Torii U.S. Army Garrison Japan weekly newspaper, Jan. 6, 2011 edition

8/3/2019 Torii U.S. Army Garrison Japan weekly newspaper, Jan. 6, 2011 edition

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Serving the U.S. Army Japan community

www.torii.army.mil VOL. 39, NO. 1January 6, 2 011

INSIDE the TORII2 News4 Calendar

5 Community6 Classi eds

7 Sports8 Travel

TOKYO The Armys chief of staff waspresented with one of Japans most distin-guished decorations during a Dec. 21 visitto Camp Ichigaya, the headquarters of theJapan Ground Self-Defense Force.

Gen. George W. Casey Jr. received the

Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sunfollowing a proclamation reading from Japa-nese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa.Caseys visit to Japan included a stop atCamp Zama, headquarters of U.S. ArmyJapan, to attend a re-enlistment ceremonyand conduct a question-and-answer sessionwith members of the community.

Prior to receiving the award, Casey met

with his Japanese counterpart Gen. Yo-shifumi Hibako, chief of staff of the JGSDF,and later joined the general for a ceremonialgroundbreaking of a tree that was plantedat Camp Ichigaya to commemorate the50th anniversary of the revised U.S.-JapanSecurity Treaty.

It was a great honor for me to work withboth [Japan Self-Defense Forces Chief of

Staff] General [Ryoichi] Oriki and GeneralHibako to strengthen the Army-to-Armyrelationship between our two armies, andit is a great honor for me to be recognizedby the country of my birth, said Caseyafter having the Order of the Rising Sunbadge pinned to his uniform. Sixty-twoyears ago, my father was a lieutenant inSendai, and I wonder if he ever thought that

the relationship between our two countriesand between our two armies could ever bewhere it is today.

Kitazawa congratulated Casey onreceiving the highest of nine classes forthe prestigious decoration, and added thathe was very moved by [the] kind andgenerous words of the general.

At the site of the tree groundbreaking,

Hibako spoke of the positive relationshipU.S. and Japanese military forces havesustained for the past ve decades follow -ing World War II.

This tree will represent the futuregrowth of the Japan-U.S. alliance fromnow on, said Hibako. We pray that thegrowth will last until the next year, thenext decade and the next century.

Photos by Dustin Pe

Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa, left, presents the proclamation he read to Gen. George W. Casey Jr., right, chief of staff of the U.S. Army, prior to awardinghim the prestigious Order of the Rising Sun decoration during a Dec. 21 ceremony held at the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces headquarters at Camp Ichigaya.

Casey receives Order of Rising Sun during Japan visitBy Dustin PerryTorii Editor

Casey is awarded the Order of the RisingSun during a Dec. 21 ceremony at theJapanese Ground Self-Defense Forcesheadquarters at Camp Ichigaya.


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2 January 6, 2011 TORII www.torii.army.milNEWS

Piece of (rice) cakePhoto by Tetsuo Nakahara

Zama Briefs

You Made the GradeNow in its 10th consecutive year, the

You Made the Grade program recog-nizes Camp Zama students who achieve aB average or better with a bene ts- lled

booklet. Exclusive offers include a freeBurger King kids meal or a Subway six-inch combo, video rental and $2 off anynew release DVD at the Power Zone, toname a few.

Students who make the grade also canregister for a drawing to win a savings bondworth up to $5,000 by lling out and mailingan included entry form.

To receive the You Made the Grade booklet, students simply present a validmilitary ID card and proof of an overallB or better average to the Camp ZamaExchange. Students may receive one coupon

package for every qualifying report card,but may enter the savings bond drawingonly once per calendar year.

Camp Zama families can contact theExchange at 263-5585 for more informationabout You Made the Grade.

Sexual Assault Preventionand Response ProgramSexual assault is a criminal offense that hasno place in the Army. Every Soldier whois aware of a sexual assault should reportit immediately It is punishable under theUniform Code of Military Justice and other federal and local civilian laws. USAG-JCamp Zama Sexual Assault Hotline:882# or 090-9395-8909 (24/7 response).USAG-J Torii Station: 090-6861-8042 (24/7response). Army Sexual Assault Preventionand Response Program website: http://www.sexualassault.army.mil.

Similac recallAbbott is initiating a proactive, voluntary

recall of certain Similac-brand powder in -fant formulas following an internal qualityreview that detected the remote possibilityof the presence of a small common beetlein the product produced in one productionarea in a single manufacturing facility.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administra -tion has determined that while the formulacontaining these beetles poses no immediatehealth risk, there is a possibility that infantswho consume formula containing the beetlesor their larvae could experience symptomsof gastrointestinal discomfort and refusal toeat as a result of small insect parts irritatingthe GI tract.

If these symptoms persist for more thana few days, contact U.S. Army MedicalActivity Japan at 263-4127. For further information on this recall, visit http://simi -lac.com/recall/Default.aspx.

The recall of these powder infant for -mulas includes:

Certa in Similac powder product linesoffered in plastic containers

Certain Similac powder productlines offered in eight-, 12.4- and 12.9-ounce cans

To immediately nd out if the productin your possession is included in this recall,visit www.similac.com/recall/lookup andtype in the lot number to determine if it isaffected, or call (800) 986-8850. If the itemis affected by the recall, return it to the pointof purchase. For questions or concerns, call263-4127 or 263-5050.

TORII STATION, Okinawa Forty-eight volunteers received recognition atTorii Stations annual Army Family TeamBuilding/Army Community Service Vol -unteer Appreciation Celebration held at theCoral Cove Club on Dec. 15.

I have been continually inspired byyour service and commitment to our com-

munity, Debbi Coubrough, communitylife of cer for the Army on Okinawa, toldthe volunteers during the ceremony. Our ACS programs have received high praisefrom the Department of the Army for thenumber of volunteers we have, the qualityof your work, and the impact on programsin support of Soldiers and families.

Because of your support, we are ableto make great things happen and providesubstantially more service than our num -

ber of employees would allow, addedCoubrough.

For the second year in a row, Sgt. CharlesSapp, assigned to the 58th Signal Battalion,was named as Torii Stations AFTB Soldier

Story and photos by Lauren H allTorii Station Public Affairs

Torii Station volunteers recognized

Sgt. Charles Sapp Tammy Dockins

Volunteer of theYear.

[Sapp] has madea mark for himself asan AFTB instruc -tor, of ce worker,special programshelper and ArmyFamily Action Planvolunteer, saidCoubrough. He

continues to en-courage and support Soldiers and familymembers in so many different ways. It hasalways been clear that he is an outstandingSoldier, and he is an outstanding volunteer as well.

Tammy Dockins, also assigned to the58th Signal Bn., was named the AFTB 2010Volunteer of the Year. Dockins is not onlya Department of the Army-certi ed ACSmaster trainer; she also serves as the AFTB/Army Volunteer Corps volunteer programmanager, an AFTB instructor, an English-as-a-second-language instructor, an AFABvolunteer, and an AFTB mentor.

I dont know where [Dockins] gets the

time and energyalso be the battalilevel family reaness group lead

but fortunately Team 58 and Army communshe does, said Co

brough. Her decation to Soldiand families acr

the Army is evidin everything she does. Her support hresulted in many improvements in the programs and has helped establish our ArmFamily Team Building program as one othe best in the Army.

Dockins is the spouse of an Army retirand the mother of an U.S. Army Apachhelicopter pilot.

I do this not for the accolades, b because of the Soldiers and families whsacri ce more than I could ever sacriin a day or in a lifetime, Dockins told thaudience. I appreciate each and every onof you for those commitments and sacri cethat you make on a daily basis.

Maj. Gen. Michael T. Harriso n Sr., left, commander of U.S. Army Japan and I Corps (Forwar d), pound s mochi , a sticky rice

cake, Dec. 23 at the Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces 4th Engineer Group headquarters here. More than 500 peopleattended the event, including J GSDF members and approximately 30 members o f the Camp Zama community.


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INSIGHTwww.torii.army.mil TORII January 6, 2011

Sound Off !

D o you have a concern or an issue on your mind? Are you seeking a channel for your voice to be heard? Look no further. The Torii Newspaper welcomes all letters regardiissues or concerns involving the Camp Zama community as a whole. Critical letters should offer suggestions for resolutions as applicable. Letters or e-mails must besigned, but names will be withheld in publication upon request. The Torii Newspaper will protect the names of its sources if they so desire.Letters may be edited for content and length according to the Associated Press Stylebook and the Torii Style Guide.If you would like to have your voice heard in the Torii Newspaper, e-mail your letters to the deputy PAO at [email protected] , or send by regular mail to:

HNR / Public A ffairsU.S. Army Garrison JapanATTN: TORII Editor

Uni t 45005, IMPC-JA-HNR/PAAPO AP 96338

This Army-funded newspaper is an authorized publication for the membersof the Army community in Japan in accordance with Army Regulation 360-1.Contents of the TORII are not necessarily the of cial view of, or endorsement

by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army or the U.S. Army Garrison Japan command. It is published weekly by the TORIIstaff of the USAG-J HNR/Public Affairs of ce, APO, AP 96343-0054, phone315-263-5978.

This publication, with a weekly circulation of 2,000, is printed by Paci c Starsand Stripes, Tokyo. All photos are U.S. Army photographs unless otherwiseindicated. The newspaper uses military news services including American ForcesPress Service and Army News Service .

Story and photo submissions not pertaining to commercial advertising may be sent to the USAG-J HNR/PAO TORII Of ce at least two weeks prior to thedesired publication date . The TORII is distributed every Thursday. Submissionsmay be e-mailed to the editor at [email protected] . The editor reservesthe right not to publish submissions not in accordance with Army Public Affairsregulations and standard operating procedures. Editorial of ces are located inroom A-208, Bldg. 102, South Camp Zama, Japan.

T RII Newspaper Commanding General: Maj. Gen. Michael T. Harrison Sr.Garrison Commander: Col. Perry HeltonGarrison Public Affairs Of cer: Edward H. Roper Editor: Dustin PerryStaff: Tetsuo NakaharaOkinawa Bureau Chief: Anastasia MorenoOkinawa Bureau Staff: Lauren Hall

Photo by Dale Jorgenson

The dotted lineCol. Perry Helton, right , commander of U.S. Army Garri son Japan, and JeffreyWertz, director of Camp Zamas Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, signthe Employee and Custo mer Covenant Dec. 22 in the Camp Zama Communit yClubs Firelite Lounge here. The covenant is a commitment fro m leadership tosupport FMWR employees who strive for customer service excellence.

IMCOM messageLt. Gen. Rick LynchCommander, Installation Management Command

Like many others this time of year, Ihave been re ecting on the past 12 monthsand looking forward to the New Year. Inmy professional capacity, I am focusing onthe future of the Installation ManagementCommunity. Speci cally, what should theInstallation Management Community look like a year from now?

I have been asking this question of In -stallation Management personnel duringmeetings, town halls and garrison visits.After all, the dedicated professionals atthe garrisons and headquarters are doing

the work on a daily basis; they know whatit takes to deliver the facilities, programsand services that support our Soldiers andfamilies.

I have also been seeking feedback fromSoldiers, families and leaders through anumber of avenues, including installationvisits, the family forums at the Associationof the United States Army annual confer -ence, the Army Community Service focusgroups I recently held, and the Army FamilySurvey. This feedback is critical becauseeverything we do is focused on providing

Soldiers and families the programs, servicesand facilities that support their well-being,resilience and readiness. We need to knowwhere we are on target and where we aremissing the mark.

I urge everyone Installation Manage -ment personnel, Soldiers, family members,leaders to continue to send me solid ideasthat help answer the three fundamentalquestions: Are we doing the right things?Are we doing things right? What are wemissing?

The point of asking for input from somany different people is to build a sharedvision of where we are going in the nextyear. I am meeting with senior Installa -tion Management Community leaders thismonth to develop that vision based on all of this input. The shared vision will enable usto begin with the end in mind. Once we havea shared vision of what right looks like, wecan gure out how to get there from here.We can eliminate random activities andfocus all our efforts on the initiatives thatwill have the greatest impact on Soldiers,civilians and family members.

We started 2010 by producing versionone of the Installation Management Com -

munitys Campaign Plan. The CampaignPlan laid out a vision, strategy and wayahead for providing the programs, servicesand facilities that support Soldiers andfamilies. With the Campaign Plan and thethree fundamental questions as our guides,we have continually challenged ourselvesto improve our performance.

Some of our efforts are visible to thosewe serve. For example, based on feedback from Soldiers and families, we have en -hanced delivery of several vital programs,including the Exceptional Family Member Program, Survivor Outreach Services, theTotal Army Sponsorship Program, the ArmySubstance Abuse Program and the ArmyContinuing Education System.

Many of our efforts will not be im -mediately apparent to those outside of our workforce. For example, we are reducingthe number of administrative regions fromsix to four and integrating the Family andMorale, Welfare and Recreation Command

into IMCOM Headquarters. Soldiers anfamilies will see no difference in the quaity of support or number of services thereceive, but behind the scenes, we will bworking smarter. We will streamline delivery of services to our customers and generatsavings that can be applied to Soldier anfamily programs.

Now, as we build a shared vision what the Installation Management Community should look like in November 201and lay out the plan to achieve that visiowe will continue to challenge ourselves go beyond what we already know and arcomfortable with. We will continue to looat the shape and size of our organization anworkforce. We will continue to reach out an

build relationships with others committed tsupporting Soldiers and families, includinuniversities, businesses, nongovernment or-ganizations and other government agencieWe will continue to identify, develop analign the resources, policies and processneeded to support family programs, safetsustainability, energy security and oth

priorities.The process of developing a shared visio

can be dif cult for some, since it carri

the possibility of change, but it can als be energizing, and it is important for us tdo if we take our jobs seriously. For onwe owe it to our fellow citizens to be goostewards of all the resources entrusted us. We always have to be mindful of howwe impact the environment, how we treatour people and how we spend taxpayer dolars. If we do our job well, if we are goostewards of the resources entrusted to today, then we will have the resources wneed in the future.

An even more important reason is thSoldiers and families we support. We arcommitted to providing a strong, supportiveenvironment in which they can thrive. Wdo not chase change for changes sake, but the only reason we do something is becauswe have always done it that way, then wcan do better. We owe it to our Soldiers anfamilies to ask what right looks like and make sure we are on track to get there.

Support and Defend.


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4 January 6, 2011 TORII www.torii.army.mil

Community Calendar

H s y z [email protected]

Whats Happening Outside the Gate?

e g 810, aFn t k

SCHOOL NEWSZama Chil d Development Center: 263-4992F :Bigz and Litz Activities, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.J . 12: Brown Bag Training for Parents - "Developmental stages for children

birth to two years old" 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.J . 14 & 17: closedJ . 20: PAC Meeting, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

SHA Child Development Center: 267-6348F :Hagoita BadmintonJ . 13: Free Infant Massage, 3:30 - 4:15 p.m.J . 19: Opposite Day

SaS op r c P g : Parents: Are you looking for programs that yourschool-aged children can participate in? Children: Are you looking for things that willkeep you active and busy outside of the house? If so, then the Open Recreation Program

events are for you. School Age Services is offering open recreation opportunities in theweekday and Saturday afternoons for youth currently enrolled in grades one to six.

r g s :To register your child or for more information please stop by the CYSCentral Enrollment Registry Of ce in Bldg. 533 on Camp Zama, or call 263-4125 or SAS at 267-6013.

John O. Arnn Elementary : 267-6602PSCd Sc g: Your child or someone elses may qualify for Preschool Services

for Children with Disabilities. Screenings for children ages 3 to 5 are held twice a monthat AES to locate and identify children who may have developmental delays. Call ArnnElementary School at 267-6602 to make an appointment if you suspect your child hasa delay in language, physical, cognitive, social or adaptive behavior development. Forchildren under 3 years of age, call EDIS at 267-6545 to schedule an appointment.

G Sp :DoDEA has implemented GradeSpeed in all fourth- through 12th-gradeclassrooms worldwide. GradeSpeed is a web-based program that enables parents to login and view grade and attendance data for their students. GradeSpeed will be the onlyauthorized and supported grade book used by DoDEA employees in these grades.All teachers have secure access to GradeSpeed through the use of an Internet web browser.Teachers use the grade book portion of GradeSpeed to enter assignments, grades and tomaintain grade calculations. Teachers are also able to e-mail progress reports to parentsthrough GradeSpeed. For more information, go to http://www.dodea.edu/back_to_schoolgradespeed.cfm or contact Brandy Bell, educational technologist, at [email protected] .

Zama Ameri can Middl e School : 263-4040 d dea C s S sf c S v :The Department of Defense Education

Activity has released its biennial Customer Satisfaction Survey, available to all parents andstudents (grades four through 12) now through Dec. 15. Soliciting valuable feedback from

our DoDEA students and parents, survey questions center around the types of programsDoDEA schools currently provide to their clientele and the surveys take approximately20 minutes to complete.While the DoDEA Customer Satisfaction Survey remains voluntary and anonymous,maximum participation is encouraged in order to obtain reliable and valid data. DoDEAschools need stakeholder input to continually improve the quality of education providedto students of military and civilian families. Survey responses will also help develop thenext revision of the DoDEA Community Strategic Plan for DoDEA, years 2011-2016.The survey is available at https://webapps.dodea.edu/CSS1011/ .

Zama Ameri can High School : 263-3181 Visit the Web at www.zama-hs.pac.dodea.edu/ for information pertaining to Zam

American High School.

Upcoming Ongoing Events

New Years ResolutionKakizome (Try Japanese Calligraphy)Date: Jan. 9 Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.Place: Camp Zama Community ClubNew Years Flower Arrangement with Ikebana instructorDate: Jan. 20 Time: 2 to 5 p.m.Place: Arts & Crafts CenterFor more information, call 263-4412

Post-Combat Stress SupportA special support group to assist those experiencingsymptoms of post-combat stress is offered from 11:30a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays in the community room atArmy Community Services. For more information, callGary Woods at 263-8091.

CLEP and DANTES TestingCollege-Level Examination Program (CLEP) and DefenseActivity for Non-traditional Education Support (DANTES)testing sessions are held at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Wednesdays.To schedule an appointment, call 263-5379 / 4691 or [email protected]. To study for the CLEP tests, visitwww. petersons.com. To study for the DANTES exams,visit www.getcollegecredit.com.

Foreign Born Spouse Support GroupWhether your question concerns immigration and natural-ization, learning the English language, or how to take localtransportation, the Army Community Service RelocationProgram provides assistance, weekly classes and referrals.The support group is held on the third Wednesday of everymonth from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the ACS Outreach Room.Call 263-HELP (4357) for pre-registration.

Mayoral, deputy electionsElections for community and deputy mayors are scheduledto be held Jan. 21. Voting boxes are in several locations

throughout the community. The required voting age for theelections is 18 or older. Teenagers may only vote in theteenage mayoral elections. For more information, contactACS at 263-8087 or 263-4537.

Army Volunteer Corps (AVC)Would you like to learn new skills, meet new peopleand explore new career elds? Would you like to makea difference? Then, you may want to enter the excitingworld of volunteerism. You can register as a volunteer in

the Volunteer Management Information System (VMIS).Its easy to get started. This can be completed at yourhome, the education center, the library or by utilizing thevolunteer computer at ACS. If you do not have an accountat www. myarmylifetoo.com, register for an account bygoing to the site and clicking on register for an account.Once registered, with www. myarmylifetoo.com, click onBecome a Volunteer and select Volunteer Registration.To become a Camp Zama Voluntter. contact the CommunityLife Of cer at 263-8087.

Setagaya Boro-Ichi Antique Market inSetagaya, Tokyo, Jan. 15-16

Boro means rag. This market began as a literal rag marketmore than 400 years ago. Currently, many antique clothes,kimonos and items, as well as some Japanese traditionalsweets and drinks like rice dumplings, baked sweet potatoes,and sweet milky sake , are on sale.


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Communitywww.torii.army.mil TORII January 6, 2011

Jackass member tours Zama, screens new flmB d s PTorii Editor

Jason Acua says he appreciates U.S.servicemembers for the many freedomsthey provide him namely, the freedomto appear in lms and on TV performing

outrageous stunts and gross-out gags withhis friends.Acua, a star of MTVs cult favorite

show Jackass , showed his appreciation tothe Camp Zama community with a pair of meet-and-greet appearances and by hostinga free screening of Jackass 3D , the latestbig-screen spinoff of the series, as part of his ongoing Salutes the Service Tour.

Standing at a height of 4 feet, Acua isaptly and widely referred to as Wee Manwhen taking part in the juvenile antics of

Jackass and when appearing worldwidein skateboarding tours. He started Salutesthe Service three years ago with a visitto Walter Reed Army Medical Center inWashington, D.C. to meet with woundedmilitary veterans.

After that, I started going to differentbases and hitting all the [Army and AirForce Exchanges Services] stores and do-ing public appearances, signing autographs[and] taking photos, said Acua. For thistour Ive been to Italy, Germany, Kuwait,D.C. and now Japan.

The rst day of Acuas tour visit toCamp Zama was on Dec. 21, during whichhe appeared at the Sagamihara Family Hous-ing Area shoppette. Later that evening, hereturned there to the SFHA movie theaterto introduce a complimentary screening of

Jackass 3D to a packed crowd of enthusi-astic fans.

Acua says it was the goal of the Jackasscrew which includes the likes of Johnny

Knoxville and Bam Margera to up theante of the rst two lms in terms of thedangerous stunts and the series trademark gross-out humor. Jackass 3D succeeded inboth regards, he says.

[The] screening was good; everybodywas stoked, said Acua. I think people especially nowadays they love watchingpeople just get hurt and be funny and mess

Photos by Dustin Pe

Jason Wee Man Acua, a star of the Jackass TV series and spinoff lms, hands an autographed photo to a fan during aDec. 22 appearance at the Camp Zama Exchange as part of his Salutes the Service Tour. He also sc reened a free showingof Jackass 3D at the Sagamihara Family Housing Area movie theater and met with fans at the shoppette there on Dec. 21.

with each other. It takes people out of reality,and its a feel-good movie.

On the morning of Dec. 22, the entranceof the Camp Zama Exchange was lined withpeople awaiting Acuas appearance there.He emerged from behind a draped curtain,greeted the fans en masse and immediately

sat down and began signing glossy photosof himself and posing for photos with thepeople there.

The tour has allowed Acua to express hisadmiration to thousands of servicemembersaround the world, he says.

I just think its awesome that I get tocome out here and personally thank theseguys, said Acua. I feel comfortable at

home knowing that the troops are out hereprotecting us. I hope they know that weappreciate what they are doing.

Also available at Acuas Camp Zamaappearance were free cans of Monster En-ergy Drink the tours sponsor and ban-danas, T-shirts and beanie caps emblazoned

with the Monster logo. A prize drawing waslater held for two Monster sweatshirts anda motorcycle helmet.

Acua was friendly and humorous withthe entire crowd, but he made a point to givea commemorative coin to each uniformedservicemember who came through the line.One of the recipients of the token was Spc.Theresa Jernigan, assigned to the Japan

District Veterinary Command here.Originally, I just came to get som

food and I forgot [Acua] was here, saidJernigan.I loved the [ Jackass ] movies everything, so I came over to meet him andhang out with him; it was so awesome

The Salutes the Service Tour will con-

tinue throughout 2011, with future visitsplanned in Washington, D.C., Kuwait anda few European countries, says Acua, andthe success of the endeavor has been a keyin carrying it on.

This tour has been really good; everybody has responded really well, hconcluded. This has gone beyond myexpectations.


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s PoRTs & f iTNessTORII January 6, 2011www.torii.army.mil

Your Weekly Dose

Sports Briefs

Free seasonal u vaccine available for

g 6 m nth n up: DoD ID card requiVaccines are limited until all shipments areceived. For more information, contact tImmunization staff at 263-4838.H ur :Monday through Wednesday and Frida8 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday: 1 top.m. Patients must be signed in 15 minutes prito closing time to receive their vaccination.

Access to care at BG Sams U.S. ArmHealth Clinic is available 24/7. The clinic is nopen 24/7 but our triage line is available 24/When calling the clinic at 263-4127, our stawill notify a provider who will call you bacThe provider will advise you if you can wait unthe clinic opens, or if you need to seek mediccare elsewhere.

Recently we have noticed an increase calls to the 911 number. This is the emegency number which activates the MPs, oambulance, EMTs and translators. If you haa life-threatening medical emergency, call 911on post or 119 off post. If you are feeling sior have an injury that does not meet the criterfor life, limb or eyesight, call the clinic at 264127 and push option 1 for triage nurse or 24medical advice. Our provider on call will adviyou on what options are available.

Free Throw Contest & Three-Point ShootoutA free throw contest and three-point shootoare scheduled to be held Jan. 22 at Yano FitneCenter here. There will be a both mens anwomens divisions. The free throw contest scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. for the women an9:45 a.m. for the men. The three-point shootois scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. for the womand 11:45 a.m. for the men. These events aopen to all military personnel in Camp Zam

Sagami Depot and Sagamihara Housing Areretirees; DoD civilians, AAFES employeefamily members (18 years of age or older annot in high school), JGSDF members, and MLemployees. There is no fee to participate in theevents. Awards will be presented to the rst- ansecond-place nishers for each event. Registat the Yano Fitness Center issue counter byp.m. on Jan. 21. Commanders Cup points wbe awarded for these events. For more informtion call, 263-4664 or 263-7980.

Free Fitness ClassesFree tness classes are offered at Yano:sup r C rcu t C :Monday and Wednesnoon to 12:30 p.m. Friday, 5:30 to 6 p.m.Un t PT Tr n ng:Tuesday, 6:30 to 7:30 a(Call tness coordinator at 263-5656 four weekin advance to reserve time slot and prograrequest.)P t :Tuesday, beginning at 9 a.m.H gh int n ty n C r Tr n ng:Wednes5:30 to 6:30 p.m.TBC Y g : Friday, beginning at noon.P r n Tr n ng/C n u t t n :Limdays and times, by appointment only . For minformation or to make an appointment, ca263-4664 or 263-5656.

Sports photos wantedThe Torii newspaper wants to publish your actiosports photos. To showcase your team or yochilds team, e-mail your digital action sporphotos less than two weeks old (with captionin .jpg format of 3 MB or more to [email protected] .

Army Bowl to showcase high school athletesBy R b Mci n

Army News Service

ARLINGTON, Va. The U.S. ArmyAll-American Bowl, the longest-runningactive high school All-American game,will showcase 90 athletes in an East-Westmatch up at San Antonios Alamodome inTexas on Saturday.

One of those high school all-star playerswill be paired with a Soldier who also hap-pens to be his half brother, sharing a fatherwho was an NFL great.

In addition to the game, the U.S. ArmyAll-American Marching Band, composed of 125 of the nations top high school march-ing musicians nominated by their banddirectors and auditioned by the NationalAssociation for Music Education willperform at halftime.

The Army is proud to celebrate thehundreds of athletes, musicians and Army-Strong Soldiers who have participated inthe Bowl in the past 10 years, and looksforward to welcoming a new group of par-ticipants and celebrating the 2011 game,said Col. Derik Crotts, director of Market-ing and Outreach, U.S. Army AccessionsCommand.

First played on Dec. 30, 2000, at High-lander Stadium in Dallas, Texas, the gamehas since been played annually inside theAlamodome.

Selection as a U.S. Army All-Americanis considered an important and prestigioushonor for these athletes and musicians whoembody the characteristics of the Army-Strong Soldier.

The bowl and Rivals.com, which ranksand selects the top players, has been sosuccessful over the years that currentlymore than 150 former Army All-American

high school players play in the NationalFootball League, including more than 40rst-round picks.

Just as this bowl has produced NFLplayers, one former Oakland Raiders playerhas produced a high school gridiron warrior

chosen for the 2011 Army Bowl.The son of feared Raiders safety George

Atkinson George Atkinson III is makingquite a name for himself in the defensive

back eld.According to Rivals.com, George

already has great size and could movedown to linebacker if he adds more weight.However, with the speed he possesses now,Atkinson is an elite safety who stands outas a return man for Granada High School,totaling 1,200 all-purpose yards.

George Butch Atkinson, a strongsafety for the Oakland Raiders from 1968to 1977 and current radio host of the Raid-ers pre- and post-game shows, has raisedhis boys with the same love for the game.In fact, he took on the position of assistantcoach when his twin boys began their var-sity careers at Granada High in Livermore,Calif., in 2008.

Even though my kids love football,I stress to them that life goes on after thegame, he said. They both have theirdreams of playing for the NFL, but theyknow that getting an education rst is moreimportant.

Both George and Josh will begin theircollege careers at Notre Dame this comingfall. At 6 feet, 4 inches tall and 194 pounds,George will play defensive back for theWest team.

This is a de nite honor to be selectedto play, said George, who wants to playfor the NFL just like his dad, after he earnshis degree in business administration. Itsa dream come true.

The Army Bowl also serves as a timeto honor not only wounded warriors andveterans, but also the Armys Soldier Heroeswho will participate with each high schoolplayer in a multitude of All-American Bowlgame-week activities.

Georges half brother, 1st Sgt. JeremyWright, 42, who was named his SoldierHero, will be at the game cheering him onto victory.

I called George and asked him if I

could attend the game and the next thingI know Im traveling to San Antonio,Wright said.

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl willbe televised live on NBC and the ArmedForces Network.

Courtesy photoGeorge Atkinson III carries the ball during a Granada High School g ame. He will pl ayin the U.S. Army All-American Bowl being held Saturday in San Antonio, Texas.


8/8

8 January 6 , 2011 TORII

T ravel & C ulTurewww.torii.army.mil

By T ts o N k hTorii Staff

M k ng i hes f r h N w Ye r a Hat umod Photos by Tetsuo Nakahar

H appy New Year! The year of 2011 has just begun. For Japanese, the New Year holiday isthe biggest event on the calendar, much like Christmas is in the U.S. Japanese celebratethe New Year with various events. It is the ideal time to witness the culture of Japan.

One of the most popular events for Japanese during New Year is Hatsumode . Hatsumode is therst shrine or temple visit of the year. Through Hatsumode, Japanese refresh their minds and make

their wishes for the New Year. Hatsumode is usually recommended to be done within the monthof January; however, most Japanese go between Jan. 1 and 3.

Here are the basic rules for what to do if it is your rst time doing Hatsumode.1. Bow slightly toward the gateway before entering the shrine or temple.2. Walk on the edge during your approach. The center is for gods.3. Purify yourself with water at the fountain site, which is usually set at the entrance. First, grab

the hishaku (a ladle set near the fountain) with your right hand, pour a scoop of cold water ontoyour left hand, and wash it. Do the same to your right hand. Then, pour another scoop of wateronto your left hand. You then pour it into your mouth, wash, and spit the water aside. Now, youare regarded as clean.

4. When you reach the main hall, throw money into the saisenbako (donation box) and ringthe bell.

5. Bow deeply twice, clap twice and make your wish. Bow again deeply at the end.It is usual to see long lines of prayers at big shrines during the New Year season especially

on weekends so you should follow the crowd and exit immediately after you pray. After youpray for your New Years wish, you may want to try omikuji (a written oracle) to test your NewYears luck. If the omikuji predicts bad luck, it is common for Japanese to tie it onto a tree nearthe shrine in the hope that the prediction will not come true. The omikuji goes into detail, tellingyou how you will do in various areas in your life, such and business and love, for that year. Youmay want to ask a uent friend to read it because it is usually written in Japanese. It costs 100 to200 yen to draw an omikuji.

You may also want to purchase omamori (Japanese protector) and other religious goods. It isbelieved that omamori strengthen its owners chances of his or her wish coming true. Several dif-ferent omamori are available, such as for safe driving, nding a good partner and a good family.But you need to remember that these omamori are good for one year only.

The Zama Shrine is located within a ve-minute walking distance from Camp Zama and is anideal shrine for Camp Zama community members to visit. If you want to go to a bigger shrine, theSamukawa Shrine located in Samukawa City or the Enoshima Shrine located in Fujisawa City arevery popular shrines for Hatsumode in the Shonan Area.

Several people line up to pray for good luck in the New Year during Hatsumode at Samukawa Shrine. Hatsumode is recommended to be done in January.

People purify themselves with water at a fountain before entering the mainhall of a sh rine to make their Hatsumode wishes for the New Year.

Various omamori (Japanese protectors) are sold during Hatsumode. Someomamori this year have pictures of rabbits because 2011 is the Year of theRabbit according to the Chinese zodiac.

Documents

Torii U.S. Army Garrison Japan weekly newspaper, Jan. 6, 2011 edition