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Inside the Year-in-Review Issue:- Bon Odori and SpringFest - Squadron and Flightline Ops

- Navy Ball and Liberty Trips

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Public Affairs OfficerHoward Samuelson

Assistant Public Affairs Officer and

Leading Petty Officer MC1(SW/AW)

Barry Riley

EditorMC3 Ryan G. Greene

Skywriter StaffMC2 Kegan E. Kay

MC3 Ryan G. Greene

Host Nation Relations Masako TakakuraSumie Maruyama

Ikumi Tanaka

WebmasterNoriko Yamazaki

ContributorsMWR Marketing Fleet and Family Support Center

Commissary Public Affairs

Navy Exchange Public AffairsNAF Atsugi

Tenant Commands

What’s Inside...

Let's Learn Nihongo

Summiting Fuji, Liberty

The Airwing Returns Starting on page 20

NAFA Summer FestivalsStarting on page 12

ON THE COVERThe annual Christmas

Tree is lit during the 50th annual tree lighting ceremony held aboard Naval Air Facility Atsugi. The celebration kicks off the holiday season aboard the installation.

Excuse me. I lost my bag.Suimasen. Kaban o nakushite shimai mashita.

What color was it?Nani iro desu ka?

It was black.Kuro desu.

It had a CD player in it. CD pereuiya ga haitte imashita.

The NAFAtsugi Spolight

On this special edition of the NAF Atsugi Captain’s Call, Pacific Fleet, Fleet Master Chief Marco Ramirez brings you the latest news and updates from Atsugi. Be sure to check out the second part of Captain’s Call when Fleet answers your questions.

Starting on page 18

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As we approach the holidays, I would like to wish the readers of the Skywriter and everyone onboard NAF Atsugi a happy, safe and memorable holiday season! As you will read inside this special “Year-End” Holiday Edition of the Skywriter, we all have reason to be proud of another successful year supporting the warfighters on the flight line, the flight deck and everyone operating forward.

Meanwhile, throughout 2014 – even as we bid farewell to our squadrons earlier this year, supported them in their absence and welcomed them home last month – NAF Atsugi’s team of professionals in every department ensured the continued flow of services throughout the year. I know many of you will recall many of the command’s most memorable moments captured by our great team of journalists, some of which are recaptured within the pages of this Skywriter. But I think we should all celebrate the day-to-day, 24/7, behind-the-scenes work by our departments that ensured we fulfilled our mission and continued to provide a safe and secure environment for our Sailors and their families. When you combine these operations: delivering crucial logistics and coordination support to our squadrons and tenant commands while providing quality of life for all our Sailors and families here on base, every one of our NAF Atsugi professionals have earned a well-deserved “BZ” for a year of great service and support.

Finally, as guests here in Japan – whether Sailors or family members – let me take this end-of-year opportunity to repeat how important it is we recognize and appreciate our role as Ambassadors of good will and friendship while residing in Japan. Upon assuming command, I was immediately gratified by the many stories of Sailors and families who are proud to serve in Japan, touring this great country and truly appreciating the people and culture. I appreciate everyone’s focus on fostering our alliance with our Host Nation, building community relationships, and dedication to serve as outstanding good-will Ambassadors of our Navy and our Nation.

Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous New Year and happy holidays!

I am happy to wish all our Sailors and their families a safe and happy holiday season. When I review the pages of this “end-of-2014” edition of the Skywriter, I am reminded of the terrific events and memorable moments that defined 2014 here onboard NAF Atsugi. All our Sailors have reason to be proud of the support they

provided our primary customers out there on the flight line, in the fleet, and everywhere onboard NAF Atsugi.While there are many events throughout the year for

which we all have reason to be proud, I would like to single out those Sailors who exemplified professionalism and leadership as our Blue Jacket, Junior, Sailor and Senior Sailors of the Quarter and the Year an let’s not forget those who were advanced. There is also another category of Sailor I’d like to

recognize – those who reach out to the community and those who are less fortunate. This is a special class of Sailor – a Sailor whose commitment to duty is matched only by their commitment to one of our greatest, oldest and most nurturing institutions: our local communities. So, to all our Sailors who aspire to leadership, I say thank

you for continuing your ascent to greater responsibility and thank you for your support to your community, no matter where our community is in the world.And – allow me to echo the Commanding Officer –

by saying thank you to all of our Sailors this year that represented our Navy and our country well while going out and visiting Japan. I know the great majority of our Sailors recognize and understand the importance of maintaining good behavior while on liberty. To these folks I say remain a good shipmate, help other

Sailors be equally good shipmates and stand ready to intervene in the future if you see a liberty situation begin to escalate toward a negative scenario. Let’s make 2015 a year of continued good will and

friendship with our Japanese and American neighbors as well as foster our professional relationships in the work place.

Holiday Wishes and New Year

Expectations

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Weapons Training

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Combatives Training

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Off-Duty: Muay Thai

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Off-Duty: Command Involvement

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Off-Duty: Command Involvement

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Community Involvement

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Community Involvement

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Naval Heritage

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All-Japan Liberty

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CAG Returns

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Flightline Ops

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Construction Junction

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