INSIDE INFO

USO OKINAWA STAFF SPOTLIGHT

PAGE 2

KADENA VOLUNTEERS TEAM UP WITH

RED CROSS IN SAIPANPAGE 3

KeramashotoNational Park

Simply a piece of paradisePages 4-5

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Courtesy photo

BY STAFF SGT. JESSICA SMITH, 18TH WING

KADENA AIR BASE – Two aircraft recovery airmen from the 18th Equipment Maintenance Squadron put out a local sugar mill fire Jan 11, 2019 in Uruma, Ja-pan.

On their way to dinner, Tech. Sgt. Argo Cesareo and Senior Airman Justin Kannenberg noticed smoke com-ing from a building on the opposite side of the four-lane road. Alarmed, but unable to tell what exactly it was, they kept an eye on the building until it was closer in view.

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Max D. Lederer Jr.Publisher

Lt. Col. Richard E. McClinticCommander

Joshua M LashbrookChief of Staff

Michael DavidsonRevenue Director

Chris VeriganEngagement Director

Marie WoodsPublishing and Media Design Director

Chris CarlsonPublishing and Media Design Manager

Kentaro ShimuraProduction Manager

Rie MiyoshiEngagement Manager

Scott WheelerOkinawa Area Manager

Denisse RaudaPublishing and Media Design Editor

Publishing and Media Design WritersChiHon KimShoji Kudaka

Takahiro Takiguchi

Layout DesignersAyako KamioYukiyo Oda

Yuko OkazakiKayoko Shimoda

Multimedia Consultants Max Genao Doug Johnson Jason Lee Hans Simpson Chae Pang Yi Gianni Youn

Robert Zuckerman

Graphic Designers Kenichi Ogasawara Yosuke Tsuji

Sales Support Kazumi Hasegawa Hiromi Isa Ichiro Katayanagi Yoko Noro Yoichi Okazaki Yusuke Sato Chae Yon Son Saori Tamanaha

NAME: Yoneko Tamanaha POSITION/TITLE: Center Operations SpecialistTIME WORKED AT USO: June 9th, 2003 - PresentCENTER/OFFICE LOCATION: USO Futenma

About Yoneko: Ms. Yoneko Tamanaha was born and

raised here in Okinawa. She has been with USO Futenma since June 2003 support-ing Marines, sailors, and families. Yoneko enjoys coming in everyday and provid-ing a home away from home for everyone that walks through the doors. Her passion to support the community of the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is inspiring for everyone on the USO Futenma team.

Her hobbies include spending time with family as well as dancing. A fun fact about her is that pri-or to coming aboard with the USO she was a profes-sional compe-tition dancer! As well, Yo-neko enjoys traveling and from 1978 - 1979 she conducted a trip around the world visit-ing 60 countries.

Q. Why do you love working at the USO?

A. The young Marines & Sailors are here and so far away from their

home, and I enjoy taking care of them until

it’s time for them to go home.

Q. What is your favorite memory of working at

the USO?

A. One our old USO volunteers re-turned to Okinawa and came to

visit me, and I found out that they’re now married and that they have a baby.

– William Stanley, USO Okinawa

USO Okinawa staff spotlight

STRIPES OKINAWA 3MARCH 21 − MARCH 27, 2019 A STARS AND STRIPES COMMUNITY PUBLICATION

If you lived in the Pacific dur-ing the summer of 2018, one word probably comes to mind

- Typhoons. During last year’s storm season, the Pacific islands were tormented by what felt like typhoon after typhoon. In Octo-ber, while residents and military personnel on Okinawa were still reeling from the devastation left by Typhoon Trami and later Ty-phoon Kong-Rey, another small Pacific island was bracing for im-pact. Super Typhoon Yutu made landfall over Saipan on Sunday, October 25th, and was recorded as the strongest typhoon to pass over the island.

The island of Saipan is part of the Northern Mariana Is-land chain. Measuring 14 miles (23 km) long and 5 miles (8km) across at its widest point, this small island was no match for Typhoon Yutu. The Category 5 cyclone flattened houses and left thousands without power for weeks. Despite the destruction, the people of Saipan remained resilient.

Meanwhile, on Okinawa, Marc Acosta, Matthew Douthit, and De’Quinn Cooper were pre-paring for an imminent disaster deployment to the small island. In order to deploy, the Red Cross volunteers used personal leave - knowing the valuable impact they would have on the small island’s community. These vol-unteers are all members of the Kadena Station Disaster Action Team.

Leveraging their military ex-perience, these Red Cross vol-unteers led distribution efforts on Saipan. From assembling re-lief kits, delivering the kits from house-to-house, and managing the challenging logistics of this operation, the three worked like a “well-oiled machine.”

Douthit, a Senior Airman in the 18th Munitions Squadron, focused on best practices to en-sure effective distribution of

materials in the stressful envi-ronment; one example is how they placed items in a staging area to allow for forklift access.

With an additional focus on logistics and operational risk management (ORM), the volun-teers from Kadena continued to improve relief processes. Cooper relied on his prior military expe-rience as well. “The unique thing about my job in the military was being part of a squadron based on contingency readiness - disas-ter interment, food preparation, distribution. We were trained to be fully operational in the event of an emergency. And those were principles I applied while in Saipan,” he said.

Like Douthit and Cooper, Acosta’s military experience brought value to the relief efforts in Saipan. Acosta, a Staff Ser-geant in the 18 EMS, reflected on previous readiness training as well as communication and leadership skills. “A part of your readiness is being resilient and being able to adapt,” he recalled, “Sometimes you are on the spot, and you have to make a decision quickly on how to proceed.”

The teams faced several challenges during their time in Saipan. Downed power lines, hot and humid conditions, coupled with logistical challenges all led to a stressful environment at times. Employing ORM, the team weighed risks and opportu-nities, which allowed them to be successful while also ensuring the safety of everyone involved.

Acosta, Douthit, and Coo-per made up one of five teams that distributed goods to those affected by the storm. They worked between 9-14 hours per day, reaching 300-400 homes - providing food, water, hygiene kits and comforting gifts to small children.

In one instance, the team no-ticed a metal sign asking the Red Cross and FEMA for help. “We

BY BETHANY KIRK,AMERICAN RED CROSS

Lending a handin Saipan

Matthew Douthit, David Hormaza, Marc Acosta and De’Quinn Cooper deployed to Saipan to provide disaster relief after Typhoon Yutu. Courtesy photo

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A s an island nation that itself is subdi-vided into smaller and smaller islands across the archipelago, Japan lends it-

self well to being understood as a series of self-contained cultures within cultures, all bound together strongly, which only accentuates their differences. Nowhere is this perhaps more evi-dent than on the far-flung southern islands some forty kilometres west of the Okinawan islands towards the very end of the archipelago where we find Keramashoto National Park. On one hand the tropical climate, pure white beaches, and deep blue waters are difficult to pair with the mainland to some degree, but on the other hand in the twisting trees and familiar flowers, nature never lets you forget that you are in Japan. Like-wise in the warm Japanese omotenashi welcome you are assured, the distinct island culture be-comes all the more apparent.

Located some forty kilometres off Okinawa,

archipelago. Your odds of seeing at least a couple are remarkably high, and the thrill of the chase as you leave harbour looking out for signs of the humpback whales’ blow on the horizis infectious, and the momcatch sight of a magnificenant appearing fluke up from

beyond that, and clustered at each port are a satisfying number of inns and friendly res-taurants ready to invite you into the wel-coming community-led island culture. The inns offer local food, can also help schedule activities on the is-land and offer recommendations, offering a pleasant alternative to conventional hotels in keep-ing with the unspoilt islands of Kerama entirely free of high-rise developments.

When you are ready to ven-ture out from the island villages, the top priority for most visitors

is the whale watching that can be enjoyed from many lo-

cations, including the Za-mami Whale Watching As-

sociation that also includes an information centre for those wanting to learn more be-fore they take to the seas. Between the months of December to April, which while technically winter are still pleasantly warm,

the seas around Kerama islands positively teem with

whales in the mating season as they migrate from seas to

the far north down to the Japanese

whether you arrive by ferry, speedboat or char-tered helicopter, the collection of islands that forms Kerama feels instantly a world apart from the relatively developed island of Okinawa. Granted protected national park status as of 2014, the vast majority of Kerama is guaranteed to stay in its pristine form, all in addition to the ongoing efforts of local people to gather any de-tritus that washes on its fair shores.

On arrival it is easy to see where this pride comes from as no-matter the season the waters of each harbour and cove sing blue, running

from palest turquoise through ceru-lean and deepest blue no-matter the season. Indeed, that moment when you shift from looking at the island paradises from a distance as you make

your approach, to the one when you land and are suddenly looking out at the seas from the island vantage point is a profound shift in mental-ity and one that sticks with you throughout your stay on the Kerama islands.

Ferries stop at the larg-er Kerama islands of To-kashiki, Zamami and Aka,

with many many smaller is-lands waiting to be explored

JAPAN TRAVEL

Keramashoto National ParkDiscover a Japanese island nature paradise ringed by piercing blue seas

STRIPES OKINAWA 5MARCH 21 − MARCH 27, 2019 A STARS AND STRIPES COMMUNITY PUBLICATION

zon ment you

nt thirty tonne gi-m the blue waters is

unforgettable. Furthermore some ships are equipped with underwater micro-phones so you can listen to the whale song for an ex-perience as close as you can possibly get to these remarkable creatures without encroaching on

their habitat.Beyond the seas, the is-

lands themselves offer a huge variety of potential walk-

ing routes, taking in the coast to mountainous peaks, all within sight

and earshot of the blue oceans that sur-round you. Guided nature trails abound, and

there are also Nordic walking options for those wanting a trek with a difference. From the is-lands’ piercing Kerama azalea and winter cher-ry, and calls of birds overhead, the islands really are a paradise for nature enthusiasts, while also offering a stimulating walk through varied and verdant pastures for those who just want to relax and take it all in.

Of course, that is to say nothing of the scen-ery that alternates between one pristine beach after another, interrupted only by craggy cliffs that tell tales of the earth’s shifting activity, and submerged shorelines where the vegetation sits by the seas. Whale watching can also be enjoyed from the comfort of land on observation decks

such as those at Teruyama and Inazaki, and for those wanting to learn more about the history of the islands there exists Peace Monuments on Zanami as part of the Takatsukiyama Observa-tion Deck trail built in the hope that the peace that the islands now enjoy will exist indefinitely.

For those looking for more activity there is SUP boarding and other water sports available across the island, and for an experience that truly speaks of island paradise why not consider SUP boarding at Tokashiku beach at dusk as the sky is painted red as the sun finally sinks into the gentle ocean. If you wish to get in the water, then experienced divers will be in their element with sweeping coral diving routes that take in table, branch and horned coral, in pure trans-parent seas. Even beginners can enjoy reefs and sea-life near the beach with snorkelling trips, with hawksbill and green turtles a surprisingly common sight, and one that is breathtaking in person.

After all that there is nothing more satisfy-ing than to relax by a barbecue and let the seas serve up exquisite seasonal fish to be as the stars shine down on you overhead.

For a paradise island experience where it is the nature of the island that is brought to the fore, make Keramashoto National Park your next destination. No matter the season you are guaranteed an idyllic experience that shines light on a Japanese way of life that few who make it beyond the mainland are party to.

Zamami Village (Zamami Island, Aka Island, Geruma Island)

URL: http://www.vill.zamami.okinawa.jp/info/language.html

Tourist activitiesZamami Tourist Information

TEL: 098-987-2277 E-MAIL: zamami-k@kankou.vill.zamami.okinawa.jp

TEL: 098-896-4141 (from Dec. to Apr.) E-MAIL: zwwa1991@gmail.com URL: http://zwwa.okinawa/englishinfomation

Tokashiki Village (Tokashiki Island)

department) E-MAIL: kankou@vill.tokashiki.okinawa.jp URL: http://www.vill.tokashiki.okinawa.jp

Tourist activitiesNature walking, nature hiking, BBQ, night tour,

E-MAIL: sunny.325.coral@gmail.com

E-MAIL: info@acousticlife-tokashiki.com

Island trip (Swimming with sea turtles) E-MAIL: islands-trip@oki-tokashiki.jp

THINGS TO DO

A STARS AND STRIPES COMMUNITY PUBLICATION MARCH 21 − MARCH 27, 20196 STRIPES OKINAWA

“It looked concerning but I wasn’t sure what it was, so I kept an eye on it. As we were passing the building, I could see flames coming up the backside of the building, so I told Kannenberg – who was driving – ‘That’s a fire, we’ve got to turn around,’” Ce-sareo said.

At the next possible spot, the airmen made a U-turn and pulled into an apartment complex park-ing lot next to the flaming build-ing. Kannenberg laid on his horn to alert anybody that may have been inside the apartment build-ings while Cesareo dialed 119 for help. Despite the language bar-rier they were able to get help on the way.

“There was an elderly woman, she didn’t speak any English and I don’t speak any Japanese, so she didn’t understand what I was trying to say, but one of her neighbors came out and I handed her the phone and pointed to the fire and she got the idea,” Cesareo explained.

Once the neighbor was on the phone with emergency services, Kannenberg found a garden hose and threw it over the fence sepa-rating the sugar mill from the apartment complex.

“It was like 70 or 80 feet for-tunately, so I ran and turned the water on and ran to where the fire was and started spraying from fairly far away,” he said.

“When the flames started to die down, I got a little bit closer.”

After spotting another hose, Cesareo was able to help Kan-nenberg extinguish the flames.

With smoke billowing from under the doorway and all ways of entry locked, the Airmen con-templated what to do next.

“We thought about kicking down the door to see if there was

anybody inside, but I was wor-ried about the backdraft,” Ce-sareo said. “I knew if we opened another window or door, the whole thing would go up.”

As locals watched on, the airmen used their fire-fighting training as aircraft mechanics – although a building fire and air-craft fire are very different – to do the best they could until help arrived.

“I was pretty focused; I wasn’t really concerned about anything other than just trying to get the fire to stop,” expressed Kannen-berg, “That was the only thing that really mattered at the time.”

By the time the fire depart-ment showed up, Cesareo and

Kannenberg had managed to extin-guish all the flames, leaving only burn-ing embers inside the building.

The Uruma emergency ser-vices were able to clear the scene and confirm the sugar mill was, in fact, empty.

Because of their Air Force training the airmen were able to quickly take action and make de-cisions without hesitating. Their courageous actions not only pre-vented the fire from possibly spreading, but also gained the respect of the local community.

The Uruma City Police held a recognition ceremony to show their gratitude and present the Airmen with Letters of Appre-ciation. Both Cesareo and Kan-nenberg were appreciative of the opportunity to be recognized for their actions and to build a bond with local community.

“I thought it was a really cool experience,” Cesareo said. “The police department and everyone we interacted with seemed very sincere and grateful and we felt grateful for their hospitality.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

AIRMAN: Taking action without hesitation

put two and two together and decided to explore the path,” recalled Cooper. The path ulti-mately led to about 15 residents, all of whom required medical at-tention. The team was able to get them the help they needed and returned a second time to bring additional supplies.

“The residents were incred-ibly grateful for the Red Cross’s presence in Saipan,” recalls Douthit. Even more, their will-ingness to help each other during this time in need was contagious. A group of youth volunteers also

joined the Red Cross to assist with distribution and relief ef-forts.

For the Kadena volunteers, this deployment to Saipan was a rewarding experience, and they all hope to return to this is-land in the future. Reflecting on their interactions with those af-fected, it is clear that both par-ties had influence on each other. While the Red Cross provided relief, the people of Saipan gra-ciously accepted the assistance and in return were welcoming hosts to the volunteers. Douthit explained,“They show that unity still exists in times of hardship.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

SAIPAN: Making a difference as volunteers

Stripes Okinawa is A Stars and Stripes Community Publication. This newspaper is authorized for publication by the Department of Defense for members of the military services overseas. However, the contents of Stripes Okinawa are unofficial, and are not to be considered as the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, including the Department of Defense or the U.S. Pacific Command. As a DOD newspaper, Stripes Okinawa may be distributed through official channels and use appropriated funds for distribution

to remote and isolated locations where overseas DOD personnel are located. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement of those products by the Department of Defense or Stars and Stripes. Products or services advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron.

“I wasn’t really concerned about anything other

than just trying to get the fire

to stop.”

– Senior Airman Justin Kannenberg

STRIPES OKINAWA 7MARCH 21 − MARCH 27, 2019 A STARS AND STRIPES COMMUNITY PUBLICATION

ACROSS1 Turner of

"Peyton Place"5 Mayberry boy9 Loses steam

14 Like some twins15 Something to

pop16 Give or take17 "Yesterday",

"Today", or "Tomorrow"

18 Trail activity19 Arctic diving bird20 Make better, as

a deal22 Swimmer's kick24 Sailor's bed26 Anxiety27 Cause for alarm30 ____ of bad

news32 Area under

dispute34 Messy dresser38 Royal flush card DOWN 31 2016 film about 49 Studies all night39 Shake up 1 Not as much a WWII assassi- 50 Allow entry41 Hail to Caesar 2 Confess nation operation 51 Old World lizard42 What hot dogs 3 Opening time, 33 Mall tenants 53 Metallic-

do? maybe 35 Wash up sounding44 Truthful 4 Math course 36 Part of OTC 55 "No problem!"46 Nine-to-fiver 5 Brownish yellow 37 Boxing prize 57 Golfer's cry48 Wield, as 6 One way to ask 40 Put in office 58 Operating

influence a question 43 Drum majorette system49 Actress Foy of 7 Aggravate 45 Museum offering 59 For fear that

"First Man" 8 Barely gets, 47 End of a threat 62 Crash site?52 Gunslinger's with "out"

mark 9 Feast's opposite54 Go back 10 Addicts, e.g.56 Lamentable 11 Backs, in 60 In the least anatomy class61 Familiar with 12 Continental 63 Treat for Fido money64 Some street 13 Cubic meter

performers 21 Winter temps, 65 Drought ender perhaps66 Van Gogh 23 Turn bad, as milk

flower 25 Cheer67 Trapping device 27 Become 68 Singer Arnold unhinged69 Modern 28 Cola lead-in

message 29 "I'll second that!"

The Weekly Crossword by Margie E. Burke

Copyright 2019 by The Puzzle Syndicate

Answers to Last Week’s Crossword:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16

17 18 19

20 21 22 23

24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31

32 33 34 35 36 37

38 39 40 41

42 43 44 45

46 47 48

49 50 51 52 53

54 55 56 57 58 59

60 61 62 63

64 65 66

67 68 69

B E H E A D R A V A G ER E V O L V E E L E G A N TE L A T I O N M O S E L L EW A S T W I N S E T L A NA B I D E E E L S P A R DR O V E C R E E T I N G ED R E A M Y D E F E C T E D

N E A T P A R AI N F E R N A L I N S I D EM O I R E L E A L S M O GP U N Y D E A D G O I N GE R E S U N D I A L T A ID I S S E N T P L A C A T EE S S E N C E I G N I T E R

H E A T E D C A D R E S

DID YOUKNOW?

Language Lesson

Kanji of the week

W ith a first prize of 1 billion yen ($9 million) per unit, Jumbo Draws, start selling one month before

the drawing. Among public lottery shops throughout the nation, the Nishi Ginza Chance Center near JR Yurakucho Sta-tion in Tokyo is one of the most popular shops. Its left-most “Counter One” has produced 490 first-prize winners, 78.3 bil-lion yen of winnings over the last 30 years and is considered a sanctuary for lottery enthusiasts.

Hama/Hin (Beach)

How are you?

Genki desuka?

Stripes Sports Trivia

Answer

The NFL record for sacks in a single game is seven. Yes, seven sacks, one guy. Which Hall of Fame linebacker, who was tragically killed after a car crash in 2000, holds this untouchable record?

Derrick ThomasAnswers to Last Week’s Sudoku:

A STARS AND STRIPES COMMUNITY PUBLICATION MARCH 21 − MARCH 27, 20198 STRIPES OKINAWA

easy-going physical activities on the lake, as well. Aside from the boat ride, visitors can take a 45-minute stand-up paddleboarding tour (SUP). For a beginner like me, this was a good opportunity to test my balance, which isn’t good thanks to a lack of exercise. After a setting foot on a paddle board, it was slow going for me, but cruising side-by-side with water striders and seeing people waive from ashore helped me get going.

Even without any knowledge of the paddleboarding ba-sics, I managed to stay on the board through the 1km route, thanks to the calm water.

For experienced SUP boarders, this will be an easy ride. Unlike the ocean, there are no big waves or strong

winds to challenge adventurous minds. However, cruising on the unruffled water while enjoying interesting Okinawan nature is a unique expe-

rience that’s hard to find elsewhere.

Water buffalo cartBios on the Hill has a lot going on

ashore, as well. On a grass field called “Ashibiuna,” visitors can interact with animals native to the island.

Among the activities, you can take a goat for a walk, feed chickens or walk with the famous “Agu” pig if you are lucky.

One highlight is the water buffalo cart ride. Water buffaloes are recognized as a means of transportation and also as a

popular attraction at some tourist spots in Okinawa. The animal is used to tour a traditional

village, or used to cross ocean to get to a remote island. At Bios on the Hill, a ride on a water buffalo cart

gives visitors the opportunity to experience the intelli-gence of the bovine. Throughout the ride, passengers wit-ness a water buffalo precisely follow instructions given by a driver, or make its own decisions to stop to avoid danger.

At one point, kids are handed the leash and given an op-portunity to lead the buffalo. If the kids stopped and the driver said nothing, the buffalo would still keep on going, but the smart animal knew to stop on its own before collid-

ing with the kids. At the end of the tour, kids were given a chance to ride on the back of the huge animal and take photos.

Slow and peaceful may not appeal to some thrill-seeker, but the relaxing form of entertainment this sub-tropical garden offers is filled with moments

that are to be long remembered. kudaka.shoji@stripes.com

B ios on the Hill is not a theme park with speed and thrill. Instead, this sub-tropical forest offers a qui-et and peaceful form of entertainment. Fitting for

an experience found on Okinawa.At Bios on the Hill a variety of attractions are setup to

let visitors experience and touch the island’s wildlife. Just like a traditional Japanese garden subtly incorpo-

rates nature and exhibits its beauty, Bios on the Hill care-fully presents Okinawan nature, and lets visitors safely experience various aspects of it.

Pond of DragonUfutachi Gomoi, or “pond of a large drag-

on,” is a lake that takes up almost half of the entire park. The name came from the shape of the lake which looks like a dragon when seen from above.

Visitors can tour this 1km around lake by tak-ing a 25-minute boat ride. Throughout the trip, tour guides brief visitors on the unique plants and creatures or Okinawan culture pre-sented along the way.

Interesting plants that dot the shore-line include trees with snake scales patterns, plants whose flowers that look like sausages or orchids that smell just like chocolate.

Plus, two water buffaloes wel-come the boat at one corner of the lake. At another spot, a lady in a classic Oki-nawan attire performs a dance on a ship docked by a shore. Commentary is provided in English through speakers with Okinawan mu-sic as background music. The slow tempo of the music and elegant dance moves set a very relaxing tone for the tour.

Just a 30-minute drive away from Kadena Air Base, many families from the on-base community visit Bios.

Michelle Pimentel, whose husband is stationed on Camp Foster, is one of them.

“It’s very nice, and beautiful, and we enjoy finding a little more about Okinawa,” says the mother

who took the boat ride with her children. “[The slow speed and quiet mood] defi-

nitely suits us.”

Stand up paddle boardingThe slow quiet mood also allows for some

STORY AND PHOTOS BY SHOJI KUDAKA,STRIPES OKINAWA

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A peaceful adventure on Okinawan waters

Bios on the HillWHERE: 961-30 Ishikawa-kadekaru, Uruma city, Okinawa HOURS: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. (open all year round)TEL: 098-965-3400URL: https://www.bios-hill.co.jp/en/EMAIL: k-eigyou@bios-hill.co.jpADMISSION: 900 yen for adults, 500 for childrenBOAT TOUR: 800 yen for adults, 500 for childrenWATER BUFFALO CART: 900 yen for adults, 600 for childrenSTANDUP PADDLE BOARD/BOAT: 3,000 yen (must be 13 or older) CANOE RIDE: 1,500 yen for adults, 800 for children

+81 (3) 5441-9800