VOLUME 49 NUMBER 34 MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, JAPAN SEPTEMBER 10, 2004

INSIDE

www.iwakuni.usmc.mil

IWAKUNI WEATHERTodayT-StormsHigh: 80

SaturdayPartly CloudyHigh: 87

SundayScattered T-StormsHigh: 84

Marines help out down underMarines participating in SouthernFrontier in Australia spend a daycleaning preschool. Page 4

Vineyard yields sweet rewardThe small town of Miyoshi offersStation residents a sweet taste of Japa-nese flavor. Page 6

Marine All Weather Fighter At-tack Squadron 533 returned to Ma-rine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Sept.1, after deploying to Paya Lebar AirBase, Singapore, to participate inExercise Commando Sling.

The squadron, known as theHawks, deployed Aug. 5, taking withthem approximately 10 F/A-18Ds and100 Marines. Commando Sling is anair-to-air exercise that began with anagreement between the United Statesand Singapore in 1990. The objec-tives of the exercise are to fulfill a UScommitment for continuous presencein Singapore, and to test the long-range mobilization ability of deploy-ing US forces.

The Hawks commenced flightoperations Aug. 9, with the initialsorties dedicated to basic fightermaneuvers between single F/A-18Dsand single Republic of Singapore AirForce (RSAF) A-4/F-5/F-16. As theexercise progressed, the trainingcomplexity escalated with variousmission scenarios involving multipleaircraft in large force exercises.Squadron Air Combat Tactics In-

Hawks return fromCommando Sling

CPL. ANTHONY D. PIKE

Combat Correspondent

see HAWKS Page 5

Typhoon Songda saluted Iwakuni Tuesday with stingingrain and winds gusting up to 100 miles per hour. In her wakeshe left power outages, severe damage to several structuresaboard the Station and the battered remains of previouslywell-manicured foliage.

“Parts of several roofs were blown off,” said Petty Officer1st Class David Moore, Headquarters and HeadquartersSquadron, Station facilities maintenance chief. “Power out-ages were a problem on the South side of the Station, al-though essential facilities such as the Provost Marshal’s Of-fice and Branch Medical Clinic were able to operate on backupgenerators.

Contractors working on the IwakuniRunway Relocation Project were delayedafter finding unexploded ordnance(UXO) in the water about 250 meters ad-jacent to the relocation runway, Aug. 31and Sept. 1.

The contractors were alerted to ob-jects in the water near the site of thenew runway when one of their tools de-tected metal in the water.

“They then sent divers to check itout,” said Warrant Officer Wesley Will-iams, explosive ordnance disposal of-ficer-in-charge.

Once the items were discovered,

Unexploded ordnance found near runway projectCPL. ANTHONY D. PIKE

Combat CorrespondentEOD, provost marshal’s office, medicaland the fire department were called tothe scene along with Japanese MaritimeSelf Defense Force EOD divers fromKure.

The Japanese divers found sixunexploded rounds, according to a pressrelease from Iwakuni Maritime SafetyBase. Three were large mines and theother three were smaller mines.

Once the mines were found they weremarked and preserved underwater untilthey could be removed from the area,according to the press release.

“They do appear do be of Japaneseorigin from World War II or prior,” saidWesley. “We are not sure how they gotthere. But they were still intact. We con-

sider the worst-case scenario and weconsidered it to be armed. They havebeen removed by the JMSDF divers todispose of.”

Although Wesley is unsure of howthe mines came so close to base, he of-fers the following advice to anybodywho believes they have found UXO.

“First off, don’t touch it,” saidWesley. “You need to report this toPMO, they can make sure all the rightpeople are contacted. Provide a locationof where it is and a description of whatit looks like and about how much itwieghs. Finally mark it somehow. Thisway when EOD goes to retrieve it theycan find it without tripping on it.”

Typhoon Songda sweeps StationLANCE CPL. LYDIA DAVEY

Combat Correspondent

Staff Sgt. Mike Picklo

Marines and Sailors aboard the Station were sent cleaning after Typhoon Songda hit here reaching windspeeds of 100 miles per hour. Along with structural damage, many trees were uprooted.

“So far our two main goals have been to get the powerback up and ensure the roads are clear for emergency ve-hicles,” noted Moore.

Wednesday morning found Gunnery Sgt. Coleman Scott,H&HS, Station chief contracting officer, assessing the dam-age to his workplace: Building 163.

Broken glass, insulation materials and ceiling tiles lay insopping piles on the floor, as stacks of paperwork sop up thesmall lakes that have formed on each exposed desk.

“There’s 10-feet of sunlight coming through the ceiling,”pointed Scott.

“Right now we’re making initial assessments – we’re ba-

see TYPHOON Page 5

Commanding Officer/Publisher

Col. Michael A. Dyer

Public Affairs OfficerCapt. Stewart T. Upton

Public Affairs ChiefMaster Sgt. Lesli J. Coakley

Press ChiefCpl. Anthony D. Pike

Operations ChiefLance Cpl. David Revere

Combat CorrespondentsCpl. Robert W. Wynkoop

Cpl. Dave BoniLance Cpl. Ruben D. Calderon

Lance Cpl. Lydia Davey

Information/EditorialSpecialist

Yukiko Mitsui

“This weekly newspaper is anauthorized publication for membersof the military services stationedoverseas and their families. Its con-tents do not necessarily reflect theofficial views of the U.S. Govern-ment, the Department of Defenseor the U.S. Marine Corps, and doesnot imply endorsement thereof.”

Editorial content is edited, pre-pared and provided by the PublicAffairs Office of Marine Corps AirStation Iwakuni, Japan.

All queries concerning newsand editorial content should be di-rected to the Public Affairs Office,Building one, Room 216, MCASIwakuni, Japan. Call 253-5551.

PSC 561 Box 1868FPO AP 96310-0029

Phone 253-5551Fax 253-5554

NEWS BRIEFSIWAKUNI M ILITARY RETIREE

ASSOCIATION

The Iwakuni Military Retiree Associationwill hold its monthly meeting for Septemberat Kintai Bridge during the picnic to be heldthere on Sunday, Sept. 12, 12:30 p.m. Forupdated news about the retirees at Iwakuni,visit their web page at http://www.c-able.ne.jp/~abh.

SEALED BID SALE

Defense Reutilization and MarketingOffice Iwakuni’s next local sealed bid salewill start Sept. 20. Property on sale can andshould be inspected at DRMO, Sept. 20-22. Make sure to inspect the property priorto bidding. Bid must be received no laterthan Sept. 23, 8 a.m. Property on saleincludes furniture, computer equipment,military clothing, exersise equipment, photoequipment. Call 253-3982 or 253-4089 fordetails.

TIME FOR SMILES GIVEAWAY

Nov. 29, 12-4:30 p.m. (or until toys runout). Santa will give away 800 toys to theStation children up to 12 years old near theCrossroads Amphitheater. Santa askschildren to save their Boys & Girls ClubTime For Smiles gifts to open on ChristmasDay. Toys are a courtesy of Toys ‘R’ Us.For details, contact Eugene Clark at 253-4803.

PAGE 2 OPINIONTORII TELLER, SEPTEMBER 10, 2004 NEWS PAGE 3TORII TELLER, SEPTEMBER 10, 2004

The Torii Teller wel-comes Letter to the Editorsubmissions. Letters are theopinion of the writer only.Submissions can be editedfor clarity and space. Let-ters can be dropped off atthe Public Affairs Office orsent via e-mail to pikea@iwakuni.usmc.mil.

Station residents will soon be seeing an increasein road-construction here. Several projects are in theworks, but the lengthiest and most visible project willbe the repaving of S Avenue.

S Avenue is the street that runs in front of the IronWorks Gym toward Torii Video.

From Sept. 9 to 30, one-lane traffic will be requiredon portions of the road, stated Mark Nedzbala, resi-dent engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“The construction is required as part of the under-ground utilities relocation for the runway project,” saidNedzbala. “The road has settled, and we’re going togive it a final paving to smooth things out.”

From Sept. 9 to 20, one lane will be opened on SAvenue from Building 658 (Mid-rise) to Building 330(BEQ.) Sept. 18 to 25 will find single-lane traffic fromBuilding 330 to Building 313 (BEQ.) And the finalphase of construction will run from Sept. 23 to 30,between the BEQ and IronWorks Gym.

Construction work will begin at approximately 8:30a.m. and will continue until 4:30 p.m., noted Nedzbala.

September construction slated for StationLANCE CPL. LYDIA DAVEY

Combat CorrespondentThe paving project, funded and contracted by the

Japanese government, carries an approximate cost of9,000,000 Yen, said Nedzbala.

According to an information sheet published bythe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Japan Engineer Dis-trict, Resident Office, the Marine Corps Air StationIwakuni seaport and runway relocation project is theDepartment of Defense’s largest construction projectin the world. The project is also the largest the gov-ernment of Japan has undertaken.

Highlights of the project include the Atago Moun-tain demolition, Seto Inland Sea reclamation, new sea-port buildings’ construction and the jet aircraft run-way, noted the information sheet.

Other construction work for the month of Septem-ber includes a Station road closure.

According to Nedzbala, a dead-end road west ofthe main gate will be closed from Sept. 1 to Oct. 16.The closure is necessary for the construction of a pe-rimeter spider stop barrier.

“The S Avenue work and dead-end road closureare the only construction projects slated for Septem-ber that will directly effect Station residents,” said RoyIwane, Planning Facilities manager.

Photo courtesy of Mark Nedzbala

Heavy machinery works to relocate mountains of dirt for the Station runway relocation project.The project is the Department of Defense’s largest construction project in the world.

The Air Station has another pest tocontend with - mold. Barracks 1388 hasmold growing, and with it are growinghealth concerns.

“We have hired some contractors toremove the mold from the fourth deck ofthose barracks,” said Petty Officer 1st

Class David Moore, facilities mainte-nance. “It wasn’t deemed necessary toclose the barracks, but we did have toremove the mold.”

Here in Iwakuni, the growth of moldcan be a widespread problem if certainprecautions aren’t taken.

“Mold may begin growing whenmold spores land on surfaces that arewet,” states an informational brochureput out by the Centers for Disease Con-trol. “There are many types of mold, andnone of them will grow without water ormoisture.”

Mold is unwelcome guest aboard the StationCPL. ANTHONY D. PIKE

Combat Correspondent

Besides the unpleasant odors thatare associated with mold, many health

Sometimes you may ask yourself why we have days ofremembrance that may take valuable time out of your day.

For those of valor or of fate; their actions or the unfortunatehappenings that caused them to leave us and the effects it hasupon their friends and family may make the headlines for a dayor two … but not everyday and not forever.

If you died and your family members could have one day toremind them, wouldn’t you hope it could be not of their loss,but of your value?

During these times, we find ourselves in a war on terrorism.Some would even say we are also in a battle for our way of life,our values and our fundamental beliefs. It is important that wedon’t lose focus on eradicating the threat of terrorists attackingour homeland.

On Oct. 11, 2001, President George W. Bush said in anaddress to the nation when operations began in Afghanistan,“ We will not waiver, we will not tire, we will not falter, and wewill not fail. Peace and freedom will prevail.”

So today, please take some time out of your busy day toremember those who died on Sept. 11, 2001, and those whohave given the ultimate sacrifice in the War on Terror so ourfamilies can sleep at night without fear of a terrorist attack.

Let’s refocus and revitalize ourselves to being committed tothis battle of freedom over tyranny and give thanks and praiseto those we will never forget who meant so much to us and tothe world.

Taking time to rememberSeptember 11, 2001

CAPT. S TEWART T. UPTON

Public Affairs Officer

Nothing bothers me more than theignorant voter.

And recently I’ve been prettybothered.

As the presidential election drawsnear, the number of mindless com-ments alluding to voters’ politicalpersuasion has increased.

Comments ranging from “I don’teven need to know the other guy’sname,” to “I vote a straight ticket! –always!” are commonplace.

Popular magazines back in theUnited States rate the delivery ofcandidates’ speeches, their sexinessand how people feel about theirfriendliness and humor.

Those criteria, though unspoken,seem to exist here as well.

Rather than focusing on acandidate’s stance on relevant issues,the focus seems to have shifted to thecandidate himself.

Or, even worse, voters learn of acandidate’s stance on one or twoissues, and vote based on that scrapof knowledge.

That is why it warms my heart tohear people say, “I’m a Republicanvoting for Kerry,” or “I’m a diehardDemocrat, but this year I think Bush is

It’s time to pursue true knowledgeLANCE CPL. LYDIA DAVEY

Combat Correspondentthe best choice for office,” or “GoNader!”

This indicates (in two out of thethree cases) that the voter is thinking.

This year, after researching thestances of the current presidentialcandidates on issues like the role ofreligion in government, the deathpenalty, education initiatives andwelfare reforms, I surprised myself bydeciding to swing my vote to the otherguy’s party.

Please try to imagine yourself atChurchill Downs - ready to watch agroup of champion horses race for theFirecracker Breeders’ Cup.

You’re rooting for Relentless Red,a thoroughbred with an excellent trackrecord. You know Red’s strengths andweaknesses, and like what you see -he’s your horse.

However, you haven’t placed yourmoney on Red without also knowingthe records of Crafty Shaw, OldDeuteronomy, and all of the other topcompetitors.

It wouldn’t make sense to favor ahorse simply because you had favoredit for the past four seasons. Youwould recognize the importance ofcontinuing to monitor your horse’sfitness, and of researching the recordsof other recent champions.

The choice you make before the

race at Churchill Downs will affectyour wallet, so of course you’llchoose wisely.

- The outcome of the presidentialrace will impact a heck of a lot morethan your wallet.

Shouldn’t you do a little researchon the competition?

The Chinese philosopherConfucius said, “To know that youknow what you know, and that you donot know what you do not know, thatis true knowledge.”

I ask you to pursue true knowl-edge by knowing what you know, andfinding the answers to what you knowyou do not know.

The decision you make in thisupcoming election will have a tremen-dous impact on our nation’s immediatewelfare.

Please choose wisely.For a better idea of which candi-

date most closely mirrors your idealsand views on a wide range of currentissues, you can fill out a free five-minute survey at www.presidentmatch.com.

For more information about thegoals and beliefs of each primarypresidential candidate, visit www.georgebush.com, www.johnkerry.comand www.votenader.org.

Photo courtesy of Centers for Disease Control

When cleaning mold one should wear gloves and a mask.

see MOLD Page 5factors exist as well.

“Molds have the potential to cause

health problems,” states the brochure.“Molds produce allergens, irritants andin some cases, potentially toxic sub-stances. Allergic responses include hayfever-type symptoms, such as sneezing,runny nose, red eyes and skin rash.”

It’s important to clean up mold assoon as it is found. It is also importantthat the source of water is fixed as well.This may mean having to fix or replacewater pipes.

When cleaning a fabric that has hadmold growing on it, the CDC suggestssprinkling Baking Soda over the fabricand allowing it to sit over night beforevacuuming the Baking Soda. Anothertip is to help ventilate the area by run-ning a fan or opening a window.

According to the CDC some itemscannot be cleaned. For instance, porousitems such as ceiling tiles and carpetsshould be thrown out due to the diffi-

PAGE 4 FEATURETORII TELLER, SEPTEMBER 10, 2004 FEATURE PAGE 5TORII TELLER, SEPTEMBER 10, 2004

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE BASETINDAL, Australia — Marines deployedhere for Southern Frontier spent the betterpart of their day, Aug. 29, at a local pre-school improving the surroundings for thechildren and teachers.

Over 25 Marines ventured out toKatherine South Preschool, located indowntown Katherine, for about three hoursof work and long-lasting impressions ontheir gracious hosts.

“I have been working at the preschoolfor 20 years and I have never seen a volun-teer project like this ever before,” saidRobyn Morris, teacher’s assistant at thepreschool. “The Marines did an excellentjob.”

The day began at 2 p.m. with the Marinescoming in by bus, ready for what was instore for them. Morris, with a map anddirections written in crayons, showed theMarines the areas around the building thatneeded to be cleaned up or repaired.

“We desperately needed the mildew cleaned offthe sides of the preschool, and help planting shrubsand flowers, spreading mulch, pulling weeds, fixing

CPL. DAVE BONI

Combat Correspondent

Lance Cpl. Shaneka Shaw plantsflowers at the Katherine South Pre-school Aug. 29.

Marines work in small groups to tackle the tasks givento them during a visit to the Katherine South Pre-school Aug. 29.

Photos by Cpl. Dave Boni

Lance Cpl. Gordon Johansen puts together a toy for the chil-dren at the Katherine South Preschool Aug. 29.

Marines spend day at preschool

wheelbarrows and bicycles andother small miscellaneous projectswe would not be able to completeourselves,” said Morris.

The Marines did allthis and more as theybroke up in small groupsto tackle each task. Soontrash bags filled the areawhere fallen leaves andovergrown bushes hadonce been. “It was great to comeout here and lend a hand,” said GunnerySgt. Sam Perez, Marine Wing SupportSquadron 171, detachment officer in charge. After the work was complete, theMarines posed for photos with the teachersso the children would be able to see thefaces of the volunteers who fixed up theirschool.

“I enjoy volunteering anyway, but when you’redoing it for kids it makes it even better,” said LanceCpl. Wayne Johansen, Marine Aviation LogisticsSquadron 12, communications technician.

Perez agreed, adding, “I know I would want mykids to go to a nice school like this and it just givesthe Marines a little extra motivation when they knowthey’re impacting children’s lives.”

On Sunday evenings there is more than a coolbreeze blowing on the patio of Club Iwakuni. SunsetGardens allows musically inclined Station residentsto showcase their talents from 6 to 9 p.m. onSundays.

The night features a mix of cover songs, originalpieces and comedic improvisations from an acousticguitar to a full band. For residents who don’t play aninstrument, karaoke is a welcome option.

“I thought it was awesome,” said Cpl. LarryNovelo, Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron,during his first time at Sunset Gardens. “It was morethan I expected, I thought people would be readingpoetry.”

STORY AND PHOTOS BY

CPL. ANTHONY D. PIKE

Combat Correspondent

Sunset Gardens provides musical relief

HAWKS from Page 1

structors were able to capitalize on their training and knowledge in order toeffectively instruct the younger aircrews.

“Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) opportunities of this nature arerare,” said Capt. P.L. Fitzgerald, VMFA(AW)-533 admin officer. “Squadronaircrew were able to brief, fly and debrief with RSAF aircrew and gain a newlevel of proficiency and experience that will pay big dividends.”

Other Hawk aircrew agreed that being able to fly against different aircraftis something that is hard to come by in the United States.

“Commando Sling was a great exercise for the squadron and providedinvaluable training that is difficult to get back in the States,” said Capt. JasonMcManigle, VMFA(AW)-533 family readiness officer.

For the Marines on the ground and in the hangars, training in Singaporeoffered other benefits.

“It helped the Marines in my shop a lot,” said Sgt. Tim Shackelford,VMFA(AW)-533, avionics non commissioned officer-in-charge. “Each placewe go provides a different stress environment and has different things thatcan stress the Marines. But the jets don’t change, whether here or at war.Singapore has been the highlight of my [Western Pacific] deployment.”

The valuable training received from flying in Singapore would not havebeen possible without the help of the 144th Fighter Squadron, Republic ofSingapore Air Force, based at Paya Lebar.

“The 144th were excellent hosts, professional aviators and good friends,”said Lt. Col. Mark G. Mykleby, VMFA (AW)-533, commanding officer. “Theexercise was an overwhelming success. I am proud of each and every Hawkfor their contribution and commitment to the squadron and the Marine Corps.”

Petty Officer 2nd Class Ronnie Nix sings while Gunnery Sgt. Sal Cardellaplays the guitar and Cpl. Jon Devries plays a baseline. Nix is a regular atthe Sunset Gardens.

PEACE from Page 2

sically in recovery mode,” he said.“We’re trying to figure out what to dowith 70 people who suddenly don’t havea work space.”

According to Scott, engineers havesaid that at least 50-percent of the build-ing sustained structural damage.

“This is the worst storm I’ve seensince I was stationed in Okinawa,” addedScott.

According to Moore, Station recov-ery personnel are moving forward withstandard recovery procedures in spite ofa second tropical storm approaching.

“With the exception of a brief rest pe-

MOLD from Page 3

culty in removing all the mold growing in these items.Before deeming an area clean of mold, the CDC reminds people to make sure

that in addition to the mold being removed, the source of water has been fixed aswell. Once the cleanup is complete, there should be no visible mold or moldyodors present. People residing in the affected areas should be able to occupy thearea without health complaints or physical symptoms.

riod, the Seabees have been workingnonstop,” said Moore.

Moore credits the Seabees of the Na-val Mobile Construction Battalion 133,as well as the Marines of Marine WingSupport Squadron 171 with assisting therecovery effort.

“We’d like to thank them for lendinga hand as we work to restore order to theStation,” he said.

Moore also noted the exceptional ser-vice of the Japanese employees.

“They do an outstanding job everyday and whenever we call on them,” saidMoore. “They’re working hard rightalong with us.”

The songs played by the performers range fromrock to R&B, offering different selections for everymusical taste.

“The mix showed the eclectic mix that the MarineCorps represents,” said Novelo. “They all cametogether and brought their different style of music,”he said of the musical choices.

For some performers this offers a chance tobegin playing in front of a crowd.

“This will be my first time playing here,” saidbassist Cpl. Jon Devries, Headquarters and Head-quarters Squadron. “I’ll be playing in a band withanother Marine and a couple of civilians.”

Other performers have become known as staplesof Sunset Gardens.

“I played every Sunday last year and haveplayed every Sunday this year,” said Petty Officer2nd Class Ronnie Nix, H&HS. “I just like performing,

I get to show off mytalent and actfoolish. It gives thelocal community here

a chance to perform. It also shows off a lot of hiddentalent.”

Sunset Gardens first started last year and beganagain in August. It is scheduled to run until the lastSunday in September.

Performing at the Sunset Gardens allows Sta-tion residents to show case their talents.

First time Sunset Gardens performer Gunnery Sgt. Sal Cardellabelts out a few tunes.

“May you be inscribed for a goodyear,” is the traditional greeting forRosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year.This marks the beginning of a holidayseason of reflection and celebrationfor Jews throughout the world.

Families begin the new year bycleaning their homes and preparingspecial meals. The month before RoshHashana is when many people reflecton the past year and their behavior.The goal is to see where they canimprove their lives and their relation-ships with friends and family.

Rosh Hashana begins at sundownwith special prayers. After services,families go home to festive meals. It istradition to eat apples and honey for asweet new year. Many families also

Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur bring new beginnings to communityGUNNERY SGT. M.A. ZEID

Combat Correspondenthave fish head soup to bring themgood luck.

The next morning, people return tothe synagogue for morning prayersand the blowing of the shofar, a ram’shorn, to welcome the new year. Whenthe morning services finish, familiesreturn to their homes for anotherfestive meal. Afterwards, people go toa stream or pond where there are fishfor tashlich. This is where people saycertain prayers while throwing breadinto the water as a symbolic way ofcasting away of their sins. The rest ofthe day is usually spent readingprayers or in quiet reflection.

After Rosh Hashana, come theDays of Awe, ten days until YomKippur, the Day of Atonement. Duringthis time, most Jews visit family andfriends to patch up any problems theymight have. The idea is to forgive

each other for the wrongs people havedone. Some say the idea is not somuch to find forgiveness, but toforgive others. The goal is to give upanger and malice.

Yom Kippur begins the eveningbefore with the Kol Nidre, specialprayers to prepare people to relievethem of the obligations from promisesthey made in the past year and werenot able to keep either through theirown actions or by circumstances. Thenext day is spent in prayer andreflection while asking for forgiveness.

The most demanding part of YomKippur is the total fast of no food ordrink for 24 hours, from sundown tosundown. Many orthodox Jews alsodon’t bathe or shave during this time.Children, pregnant women and thosewho are ill are exempted from partici-pating in the fast. The reason for the

fast is to suffer affliction and showremorse for sins. Another reason is tohelp people find the discipline theyneed to avoid their past problems.The idea is if they can refuse food,then they can refuse temptation orfind self-discipline to improve. Afterthe evening prayers, families hold asimple meal to break the fast.

This year, Rosh Hashana wel-comes the year 5765 at sundown onWednesday, and Yom Kippur beginsat sundown Sept. 24. The IwakuniJewish Community will hold specialservices and prayers for theseholidays and is also planning onjoining the Kansai Jewish Communityin Kobe. For more information aboutthese services, contact Gunnery Sgt.Mark Zeid, the Jewish Lay Leader at082-231-4008 in the evening or thestation chapel.

PAGE 6 FEATURETORII TELLER, SEPTEMBER 10, 2004

Japanese vineyards yield sweet surprises in rural townMorning fog reluctantly rolls out of the small

valley town of Miyoshi, exposing vast vineyardsstretching across the hillsides in one seamlesslyconnected canopy. Within the canopy, Seven-year-old Alexandria Hopley finds herself in a world ofupside-down proportions. The old Japanesevineyard keepers are barely over four feet tall, whilethe grapes they tend are several times larger thanany she would see in America. The trees themselvesstretch to only about five feet in height, perfect forgrape picking.

“You can squeeze them right out of their skin,”said Hopely in between juicy mouthfuls.

It’s just one of the unique aspects of the Kyohograpes that come from these vineyards. Others aretheir unusual sweetness and size rivaling that of asmall plum.

“We were so surprised that you could justsquish them and they would pop out,” said JenniferHopley, Alexandria’s mother. “You can’t experiencesomething like this in the states.”

Besides the Kyoho, Pione grapes are grown inthese vineyards.

According to the Hirata Fruit Farm brochure,Pione come from specially grafted vines grown onlyin Miyoshi, making the town an international

STORY AND PHOTOS BY

LANCE CPL. DAVID REVERE

Combat Correspondent

destination for wine connoisseurs.“Pione are very big grapes,” said Yuji Tanaka,

Information Tours and Travel tour guide. “They aresweet, and make very sweet wine.”

The nearby winery has tasting vats, a factoryobservation walk, a souvenir shop and a barbecuerestaurant for visitors making a day of it.

Tanaka said both kinds of fruit are grown only inJapan. Miyoshi is an ideal location for the largeKyhoho and Pione grapes because of the uniqueclimate.

“The climate here is perfect for the grapes,” hesaid. “Miyoshi is in a large basin, and there aremountains all around.”

According to Tanaka, the moisture that lingers inthe basin every morning produces a year-roundgreenhouse effect.

Besides grapes, numerous other kinds ofproduce are grown in the farming community,including strawberries, apples, pears and rice.

Tanaka said the best seasons for visiting are atthe end of summer for the grapes, early Novemberfor the apples, and early spring for strawberries.

“Go to Miyoshi to eat the fresh fruit,” saidTanaka. “It’s a good place to bring your family too.”

“We would definitely go back again,” affirmedHopley. “It’s a different part of Japan to see.”

For more information about visiting Miyoshi, callthe ITT office at 253-4377.

Large, Kyoho grapes are in sea-son now at the Hirata FruitFarm in Miyoshi. To avoid abitter taste, don't eat the skin.

Cellars stacked with wine vats underlay the Miyoshi Winery in an expansive subterra-nean facility.

Far-stretching vineyards spread across the hillsides in the rural town ofMiyoshi.

World-famous Pione wine is sold in the souvenir shop at the Miyoshi Winery.

A vineyard worker marks a ripe grape bunch with a white bag. Late summer is the prime grape season inMiyoshi.

of fun, includes a set ofrims/tires/2 wind screens,JCI until Oct. 2005, $3,000.Call Major Braund at 253-4584 dwh or 253-5705 awh.

Misc., Hoover vacuumcleaner, seldom used, $25.Call Mark Nedzbala at253-5353 dwh or 32-3109awh.

WantedMarine and Family Coun-seling Services is lookingfor community volunteerswho are interested in as-sisting victims of sexualassault and domestic vio-lence. Call 253-4526 orstop by the CommunityServices, Building 411,

Nissan Skyline, 1994, 2door, black, 5 speed,turbo, cold A/C, AM/FM/cassette/CD player, blowoff valve, new battery, P/W, P/D, excellent condi-tion, JCI until Oct. 2005,$3,300 obo. Call SSgt.Aburto at 253-4079 dwhor 253-2811 awh.

Toyota Carib Sprinter,1994, 5 doors, 4 wheeldrive, 5 passenger stationwagon, cold A/C, powereverything, AM/FM/ra-dio/cassette player, greatcondition, excellent ve-hicle for small family, JCIuntil Aug. 2005, $2,200.Call CWO3 Stocker at 253-3404 dwh or 253-2275 awh.

Nissan Homy, 1989, 9 pas-

TORII TELLER CLASSIFIED ADSTo submit your ads or announcements: Torii Telleraccepts ads/announcements from nonprofit organizationsand groups only. Briefs run on space-available and time-

priority basis. Deadline for briefs is noon Thursday. ToriiTeller reserves the right to edit to fit space. Stop byBuilding 1, Room 216 to fill out a form.

senger, 4 new tires, newlycharged air, fresh oilchange, runs great , 2sunroofs, blue, 6 disc CDplayer, automatic, P/W,JCI unt i l Nov. 2005,$2,000. Call Amy O’Brienat 253-2305.

Subaru Impreza , 1994, 4door, silver, automatic, P/W, P/D, cold A/C, AM/FM/CD, great condition,JCI until Sept. 2005,$2,500 obo. Call SSgt.Potter at 253-6776 dwh or253-2553 awh.

Toyota Livin, 1992, newtires/battery, JCI untilMarch 2005, $800 obo.Call Bynd at 253-3323/4257 dwh or 253-7122 awh.

Kawasaki 2X9R, 1994,900cc, not pretty but loads

Room 210 to pick up anapplication by Nov. 15.

Education Office (253-3855)The Education Office,Lifelong Learning Branchis looking for a test exam-iner. This is a nongovern-ment, full-time contractposition. The applicantmust have a degree ineducation or a relatedfield from an accreditedinstitution, two or moreyears of proctoring or ad-ministering exams, and befamiliar with the DANTEStesting and general mili-tary education programs.Applicants should submita professional resume andcover letter before Sept.17, 12 p.m. For more de-

AUTOMOBILES

PAGE 8 FEATURETORII TELLER, SEPTEMBER 10, 2004 CLASSIFIED PAGE 9TORII TELLER, SEPTEMBER 10, 2004

FRIDAY

11 a.m./5 p.m. Dickie Roberts (PG-13)2 p.m./8 p.m. 2 Fast 2 Furious (PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Spartan (R)2 a.m. Terminator 3 (R)

SATURDAY11 a.m./5 p.m. Miracle (PG)

2 p.m./8 p.m. Starsky And Hutch (PG)11 p.m./5 a.m. An American Werewolf In

Paris (R)2 a.m. Men Of Honor (R)

SUNDAY

11 a.m./5 p.m. Scooby Doo 2 (PG)2 p.m./8 p.m. Drumline (PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Cocktail (R)2 a.m. Angel Eyes (R)

MONDAY11 a.m./5 p.m. Confessions Of A Teenage

Drama Queen (PG)2 p.m./8 p.m. Secret Window (PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Talking Lives (R)2 a.m. Gladiator (R)

TUESDAY

11 a.m./5 p.m. About A Boy (PG-13) 2 p.m./8 p.m. The Prince And Me (PG)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Pale Rider (R)2 a.m. Stealing Harvard (PG-13)

WEDNESDAY11 a.m./5 p.m. Secondhand Lions (PG)2 p.m./8 p.m. Envy (PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Man On Fire (R)2 a.m. Hamburger Hill (R)

THURSDAY

11 a.m./5 p.m. Welcome To Mooseport (PG)2 p.m./8 p.m. Laws Of Attraction (PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Me Myself And Irene (R)2 a.m. 3000 Miles To Graceland (R)

MOVIE SCHEDULESAKURA THEATER

HAROLD AND KUMAR GO

TO WHITE CASTLEThis movie follows two likeable under-

dogs who set out on a Friday night quest tosatisfy their craving for White Castle ham-burgers and end up on a mind-altering roadtrip of epic proportions. (87 minutes)

MANCHURIAN CANDIDATEMarco and Shaw served during the Per-

sian Gulf War, and were kidnapped by theenemy, and brainwashed to become pawnsonce they return home. Ten years later, Shawis climbing the political ladder, as his mother’shusband is a powerful senator. Marco re-members being brainwashed. Knowing thatit’s just a matter of time before Shaw is calledto service by his handler, Marco contactsShaw to try to get through to him beforesomething terrible happens. (130 minutes)

THE VILLAGESet in rural Pennsylvania in 1897, this is

the story of the small village of Covington(population 60) surrounded by a woods in-habited by a race of “mythical creatures,”and the romance that blossoms betweenKitty, the daughter of the town’s leader, andLucius, a young man who questions thepolicy of keeping Covington’s citizens com-pletely confined to the village. (120 minutes)

FRIDAY7 p.m. The Notebook (PG-13)

10 p.m. Harold And Kumar Go ToWhite Castle (R)

SATURDAY1 p.m. Around The World In 80

Days (PG)4 p.m. A Cinderella Story (PG)7 p.m. Bourne Supremacy (PG-13)

10 p.m. Harold And Kumar Go ToWhite Castle (R)

SUNDAY4 p.m. Catwoman (PG-13)7 p.m. Collateral (R)

MONDAY7 p.m. The Notebook (PG-13)

TUESDAY7 p.m. Bourne Supremacy (PG-13)

WEDNESDAY7 p.m. Manchurian Candidate (R)

THURSDAY7 p.m. The Village (PG-13)

OUT THE GATE0829-44-0111.

JMSDF Iwakuni Air Station Fes-tival

This festival will be held at theJapanese Marine Self-DefenseForce Iwakuni Air Station Sunday, 9a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be aircraftstatic displays, Japanese drum per-formance, flea market, and more.Call 22-3181 for more details.

Matsuri FiestaThere will be a festival around

the Kintai Bridge area, Sept. 20, 9:30to 6 p.m. Japanese drum perfor-mances, sacred music and dance,

Note: Japanese who do notspeak English may answer thephone numbers provided.

Mantoue: Candle Light FestivalA festival is held at the Daishoin

Temple on Miyajima Island today andSaturday. Candles will be decoratedaround the temple. A concert by fluteand piano is scheduled today, 7:30-9p.m. A Buddhist service is held at6:30 p.m. and a music performanceby violin and piano is 7:30-9 p.m. onSaturday. For more information, call

and more are scheduled. For moreinformation, call 23-1177. We arelooking for 8 adults and 10 childrento participate the tug of war, heldduring this festival. Call Public Af-fairs Office, Yukie Wada at 253-5344or 253-5551 for more details. Sign-up now through Monday.

Flower Arrangement DisplayVisitors can view approximately

200 pieces of flower arrangement inthe exhibition hall and the multi-pur-pose room in Sinfonia Iwakuni fromThursday thorough Sept. 20, 10 a.m.to 6 p.m. Admission is free. Call0832-32-3330 for more information.

tails, call Vicki Braun at253-3855.

Chaplains Office (253-6460)(The following jobs areopen at the Marine Me-morial Chapel)–Catholic Director of Re-

ligious Education–Catholic Organist–Protestant Director of

Religious Education–Gospel Keyboardist–Non-Denominat ional

Christian Worship Ser-vice Music Director

–Non-Denominat ionalChristian Worship Ser-vice Organist

CHRO (253-6828)MCCS:–Information, Referral

and Relocation Coordi-nator

–Supervisory EducationServices Specialist

Logistics:–Supply Management

OfficerFacilities:–Interdisciplinary Engi-

neer

OTHER ITEMS

JOB OPENINGS

S-6:–Information Technology

SpecialistSafety:–Safety & Occupational

Health SpecialistDECA:–Customer Service Man-

ager–Sales Store Checker (In-

termittent)–Store Worker (Part-time)

MCCS (253-3030)(The following jobs areopen at MCCS Personnel)MCCS Job Listing:–Program Assistant, Child

Development Center–Deputy Director Busi-

ness Operations, Busi-ness Operations Admin-istration

–Head Of Retail, MainComplex

–Duty Manager, BachelorHousing

–Food Service Worker,School Cafeteria

–Recreation Attendant,Athletics, civilian only

–Accounting Technician,Account ing, c iv i l ianonly

WANTED

If expensive goods were asickness, Japan’s hundred yenstores would be the cure.

Since the nation’s economypeaked in ’96, it has slid steadily toan all time low, giving rise to a newbreed of shoppers. Both rich andultra conservative are now lookingfor a bargain, and retailers arestruggling to develop new ways ofdoing business to meet their needsand stay afloat, according towww.finex.co.jp.

The hundred yen store, notesthe Web site, is the answer to thenation’s cry for lower prices, andthe concept is quickly gainingpopularity.

“I like the convenience ofhundred yen stores,” noted LanceCpl. Ruthy Cutright, Headquarters andHeadquarters Squadron, flightclearance dispatcher. “You can findone on nearly any city street corner.”

According to www.ibpcosaka.or.jp,“Hundred yen shops began as streetstalls, when stall-holders would buygoods such as bankruptcy goodscheaply, rent the space in front of anordinary house, and borrow a woodendoor to use to display and sell theirproducts. This trade was hence alsoknown as the “wooden door busi-ness.”

“Although modern hundred yenshops have been around in Japansince the ‘70’s, the recent hundred yenboom directly connected to theeconomic occurrences has made aonce not so well thought of shoppingexperience into a gold rush as peopletry to get the best deals in hard times,”notes www.finex.co.jp.

Cutright, who shops regularly at

Hundred yen stores provide creativealternative to expensive culture

LANCE CPL. LYDIA DAVEY

Combat Correspondent

the hundred yen store, notes thatalthough she shops for items such asstuffed animals, glassware, andsouvenirs, she finds practical thingsas well.

“I’ve found useful items for mybarracks room,” noted the Virginianative. “Hundred yen stores haveeverything from toilet paper to pictureframes to toilet-seat covers.”

According to the Web site, biggeris better when it comes to choosing ahundred yen store to shop at. “Try toaim for the largest stores possible,because it is there that you will findthe best quality and most variety.Hundred yen shops… are extremelyclean and sometimes make you feel asif you were in an ordinary shoppingmall or supermarket.

“I found things at the hundred yenstore that I never would have imag-ined,” noted Lance Cpl. Josh Johnson,H&HS, broadcaster. “For 400 yen, I

was able to buy a four-piece Sake set– I’d say that was the best bargainI’ve found. It’s neat to be able to gointo a place, and know that whateverlands in your basket won’t cost morethan a buck.”

Hundred yen stores are able tooffer such low prices for a variety ofreasons, notes the Web site. Somestores are able to manufacture up to 80percent of their products, while othersconcentrate on making special dealswith manufacturers.

Stores often purchase “hugeamounts of items from manufacturersfor less money instead of the moreexpensive fewer amounts fromwholesalers,” adds the site.

For example, selling plasticproducts and other products requiringexpensive molds for 100 yen would beimpossible if the cost of the mold wereto be included in the final price of theitem, notes www.ibpcosaka.or.jp. “The

Internet Photo

The concept of hundred yen stores has gained popularity over the pastfew years. It is estimated that approximately 10,000 hundred yen storesnow populate Japan, offering the consumer quality goods at a minimalprice.

mold charge is redeemed by sellingbetween one and two million piecesover a period of three to four years,rather than including it into the cost.”

Buying in bulk for lower pricesresults in hundred yen stores beingable to hawk 1000-yen items for theirlowest advertised price – 100 yen.According the Web site, this makestheir customers “happy and frequent.”

Since its humble beginnings as a“wooden door business,” hundredyen stores and goods have improveddramatically in quality, stateswww.ibpcosaka.or.jp.

These improvements have helpedthe shops shed their previousunfavorable image and enter themainstream as an integral part ofJapanese culture.

“At present in Japan, there arethought to be some 10,000 hundredyen shops, and this number looks setto increase further,” notes the site.“There are also a considerable numberof department stores and supermar-kets which set up temporary ‘hundred-yen goods corners’ for a fixed periodonly. Recently… a well-known Osakadepartment store set up a highlysuccessful permanent ‘hundred yengoods corner.’”

Innovation springing from theconcept of hundred yen stores isrampant, and hundred yen supermar-kets, delis and groceries are springingup.

“’Eighty-eight yen shops,’ are alsoappearing, but a campaign againstthese low-priced competitors has seenmakers and wholesalers agree not tosupply goods to these stores,” notesthe Web site.

Whatever turns the industry takes,one can only hope the relatively newtradition of hundred yen shopscontinues.

PAGE 10 COMMUNITY BRIEFS

Test ScheduleTuesdays/Fridays - CLEP,DSSTWednesday - DLABThursday - DLPTSeptember 22 - ASVABSeptember 23 - EDPTOctober 14 - ACT

For more information call253-3855.

CHRO Trainingn New Employees Orienta-tion: Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 4:30p.m.n EEO Update For EEO Coun-selors: Sept. 28-29, 8 a.m. to 4p.m. For more information andnomination, call 253-6828 orsend e-mail to shiomuram.jp@iwakuni.usmc.mil. Classes will beheld at Building one, Room 102.

MARINE CORPS CROSS COUNTRY RACESemper Fit seeks active duty male and female Marines to compete

at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Dec. 11. The team will consist of five menand three women from each base. Resumes must be submitted to theAthletics Department no later than Wednesday and must include thedates, places and finish times of 8-kilometer and 5-kilometer runs com-pleted within the past two years. Call 253-4605 for more details.

TWO-MAN VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENTCoaches meet Sept. 22, 10 a.m. in the IronWorks Gym Wellness

Room. The tournament is Sept. 25. For more information, call 253-5777.

ANNUAL JAPANESE & AMERICAN GOODWILL SPRINT TRIATHLONSept. 26, 9 a.m. The Station and local residents compete in a 1.2K

open water swim, 36K bike race, and 10K run at the Slipway PicnicPavilion. Application forms are available at the IronWorks Gym frontdesk. The Station residents and family members sign-up for $20 forindividuals, $40 for a two-man, or $60 for a three-man team. Teamcompetitions are only open to S.O.F.A. status individuals. JMSDF, masterlabor contractor and indirect hire agreement workers sign-up for ¥5,000.Call 253-5654 for details.

GLADIATORS ULTIMATE PT CHALLENGEOct. 15 at the IronWorks Gym Indoor Pool and Penny Lake Field.

This all-day event is open to one team per unit, 10 competitors perteam (two females), plus one coach. Sign-up before Oct. 8 and earn 25points towards the President’s Challenge Competition. Winners re-ceive money for their unit party fund. For more information, call 253-6359.

IWAKUNI SPORTS SCENE

TORII TELLER, SEPTEMBER 10, 2004 SPORTS PAGE 11TORII TELLER, SEPTEMBER 10, 2004

COMMUNITY BRIEFSaltered now for the Navy andMarine Corps Birthday Balls.Drop them off at the Starch &Stripes tailor shop located at theMarine Corps Exchange. Theshop requires at least ten daysto complete alterations. No rushorders can be taken. The shopis open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. andcan be reached at 253-4742, ex-tension 218.

School Age Center (253-4769)n Hachigamine RecreationalPark: Sept. 18, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.Sign-up before Wednesday atthe School Age Center. Only 25seats are available.

Teen Center (253-6454)n Cultural Exchange Trip toLabo International AwarenessClub: Sept. 26, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.The Teen Center is looking for25 youth to visit the JapaneseAwareness Club in Hiroshima.Sign-up before Sept. 20 at theTeen Center. Seats are limited.

Single Marine Program(253-3891)n Miyajima Sight-seeing:Saturday, 10 a.m. $10 transpor-tation. Bring extra yen for theisland ferry and lunch.n Dominos Tournament: Sun-day, 6 p.m. Prizes for first, sec-ond and third place winners.n Pizza Night: Tuesday, 6 p.m.Lots of free pizza, soda, chips

CRMC Classes (253-6439)n Transition Assistance Pro-gram: Monday through Sept.17, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.n Resume Writing: Tuesday,9-11 a.m.n Hello USA: Wednesday,11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.n Interviewing Skills: Thurs-day, 1-3 p.m.

Club Iwakuni (253-5416)n Jah Works Reggae Live InConcert: Thursday, 8 p.m. Freeand all ranks in the ClubIwakuni Ballroom. Adults only.Reggae bash featuring JahWorks and local DJs. Call 253-3727 for more details.

MCX (253-5641)n Alterations for Navy & Ma-rine Corps Birthday Balls: Getyour uniforms and formal wear

EDUCATION

and dip. Enter various tourna-ments for prizes.n Shuhodo Caves andYakiniku: Sept. 18, 8 a.m. $20transportation. Bring plenty ofyen for admission, souvenirsand dinner.n Dinner at the ChickenShack: Sept. 19., 6 p.m. $10transportation. Bring at least¥3,000 for dinner.

Japanese Cooking Class -TempuraSept. 17, 9:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.Learn how to make traditionaltempura (food dipped in batterand deep-fried) from Japanesevolunteers at the Iwakuni HealthCenter. Bring ¥500 for ingredi-ents. Transportation is pro-vided. Call 253-6165 to sign-up.

Information FairSaturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at theClub Iwakuni Ballroom. Prizesgiven away by the sponsors.Call 253-4197 for more informa-tion.

Summer Music FestivalSaturday, 6 p.m. at Penny Lake,open to all ages. Free food andentertainment for all. Freeamusements for children arebouncers, Tugger the Tiger,and Peanuts the Elephant. In acase of rain, the event will bemoved to the MAC Dome. Formore details, call 253-3727.

When Time-outs Don’t WorkThe class is held Oct. 27, 12-1p.m. Sandwiches and drinks willbe provided. For more informa-

Cpl. Annette Kyriakides

Combat illustrators paint picture of warA sniper attached to the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Opera-

tions Capable), based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif., exchanges fire withMuqtada Militia snipers above the streets of An Najaf, Iraq. Continuous smallarms, rocket propelled grenade and mortar fire sounded through the day as11th MEU forces held their ground and pushed back the militia.

tion, call 253-6533.

Healthy SnackingCome learn what the right foodscan be Se. Call 253-4928 to reg-ister.

Crime StoppersIf you have any informationpertaining to a crime please call“Crime Stoppers” at 253-3333.Crime Stoppers is an answeringservice designed for anony-mous callers to give informationthat would assist the ProvostMarshal’s Office in solving andpreventing crime.

Thrift StoreThe Thrift Store is open Mon-days from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.,Wednesdays from 5-7 p.m. andthe last Saturday of each monthfrom 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Build-ing 1117, located next to theChapel. Volunteers and dona-tions are always welcome. Call253-4721 for more information.

Iwakuni ToastmastersToastmasters (TM) Interna-tional provides an excellent op-portunity to learn and practiceproper public speaking and in-valuable leadership skills. TheTM experience also looks verygood on your resume. The classmeets every 2nd Thursdayevening and 4th Friday at lunch.Japanese with intermediate orbetter English skills are wel-come. Call Sallie Donahue at253-5328 for more information.

MCCS

COMMUNITY

CHRO

Roman CatholicSaturday 4:30 p.m. Confession

5:30 p.m. MassSunday 9:30 a.m. Mass

10:45 a.m. CCD

ProtestantSunday 8 a.m. Non-Denominational Christian

Worship Service9:30 a.m. Sunday School/

Adult Bible Fellowships11 a.m. Gospel Worship Service

Cooperative Chapel Ministries3rd Saturday 8 a.m. Men’s Fellowship Breakfast

CHAPEL SERVICES

Church of ChristSunday 9:30 a.m. Bible Study

10:30 a.m. Worship ServiceWednesday 7 p.m. Bible Study

Seventh-Day Adventist2nd & 4th Saturdays

9:30 a.m. Sabbath School/Worship

JewishEvery other Friday

6:30 p.m. Shabbat

Latter Day SaintsSunday 1 p.m. Priesthood/RS Meeting

2 p.m. Sunday School3 p.m. Sacrament

For information regarding divine services, religiouseducation or any other Command Religious Program/Chapel activity, call the Station Chapel at 253-5218.

LAY LED SERVICES

For many people it is achallenge to exercise and to loseweight. Now it’s a challenge foreveryone here at Iwakuni.

Recently, Marine CorpsCommunity Services Iwakunistarted the President’s ChallengeProgram, which offers people ofall ages and levels the opportu-nity to improve their health,physical fitness ability and earnprizes, as well as recognition.

“The program is the incentiveto get you going towards newphysical activity habits,” ex-plained Charla Truesdale, MCCSFitness Coordinator.

“We have two programs, sothat we can meet the needs of allfitness levels from the sedentary to the athletic,” shecontinued.

The first program is the Presidential Adult ActiveLifestyle Program, which is designed to get peopleto start exercising, stated Truesdale. The goal ofthis program is to exercise at least 30 minutes a dayor walk 10,000 steps a day, at least five days a week,for a six-week period. (Pedometers, which can beused to measure the number of steps and areavailable at the MCCS Semper Fit health promotionsoffice in the Iron Works Gym.) As Truesdale pointedout, this program is for those who aren’t exercisingregularly or are fairly sedentary.

While the program lasts for only six weeks,people can participate in it several times. The firsttime — those who successfully complete theprogram receive a certificate, patch, stickers andlapel pin. They get a tee shirt the second time theycomplete the program and a Semper Fit gym bagwhen they finish it the third time.

The second part of the President’s Challenge isthe champions program, which is for those who arealready exercising, said Truesdale.

For this program, individuals earn points for theirphysical activity. The number of points variesdepending on the exercise value of the activity. For

President’s challengeGUNNERY SGT. MARK A. ZEID

Combat Correspondentexample, walking is five points perminute, running is 10 points perminute and weight lifting (bodybuilding) is seven points perminute. There are even pointvalues for daily activities such ashousecleaning and gardening(both are four points per minute).Therefore, someone who runs for30 minutes and then cleans housefor an hour can earn 300 pointsfor running and 240 points forhousecleaning, for a total of 540points. For the bronze level, partici-pants need to earn 20,000 pointswithin a six-week period. For thesilver level, they need 30,000points; and for the gold level,which is the highest level, theyneed 40,000 points. For all thosewho complete one of the three

levels, they receive a certificate, a medallion and atee shirt.

Dennis Duck, (age 43, hometown Santa Fe, NewMexico) deputy director of MCCS and someone whoearned a bronze award for the President’s Champi-ons Program, admitted he liked getting the awardsand recognition immediately.

“I think it’s terrific,” exclaimed Duck. He thoughtis was great to have something to show for it afterjust six weeks.

He completed the program, and also lost morethan 20 pounds because of it and dieting. “It’s notjust for weight loss,” he stated, “It can meet all oryour exercise needs.”

Truesdale pointed out that people can start theprogram at anytime, but they must complete it withinsix calendar weeks. Anyone interested in joining theprogram can sign up for it at the MCCS Semper Fithealth promotions office in the Iron Works Gym.Furthermore, those who complete the program areeligible for special raffle prizes.

This program gives everyone the chance tosucceed and meet physical fitness goals whilegetting prizes and recognition. But that’s not whatit’s about explained Truesdale. “The whole idea toencourage life style change.”

File photo

With the President’s Chal-lenge, participants gainpoints for physical activity.

2004-2005 MARINE CORPS AIRSTATION WINTER RECREATIONAL

BOWLING LEAGUE

The 2004-2005 Winter RecreationalBowling League Season is scheduled tobegin Oct. 5. Entry forms for the leaguecan be picked up from the BowlingCenter. For more information, contact theBowling Center staff at 253-3495.

General:

1. All recreational leagues will be orga-nized per the bylaws of the Iwakuni InterService Bowling Association (IISBA).

2. Due to the limited number of lanesavailable, tenant and station activities willbe limited to a maximum of two (2) teamseach. Only the first 30 teams to submit aroster will be accepted.

Action:

The Bowling Center Manager, in conjunc-tion with the Iwakuni Inter-ServiceBowling Association, will be reponsible forconducting the recreational bowlingseason.

1. The roster is limited to six (6) bowlersper team including team captain.

2. All entry forms are to be returned to theSouthside Bowling Center Manager by theclose of business on Sept. 29.

3. A mandatory team captains’ meetingwill be held at the Southside BowlingCenter Oct. 1, 11 a.m.

PAGE 12 SPORTSTORII TELLER, SEPTEMBER 10, 2004

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan — The eight-man Marine Forces Japan Rifle Team competed inthe 43rd Annual Interservice Rifle Championshipsheld in Quantico, Va., July 19-27 and won the 1,000-yard Division C match.

“It was such a close match between us andMarine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego,” said Sgt.Allan R. Anderson, MFJ Rifle Team member. “Wewon the match by three points. In a match that is asprestigious as the 1,000-yard match is; it was greatto come out on top.”

The championship showcased teams from everybranch of service and was broken up into threedivisions, according to Chief Warrant Officer-2Martin Dankanich, MFJ Rifle Team commander.

Division A consisted of upper-level shootingteams such as the Marine Corps Rifle Team,Dankanich explained. Division B teams couldcompete with any type of rifle. Teams in thiscategory usually use rifles with scopes. Division Cconsisted of small post or station teams.

The MFJ Rifle Team shot in Division C since theteam was made up of smaller, separate teams fromOkinawa.

The team members who participated in thechampionships were handpicked by Dankanich fromacross the island or scouted from various othercompetitions.

“I was asked to be part of the team after winninga silver medal at the 2004 Far Eastern DivisionMatches,” said Sgt. Andres M. Urban, MFJ RifleTeam member. “This was my first time shooting withthis team, but I felt honored to compete at thechampionships.”

To train for the competition, the teammates usedtheir spare time and energy to deliver top-levelperformances.

“We trained from mid-May through July,”

Marine Forces Japan Rifle Team on targetSTORY AND PHOTOS BY

LANCE CPL. ROSE A. MUTH

Combat Correspondent

Lance Cpl. Justin B. Watson, Marine Forces Japan Rifle Team member, snaps into the standing position in front of the 9th Engineer SupportBattalion armory Aug. 31. The team won the 1,000-yard Division C match at the Interservice Rifle Championships held in Virginia, July 19-27.

Dankanich said. “Wecould only train onSaturdays because (theteam members) all liveand work on differentbases.”

The team membersalso had to adjust toshooting a nationalmatch M-16 rifle,Dankanich explained.The national match riflehas the same sights as astandard rifle, but itweighs 15-20 poundsmore than the standardMarine Corps-issued M-16A2 service rifle. Therifle also sports leadweights in the handguards and a lead wedgein the butt stock to addstability.

For the team to get settled in andgain more practice time, the teammembers arrived a few days before thecompetition for the Virginia RegionalNational Rifle Association match.

“We used the Virginia match as awarm up before the actual champion-ship,” said Dankanich.

All of the hard work paid off forthe team, which beat the other teamsin the interservice match by just a fewpoints.

“When you can pull differentpeople of different backgroundstogether in a short period of time andmeet with success, that is victory,”Dankanich said. “Winning a medal issecondary to training a betterrifleman.”

Sgt. Allan R. Anderson, Marine Forces Japan Rifle Team member,aims in on his target and practices proper breathing techniques infront of the 9th Engineer Support Battalion armory Aug. 31.

Lance Cpl. Justin B. Watson (left), and Sgt. Allan R. Ander-son, Marine Forces Japan Rifle Team members, lay in theprone position to practice proper sight alignment/sightpicture in front of the 9th Engineer Support Battalion ar-mory Aug. 31.