Japanese American Veterans Association JAVA ADVOCATE January 2010 Volume XVI1—Issue 4 Inside this issue: JAVA active on Veterans Day at White House, President’s Message 2 Arlington Cemetery, and JA Memorial in DC Vets health care bill signing 3 [Full press release at www.javadc.org] the Veterans Day National Committee JAVA testimony at Congress (VDNC), a Department of Veterans Affairs WASHINGTON — JAVA participated in Library of Congress and 4 entity which coordinates the national Veter- Smithsonian programs two events on Veterans Day, November 11, ans Day programs, JAVA President Robert 2009. The first event honored vegterans [continued at Veterans Day on page 4] Texans reunited after 65 5 past and present. years The second event honored the 360 FFNV hosts Vegas reunion 6 thousand Asian JAVA Oct quarterly lunch Pacific American State of the VA message 7 veterans, includ- HISTORY projects with JAVA ing an estimated 60 thousand Highlights from DVA 8 Japanese Ameri- Roy Matsumoto Day cans, who have Pearl Harbor Day 9 served in the US Pres Obama mentions JAVA armed forces. Meet the Generals, Admirals 10 By virtue of its In the White House East Room, L-R: Christine Sato-Yamazaki; Robert Naka- membership in moto; BG Bert Mizusawa; MG William M. Matz, Jr, USA (Ret), President and Hawaii veterans organiza- 11 CEO of National Association for Uniformed Services. (Christine Sato-Yamazaki) tions consensus Japan Ambassador reception 12 Library of Congress program Sec Shinseki keynote speaker at JAVA winter Other Veterans organizations 13 Courage Honor Patriotism luncheon, will receive JAVA’s highest award award description FALLS CHURCH, Vir. – General Eric K. Shinseki, Executive Director’s report 14 Secretary of Department of Veterans Affairs, has Membership dues reminder accepted JAVA’s invitation to attend its winter Welcome new members luncheon on January 16 2010 in Falls Church, Vir- ginia. On that occasion, Secretary Shinseki will re- Dr. Robinson luncheon 15 ceive JAVA’s highest award, COURAGE, HONOR, BG Caravalho luncheon PATRIOTISM, for his outstanding contribution to VADM Harris takes com- 16 the US Army and to the Department of Veterans mand of 6th Fleet Affairs. As the keynote speaker, he will discuss the VADM Harris visits Seattle status at the Veterans Affairs and its direction in the coming years. JAVA Speakers Bureau 17 A graduate of the Military Academy at West Point Taps 18 and twice wounded in the Vietnam War, General Shinseki’s Army career advanced steadily to be ap- From the Editor 19 pointed as the 34th Chief of Staff of the US Army, a Membership application position also held by General George C. Marshall General Eric Shinseki awarding Presi- and General Dwight D. Eisenhower. dential Unit Citation to COL Marvin JAVA Contact Information 20 Uratsu, USA (Ret) in San Francisco. Upcoming Events [continued at Shinseki on page 3] (Courtesy of Lloyd Kurihara) PAGE 2 JAVA ADVOCATE JANUARY 2010 I wish to offer congratulations to Am- asked to present an oral testimony. President’s Message bassador Fujisaki for inviting, for the JAVA has presented written testi- first time ever, the entire Japanese monies to the US Congress, but not I hope 2009 was a American community in the WDC area oral. great year for you and to his Residence and thank Irene Hirano 2010 will bring you Inouye and Dr. Craig Uchida, who rep- Please be assured that JAVA, a continued success, resented the Japanese American com- strictly volunteer organization, re- good health and good munity in this endeavor. JAVA sup- mains a strong and viable organiza- fortune. ports the Ambassador’s efforts to reach tion. During the year we have added 43 new members, 18 of whom JAVA continued to out to the Japanese American commu- elected to be life members. This make productive gains in the past nity to build strong relations between tells me of your confidence in JAVA. three months in the areas of (1) edu- the government and people of Japan We are in excellent financial condi- cation, to publicize the Japanese and the Japanese Americans. Congratu- tion and will end the year in better American experience during WW II lations also to Vice Admiral Harry Har- shape than we started. We will offer and the impact of this experience on ris, USN, for his assumption of duties as more scholarships in 2010 than we future generation of Japanese Ameri- Commander of the US 6th Fleet in did in 2009. We are always seeking cans, and (2) name recognition for Naples, Italy, and to the NJAMF for its volunteers for the many projects we JAVA. In addition to schools and col- enormously successful reunion of WW II have, so please contact any board leges, JAVA speakers appeared twice veterans in Houston, Texas. member if you have some spare on THE HISTORY channel’s nation- 2009 was a banner year for JAVA in time. wide broadcasts. COL Jimmie terms of promoting our programs. I Kanaya, USA (Ret) was featured in recommend you read carefully the sum- Thank you for your support and con- HISTORY’S ten-series documentary mary of Executive Director’s 2009 An- fidence in JAVA. on WW II. Executive Director was a nual Report [story on page 14]. His full member of the HISTORY panel to —Bob Nakamoto report was circulated via the Round discuss Oral History which was broad- Robin, the twice weekly electronic bulle- cast live to 200,000 students nation- tin. wide. JAVA members were invited to Honorary Chairs the White House on four occasions: (1) We are developing two significant Senator Daniel K. Akaka, U.S. Senate President Obama signing of the Veter- events in the next quarter. In just a few Senator Daniel K. Inouye, U.S. Senate ans Health Care Budget Reform and days on January 16, Secretary of Veter- Transparency Act, (2) breakfast on The Honorable Norman Y. Mineta ans Affairs Eric Shinseki will partici- Barney Hajiro, Medal of Honor Veterans Day with President and pate in JAVA’s quarterly lunch, when Hershey H. Miyamura, Medal of Honor Mrs. Obama and Vice President and he will receive JAVA’s COURAGE, Mrs. Biden, (3) the year end reception, HONOR, PATRIOTISM Award. Also, George Joe Sakato, Medal of Honor and (4) President Obama signing an the Chairman of the House of Represen- executive order to re-establish the tatives Committee on Veterans Affairs, Officers White House Committee on Asian Bob Filner, has invited JAVA to attend Robert Nakamoto, President Pacific Islands Americans during a roundtable conference to discuss veter- Bruce Hollywood, Col, USAF (Ret), which occasion the President, in his ans issues. In addition to submitting a Vice President remarks, recognized the 442nd RCT written testimony on issues affecting Michael Yaguchi, Lt Col, USAF (Ret), and mentioned JAVA and its Execu- Asian Pacific Americans, we were also Secretary tive Director. Earl Takeguchi, LTC, USA (Ret), President Bob Naka- Treasurer moto (left) and Secre- tary Eric Shinseki at Board of Directors the Veterans Affairs Above Officers plus: reception for veterans Grant Ichikawa service organization Bert Mizusawa, BG, USAR officials on December Calvin Ninomiya 16, 2009, at Secretary Terry Shima, Executive Director Shinseki's office in Kay Wakatake, MAJ, USA Washington, DC. William Houston, JAVA will present Sec. Deputy Executive Director Shinseki the Courage, Gerald Yamada, General Counsel Honor, Patriotism Award; description of Reuben Yoshikawa award on page 13. (Department of Veter- JAVA ADVOCATE ans Affairs photo) Akio Konoshima, Editor Emeritus Kay Wakatake, MAJ, USA, Editor JANUARY 2010 JAVA ADVOCATE PAGE 3 JAVA officials invited to signing of Veterans health care bill By Gerald Yamada, Esq. THE WHITE HOUSE — Robert Nakamoto, President of fulfilling that promise and I'm going to sign it into law.” JAVA, and Gerald Yamada, JAVA General Counsel, were invited to the White House on October 22, 2009, to wit- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Daniel Akaka ness the signing ceremony of the Veterans Health Care were among the Members of Congress recognized by the Budget Reform and Transparency Act. This landmark President as leading the fight for passage of this legisla- legislation fundamentally reforms how health care for our tion. The President also thanked VA Secretary Eric Shin- veterans is funded. seki for his efforts in building a 21st century VA. The purpose of this Act is to provide appropriations for veterans’ medical care a year in advance. With advance appropriations, the VA will have more time to budget, to recruit high-quality professionals, and to invest in new health care equipment for VA hospitals and clinics. President Obama said that he takes special pride in this legislation because “as a senator I was a proud co-sponsor of this legislation. I served on the Veterans Affairs Com- mittee. In the campaign last year, you all remember, I made a promise to pass it. And today as President, I'm Above: Ranger Roy Matsumoto and wife Kimiko. HOR invites JAVA to represent APA veterans Capitol Hill, Washington, DC. Above: President Obama signs Veterans Health Care Budget Re- form and Transparency Act in the presence of VA Secretary Shin- Congressman Bob Filner, Chair- seki and Speaker Pelosi, Senator Akaka, and other Members of man of the House of Representa- Congress. (Gerald Yamada) tives Committee on Veterans Af- fairs, has invited JAVA to partici- pate in a roundtable discussion of veterans issues at Capitol Hill on January 20, 2010. JAVA plans to Shinseki (from page 1) provide oral testimony based on General Shinseki’s innovations for modern warfare, ques- suggestions presented by Asian tioned by a segment of the Army, applied in the Iraq and Pacific American veterans and Afghanistan Wars, confirmed the correctness of his judg- veterans organizations nation- ment.