのプロ意識やチームワークの良さ、工事の質の高さに、非常に 深い感銘を受けていました。沖縄で開催されたタウンホールミーティングでは、BG Yenter はMike Diazさ んがPOD Hard Hat of the Year 賞を受賞した事を発表しました。Mikeさん自身も、この受賞にはとても驚い たのではないでしょうか。Mikeさん、おめでとうございます。彼の功績については、本誌の関連記事をご覧 下さい。

2009年度The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA)は、二月にオバマ大統領がサインし、発令さ れました。このプログラムは、景気低迷中の現在、アメリカ国民を職に就かせ、経済を刺激するためのもの です。JEDにこのプログラムから直接予算が付く訳ではありませんが、何らかの形で維持管理プロジェクト の増加が予想されるでしょう。皆さんは、忙しい年度末に備え、仕事量の均等化を図るべく努力を重ねてい る事と思います。今後仕事量の増加が見込まれますが、私達は常にカスタマーに対して世界的レベルの品 質、技術業務、施設を、安全且つスケジュール通りに、そして予算内で提供しなければなりません。このまま 良い状態を維持しましょう！

Essayons! Army Strong!

Lawrence B. Holmes COL, EN Commanding

Welcome New Teammate

JED welcomes our newest teammate, Gabriel Fino. Gabriel was born on March 28th 2009 and weighed 7 lbs., 5 oz. Gabriel is the son of Eric and Angie Fino. Eric is a Project Engineer at the Zukeran Resident Office, Okinawa Area Office.

4 Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 Hahn reaches 50 years federal

USAF photo by SrA Jamal Sutter USAF photo by SrA Jamal Sutter service b y Ja y Wo o d s Since he did not have a job waiting for him when Pu b l i c Af f a i r s he retired, he went back to the States for a couple of Misawa AB—In June 2009 a U.S. Army Corps of months to get his visa. He then returned to Misawa to Engineer employee here will achieve a major career start looking for a job. He did not have much success milestone. Cecil Hahn, a Service Support Specialist at with the job search until May 1987 when he was hired the Misawa Resident Office, will complete 50 years as a GS3 by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Japan of federal service—40 of them at this key airbase Engineer District to deliver outage notices. positioned across the Sea of Japan from North Korea. In July 1988 Cecil was promoted to a GS6 and Cecil, who grew up in the small East Texas town became the Office Manager for the Corps’ Misawa of Alto, enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1958 and Area Office. He performed these duties to ensure the spent his first ten years in various Security Service Resident Office functions were efficient, effective and (Intelligence) billets around the world, including in support of successful mission execution. At the time tours of duty in Hokkaido, Alaska, Germany and the workload was large and there were approximately Misawa. After attending school in Florida in 1974, 35 employees assigned to the office. The Misawa AO Cecil returned to Misawa in April 1975 and continued had just finished working on the bed-down projects serving there until he retired as a Senior Master for the newly arrived F-16s. Other MILCON projects Sergeant in 1986. Reflecting on his career in the Air included hanger construction and fuel tank farms. Force Hahn said “I really liked my job, especially at During his 28 years in the Air Force, Cecil spent Misawa,” adding understatedly, “I was pretty good at 18 in Misawa. “I didn’t see me exceeding that with it, too.” the Army. But, May of this year will be 22 years at When Cecil retired from the Air Force in 1986 he Misawa with the Army,” he said. had already decided he wanted to remain in Japan. see Hahn, page 6

Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 5 Hahn coaches, mentors Continued from page 5 Although Cecil has always been involved in the growth and modernization of Misawa AB, one of the things that he really misses is the old building the Misawa Resident Office (reduced from an Area Office in the mid ‘80’s) used to work out of. Misawa Resident Office personnel pictured in He spent a lot of his September 1998. Front row: Renay Hankins, free time landscaping, Karen Woods, Dorinda Won, Valentino Gutierrez, making the grounds Takashi Sasaki, Cecil Hahn and Shinichi look good. Now with Maruyama. Back row: Naomi Araya, Charles the new building they Truesdell, Eulis Moss and Gary Simpson. are sharing with the Resident Office has evolved over many years, from Cecil Hahn’s photo from Air Force Base Civil the construction boom times during the Cold War his 1974 Florida driver Engineers, the “homey” in the 1980’s through the growth in Host Nation license issued before he feeling is lost. “I liked Construction, to a steady workload of U.S. Funded and returned to Misawa. cooking breakfast for the people that would Host Nation Construction for the Air Force Supported visit the office.” he said. Now, conforming to the new Commanders and Customers. He has helped shape the building standards, he is not able to do that. minds and careers of many young people who have Cecil has helped coach, mentor, train and sup- progressed in their own careers to become chief of port many Resident Engineers, project engineers, Construction, chief of Engineering and Construction, and a dedicated Master Labor Contract (MLC) staff deputy for Programs and Project Management, and of Japanese employees. The work in the Misawa Senior Executive Service staff leaders in the U.S. Cecil Hahn Army Corps of Engineers. with neice Yuki Right now Cecil does not know when he will call Okamoto in it quits. “My ID card expires in July 2010, so I may 2003. hang around until then,” he said. Until he does decide to retire, the Japan Engineer District will continue to value him as a great teammate and mentor.

Cecil and his wife Misako in 1984.

courtesy photo courtesy photo

6 Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 Now weathered in, interior work proceeds on MCCS Consolidated Enlisted Club on Camp Foster. Okinawa club taking shape s t o r y & p h o t o s b y Ja y Wo o d s p u b l i c a f f a i r s

Work is approximately 50 percent complete on the 4,000 square meter consolidated enlisted club located on Camp Foster, Okinawa. The $16.7 million facility named the Ocean Breeze Club is actually two clubs under one roof. Enlisted personnel will be able to socialize in the Globe & Construction Representative Mike Diaz, left, Anchor while Senior Non-Commissioned Officers will and Project Engineer Eric Fino of the Zukeran enjoy the return of Chesty’s, which closed a couple of Resident Office brief the Pacific Ocean Division years ago to provide the real estate for the construction Commander, BG Mark Yenter at the construction of this new club. site of the new MCCS Consolidated Enlisted Club, There is also an all-ranks restaurant within the seen below as clay roofing tiles are installed. Ocean Breeze Club called the Veranda that all service members, DOD civilians and their families will be able to enjoy. The enlisted lounge in the Globe & Anchor will offer top-notch entertainment seven days a week as well as free Wi-Fi and a state-of-the art sound, light and video system.

Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 7 Resident Engineer leaves legacy of Ryukyu USACE photos Shigeru Yoshimoto, Ryukyu Resident Engineer, projects briefs Chief of Engineers LTG Henry Hatch in the late ‘80s.

b y Ja y Wo o d s By now Shige was married and Okinawa Area Office, he knew this p u b i c a f f a i r s had two children, but he started was where he was supposed to be. In June 2009, the U.S. Army looking for jobs that would get There were a lot of people working Corps of Engineers will lose one him back to Okinawa. He applied for the Corps that he had known of its best Resident Engineers as for a job opening for a Project/ for many years, especially Deputy Shigeru Yoshimoto will be retiring Field Engineer in Sasebo and was Area Engineer Jack Kaneshiro who after 30 years of federal service selected. After spending five years became his mentor. with the Japan Engineer District. working in Sasebo and Iwakuni, He has always worked on the Shige, as he is known to family Shige was finally able to transfer construction side of projects. He and friends, was born in Naha City to Okinawa and begin many years moved to Okinawa as a Project right after World War II. He grew of service with the Okinawa Area Engineer and stayed in that position up and attended high school in Office. until 1987 when he became the Okinawa, but left in 1965 to live in Once Shige arrived at the Ryukyu Resident Engineer. Hawaii where his sister and other relatives had emigrated. “I spent a couple of years doing nothing until my sister told me I needed to go to school,” he said. He attended the University of Hawaii and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering. He then went to work for a general contractor in Hawaii. He was having a good time and had no plans to return to Okinawa. “However, my mother was sick in Okinawa and she was getting old Yoshimoto, kneeling front right, at a 1984 construction conference. and not in good health. She kept asking me to come back,” he said.

8 Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 fun with them,” said the proud grand- father. He still has a house in Hawaii so for the first six months or a year he plans on remodeling his home. After he completes the remodeling work he plans to get a part-time job where he can interact with the public. “It might be anything from driving a tour bus to picking up golf balls on Shigeru Yoshimoto and LTC a golf course,” said the personable Shigeru Yoshimoto in 2000. Dennis Polaski. 62-year-old sportsman. He wants to stay active and not sit around the house 24/7. He also plans on taking up golf again. Shige has had a very fulfilling career with the Japan Engineer District. He has spent almost half of his life working for JED. And, he raised his four children during his Yoshimoto with COL Bob time with JED (they graduated from Yoshimoto visiting a job site. Vasta in 2005. Kubasaki High School). On a parting “I am very proud of the work solution, whether it is your idea or note, “I just want to say thank you conducted by the Okinawa Area not.” That being said, he thinks the JED. I hope JED lasts forever,” he Office over the years,” Shige said. Japan Engineer District is a really said. The OAO was responsible for good place to work because of the Shige, you will be missed. rebuilding Okinawa at the conclu- teamwork displayed sion of World War II. The OAO by all employees. was also responsible for building He also praises most of the major camps on the the Master Labor island and is now in the process of Contract workers replacing older facilities. at the OAO as Throughout his 30-year career being really good with the Corps, Shige has really engineers. He said only worked at two locations, he has really grown Sasebo and Okinawa. He did not professionally by move around because of family working with the constraints. However, he feels if various Construction young engineers want to get ahead, Representatives at they should be willing to move the OAO. around to gain more experience. Once he retires, “I think that young engineers Shige plans to should be inquisitive and ask move back to questions. They should try to learn Hawaii where all as much as they can from others,” of his family now said the 2009 Japan Engineer lives. He plans to District, Construction Management spend a lot of time Excellence Award winner. “There with his five grand- may be more than one way to do children. “This is things, so you should listen, ask the right time for Shigeru Yoshimoto briefs Chief of Engineers LTG questions and then select the best me to go and have Robert Flowers during a 2002 visit to Okinawa.

Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 9 POD Commander visits POJ

photos by Jay Woods Above: BG Mark Yenter is briefed on a known distance range project in Okinawa by Zukeran Resident Office Resident Engineer Damian O’Neill.

Left: Dave Amantangelo, right, Army/Air Force Section, Project Management Branch-Okinawa, talks with BG Yenter about future projects.

10 Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 Left: BG Mark Yenter talks with Japan Engineer District employees at the Headquarters on Camp Zama and with field offices via video teleconference during a March 6 town hall. He also held a town hall with Okinawa Area Office employees earlier in the week.

Left below: BG Yenter meets Japanese construction workers during his first hand look at work across the District. U.S. Army photo USACE photo

Above: Pacific Ocean Division Director of Programs Eugene Ban, BG Mark Yenter and U.S. Forces Japan J4 COL Michael Presnell talk during the Senior Engineer Conference in Tokyo. photo by Jay Woods

n his first visit to Japan since taking and Japanese Ministry of Defense, saw projects at command of the Pacific Ocean Division Yokosuka Navy Base, Camp Zama, Okinawa, and in August 2008, U.S. Army Corps Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and Yokota Air of Engineers Pacific Ocean Division Base. He met with Japan District people at various OCommander BG Mark Yenter visited activites of resident offices, the Headquarters and the Okinawa the Japan Engineer District Feb. 23 to March 6. Area Office. “As I have travelled throughout the BG Yenter participated in the Senior Engineer District...what I see is Quality and Teamwork,” BG Conference, met key officials at the U.S. Embassy Yenter summarized in his remarks March 6.

Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 11 DIVISION WINNER!

b y Gr a n t Sa t t l e r critical design-build stages of the a newly hired construction rep- p u b l i c a f f a i r s Consolidated Enlisted Club and resentative, promoted continual Repair UEPH Bldg. 90 projects. improvement by participating in Construction Representative Diaz was credited with success- the District’s Lessons Learned Mike Diaz from the Zukeran fully promoting teamwork and and After Action Review (AAR) Resident Office, Okinawa Area success in the execution of chal- program, and took the lead Office, was selected as the lenging assignments, and building during staffing shortfalls to lead Pacific Ocean Division winner customer loyalty by focusing on Bidability, Constructability, of the 2009 U.S. Army Corps customer requirements and deliv- Operability, and Environmental of Engineers Construction Hard ery of quality products. (BCOE) review pre-proposal site Hat of the Year Award. He coached and mentored visits to seven projects, contribut- Diaz was presented the award fellow PDT members, mentored ing to successful year-end award. by Pacific Ocean Division Left: Mike Diaz, center, Commander BG Mark Yenter explains layout of the during a town hall event at the Consolidated Enlisted Okinawa Area Office March 3, Club to BG Mark Yenter, 2009. left, and COL L. Barrett Diaz is a Quality Assurance Holmes. Representative responsible for $21.2 Million in U.S. funded construction on Okinawa. During the award period, he was responsible for quality and safety for major projects including the Design-Build Consolidated Enlisted Club on Camp Foster, the heating, ventilation, air conditioning replacement phase 3 at Kubasaki High School on Camp Foster, and Design-Build renovation of Bldg. 90 on Fort Buckner. Diaz has been a Construction Representative with the Okinawa Area Office for 2 and a half years. He also served as the Field Safety Officer for the Okinawa Area Office and was responsible for accident reporting and safety activities in coordination with the District Safety Office. USACE photos Pacific Ocean Division Commander BG Mark Yenter, left, names Diaz was cited in his award Mike Diaz, Construction Representative with the Zukeran Resident nomination for his great initia- Office, as the POD Construction Hard Hat of the Year recipient for tive in energetically leading 2009 during a March 3, 2009 town hall. At right is Japan Engineer Project Delivery Teams during District Commander COL L. Barrett Holmes.

12 Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 Camp Zama lodging renovation photos by Jay Woods

illustration by Roy Ihara

Above right: Renovated rooms provide comfortable accomodation to billeting quests.

Above: Addition of an elevator tower and entry canopy improved the building’s appearance.

Right: COL L. Barrett Holmes, left, helps cut the ribbon opening the renovated Bldg. 742. amp Zama officials came out Feb. 17, Below: Handicapped guest bath and display of 2009, for a ribbon cutting, ceremoniously standard guest toilet and shower room. opening the new billeting operation in the renovated Bldg. 742. The facility’s Ctransformation, managed by the Kanagawa Resident Office, was more than skin deep. Completed in less than a year, the renovation of the 38-guest room building began Jan. 11, 2008. Work involved demolition and asbestos abatement, followed by replacement of plumbing, sewer and water supply lines, roofing, gutters, bathroom fixtures, kitchenette fixtures, HVAC systems, carpeting, wall treatments, exterior light- ing, the automatic sprinkler system and CCTV. The most visible addition is an elevator tower providing Americans with Disabilities Act access.

Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 13 Senior Engineer Conference 2009

Attendees wrap up the final session at the conclusion of the 2009 Senior Engineer Conference.

s t o r y & p h o t o s b y Gr a n t Sa t t l e r set the tone for the following days. Deputy Assistant p u b l i c a f f a i r s Secretary of the Army, Installations & Housing, Mr. ecord attendance marked the 2009 Senior Joseph Calcara presented the keynote address. Engineer Conference held Feb. 24-26 in the Other conference participants from the Office of the New Sanno Hotel in Tokyo, Japan. More Secretary of Defense in Washington, D.C. included than 225 attendees from Japan, the Pacific and Director, Facilities Investment & Management, Mr. R Washington, D.C. took part in the Mike McAndrew; Director, Basing, annual conference built around the Installations and Environment, theme: Defense Partners Resolving Mr. Peter Potocheny; and Director, Issues on Transformation. Housing and Competitive Sourcing, Co-sponsored by U.S. Forces, Office of the Under Secretary of Japan J4 Director of Logistics and Defense, Mr. Joseph Sikes. the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attending from the Pacific Ocean Japan District, the three-day confer- Division were POD Commander ence for engineers from installations BG Mark Yenter and Director of and service components included Programs Mr. Eugene Ban. Joseph Calcara general sessions on policy, program Other general session presenta- and alliance topics and break out sessions for discus- tions included two topics presented by representatives sion of technical engineering and construction issues. of the Japan Ministry of Defense, the Political Military Lieutenant Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr., Commander, Affairs Unit of the U.S. Embassy, Tokyo, and from a U.S. Forces Japan, presented opening remarks and guest presenter on the construction industry in Japan.

14 Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 Above: Lt. Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr. speaks to Senior Engineer Conference attendees at the opening of the three-day event held Feb. 24-26 in Tokyo.

Top: David Franzen, Japan Engineer District’s co-project manager for the conference agenda, talks with attendees.

Above: Dewey Wong, Chief, Project Management Branch- Okinawa, clarifies a point during a general session.

Left: Administrative support staff confer with event co-project manager Keiley Takehara-Sasano, right, during the conference break out sessions.

Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 15 photos by Grant Sattler

Chili’s nears completion at Yokota AB Top left: Workmen complete exterior details, walkways and install kitchen appliances as the restaurant moves toward a summer turnover to 374th Services.

Above: The restaurant interior design and Above: Centrally located near the base finish details match Stateside stores from commissary and Army Air Force Exchange floor to ceiling. Tabletops were inbound for Service facility on Yokota AB, the new Chili’s installation when this March photo was taken. promises to bring the authentic flavors of home..

Surveying Okinawan culture

The thoroughness of cultural assets surveys is evident in this bird’s eye view taken in March 2009 of the future location for the new Navy Hospital in Okinawa. Courtesy Okinawa Defense Bureau

16 Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 Celebrating strength found in

Above: Tonya Walker shares her experience as an attendee of the 23rd ethnic Black Engineer of the Year (BEYA) Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Global Competitiveness Conference and BEYA Career Fair, Feb. 18-20, 2009 in Baltimore, Md. She spoke with co-workers at the District’s Black History Month event held at the diversity District Headquarters, Feb. 27, 2009.

Above: Cedric Bazemore and Jose Gonzalez make their way through the line during the multi-cultural pot luck luncheon featuring regional favorites from around the globe, reflecting the diversity of the Japan Engineer District staff. The meal was part of the annual Black History Month celebration.

Left: Bobby Fields recites selections from the speeches and writings of Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the luncheon.

photos by Grant Sattler

Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 17 Yokota AB boiler plant nears completion

The new Yokota AB east heating plant is abuzz with activity as workers install the second boiler, heat exchanger, electrical and communication systems.

s t o r y & p h o t o s b y Gr a n t Sa t t l e r p u b l i c a f f a i r s Yokota AB residents and workers on the east side of the base will have greater assurance of reliable heat as work is completed on the replacement of the existing heating plant. Project AF616, Replace East Heating Plant. is a Host Nation funded Japan Facilities Improvement Program project. The project is constructing a high temperature hot water generation plant for domestic hot water and space heating for the east area. With the first of three boilers already in service, construction will be com- pleted this summer well in time for the coming winter. Afterwards, the existing heating plant that has been in operation since the early ‘70’s can be demolished. Over time, minerals in boiler pipes solidify, insulating the pipes from the cooling effect of the water, resulting in burn through and Separate Japanese contractors for mechanical, maintenance down time architectural and electrical work coordinate effort. for repair.

18 Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 Out & About Around the Japan Engineer District

Midfielder Zach John Richards, on Woods, son deployment to the of Jay Woods, Afghanistan Engineer Public Affairs, District, pictured at an drives forward undisclosed location against MC on the way to Mazir-e- Perry HS from Sharif, which is on the MCAS Iwakuni Uzbekistan border. on March 28, 2009.

Monte Craven, Project Manager with the Iwakuni Resident Office, his wife Alicia and Seven-year-old Cub Scout Benjamin daughters Jazzmyne and Kia visit Miyajima. Scully, back to photographer, faces a local Japanese boy in a March 29, 2009, event hosted by the Zama International Association at the Minami Ashigara-shi City Sport Center. Benjamin is the son of Army Section Project Manager Bradley Scully.

Monique Gray, deployed to Gulf Region Central district, and Shari Valente on a movement to Marcus, son of Grant Sattler, Public Affairs, the International at the Capitol during the Veterans of Foreign Zone (IZ) from Wars sponsored Voice of Democracy tour to Camp Victory, the nation’s capital. Marcus was Pacific-wide Iraq. winner of the annual VOD speech contest.

Courtesy photos Bamboo Bridge, Jan.-March 2009 19 Yokoso, Sayonara... and more

New Employees

George Cardenas Toru Tsuno CPT Adam Rauch Kinuyo Tamura Peter Siu Fernando Santiago

Congratulations to: Jerry Childers on selection as the new Chief of the Architectural Section, Engineering Branch.

Congratulations to: Dave Franzen on selection as the new Takaharu Hyoguchi Yayoi Torii Nancy Snowden John Feller Sasebo Resident Engineer.

Deployees

Currently deployed: James Banks, Timothy Bishop, Monique Gray, Don Nguyen, Steven Paul, Walt Perrett, John Richards, Fernando Sosa-Reyes and Jun Morales

Returned: Alan Avery, LTC Rick Davis, Suzette Labial Scott Davis Robert Henson Rob Saari

Departing Employees

Maj. Julie Balten Mari Matsui Mike Vantzelfden Junko Kato Gary Tamashiro Robert Ishihara

In memory of Ryosuke Maesato who passed In memory of Foster Akee who passed away away March 23, 2009. Maesato-san served 27 April 7, 2009. Akee-san served with the Tengan years with the District and retired in 2004. Resident Office until the mid-1990s. BUILDING STRONG ®