• March

    Engineering Science in Okinawa

    It’s not uncommon to find members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) interacting with students in a school setting. This is part of the USACE science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) initiative, worldwide. Overseas in Japan, one would think you could find America’s Engineers working together with children at any number of Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools as well, and they are. Engineers from the USACE’s Japan Engineer District work directly with DoDEA students and classes, promoting STEM and engineering in general.
  • February

    A friendly guide to visiting a Japanese doctor

    The thought of seeing a foreign doctor in a foreign country while navigating a foreign healthcare system can understandably leave Department of Defense (DoD) civilians and their families living and working in Japan in a state of worry. The intimidation of venturing off-installation to see Japanese healthcare providers is an experience many opt to avoid to the detriment of their own health and peace of mind.
  • Defense Health Agency to Japan: "We Hear You!"

    It’s no secret that Department of Defense civilians working in Japan are having a difficult time navigating healthcare options in Japan. This is due to restrictions placed on the usage of military-operated hospitals and clinics whose administration and management has recently fallen to the Defense Health Agency (DHA). The agency received a mandate from Congress in 2017 instructing them to prioritize treatment for active-duty service members, their families, and others covered by the military health plan TRICARE Prime, a service only available to Servicemembers on active duty, their immediate family, or as a benefit for someone who is retired from the military.
  • January

    From South of the Border to the Far East

    ‘Hecho con mucho amor’ – Made with immense love. Written in vibrantly red cursive, the Spanish phrase adorns the entranceway to a kitchen, sectioned off with saloon-style swinging doors. The rhythmic beat of salsa music and scent of simmering meats and unique tang of cilantro embraces you. As you look around, your eyes are drawn to the red and yellow walls decorated with imagery of a sombrero-clad boy and his donkey, and the golden glow of still-warm empanadas resting, bringing you back to your local Tex-Mex joint back home.
  • November

    Building structures and forging bonds – a visit to the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force Engineer School

    Japan Engineer District’s commander, Col. Gary Bonham, made a visit to the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force’s (JGSDF) engineer school in Ibaraki, Japan, recently.
  • Brothers in Arms

    Gilbert and Kohara were brought together by the Co-Op program, a bilateral exchange opportunity created by U.S. Army Japan and JGSDF, that pairs junior officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) with their foreign counterpart to enhance English and Japanese language comprehension skills, learn about each other’s cultures, familiarize themselves with their respective branches’ doctrines and techniques, all with the goal of strengthening the strategic alliance between America and Japan.
  • October

    JED Engineer team collaborates at SAME forum

    TOKYO, Japan -- Representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer – Japan Engineer District (USACE JED) attended the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) forum held at the New Sanno hotel in Roppongi.
  • JED ‘demolishes’ fiscal year record

    JED awarded a whopping 341 contract actions— purchases of facility construction or repairs, supplies or equipment for the laymen, totaling $434 million during FY22, the largest year on record, and an astounding $269 million more than previously executed compared to FY21.
  • September

    Japan Engineer District brings 21st Century Schooling to Sasebo

    With the snip of a ribbon, a newly constructed and partially renovated E.J. King Middle High School was officially declared ready to teach during a ceremony here on Commander Fleet Activities Sasebo, September 21. The ceremony, attended by such luminaries as Vice Adm. Yancy Lindsey, Commander, Navy Installations Command, Rear Adm. Carl A. Lahati, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Japan / Navy Region Japan, Capt. David J. Adams, Commander, CFA Sasebo, Mr. Thomas Brady, Director, Department of Defense Education Activity, and Ms. Lois J. Rapp, DoDEA Pacific Director for Student Excellence, drew throngs of school children and teachers excited to be part of this moment in Sasebo History.
  • Workforce Recruitment Program offers opportunities for JED employees and families

    The Workforce Recruitment Program, or WRP, is a recruitment and referral program that connects public and private sector employers nationwide with highly motivated postsecondary students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the workplace through paid summer or permanent jobs.
  • August

    JED Chief of Construction hangs up his hardhat

    Lawrence Seeba, or Lee, as he is affectionately known around the office, is retiring after a total of 37 years of civilian service and was awarded the Civilian Service Commendation Medal. He was the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer Japan Engineer District (JED) Chief of Construction division.
  • Crawl, Walk, Run: Japan Engineer District exercise finds its legs

    Japan Engineer District's "walk, run, crawl" plan was crafted by JED’s Crisis Action Team to get JED up to speed in time to integrate this yearly exercise more fully with their higher headquarters, the Pacific Ocean Division, in 2025.
  • Japan Engineer District practices being ‘safe’ and ‘sound’

    CAMP ZAMA, Japan – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Japan Engineer District (JED) kicked-off their annual ‘Safe + Sound’ safety week with an awards ceremony hosted by JED commander, Col. Gary Bonham, August 16, 2022.
  • JED Engineers participate in bilateral boat race on Lake Miyagase

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Japan District personnel accompanied Advanced Individual Training recruits from the Japan Ground Self Defense Force 4th Engineer Group to Lake Miyagase for a training exercise on August 5th.
  • June

    The Cave: Bringing Pfc. John Quinn Home

    The last time anyone saw Pfc. John B. Quinn, Jr, a 29th Regiment Marine, he was headed into a cave on the island of Okinawa, some 7,600 miles away from his home in New York. The year was 1945.
  • Japan Engineer District Celebrates 50 Years of Service

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Japan Engineer District celebrated 50 years of service with a grand celebration at Camp Zama’s Community Club, June 13th.
  • May

    Recollections: My Escape from Vietnam in the Wake of War

    The theme for this year’s Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month celebration is “Advancing Leaders Through Collaboration.” My name is Triet Bui. I would like to share with you how a series of profound crucible experiences affected me and completely changed and shaped my outlook in life to not only be a better person, but a better leader.
  • March

    KYOGAMISAKI COMMUNICATIONS SITE: KNIFE EDGE OF FREEDOM

    After 9 years of construction, the ribbon is finally cut officially opening the U.S. Army’s Kyogamisaki Communication Site for operation.
  • Faces of Diversity: Women's History Month

    As we come into the 35th anniversary of Women’s History Month, I can think of so many prominent and notable women that have made great contributions in America – the late Hon. Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Supreme Court Justice, Sally Ride - the first woman in space, and Michelle Obama – First Lady of the United States. These amazing women along with so many others have worked publicly to promote women’s rights, equity in employment and pay, and overall equality for all women in America. It also made me think about the women in my own life and my own history that have made a positive impact in my life – most notably, my grandmother and mother.
  • November

    JED MISAWA: A BILATERAL FORCE UP NORTH

    Tucked in the upper left corner of the third floor of the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron building a little way into Misawa Air Base, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is hiding a gem - the Misawa Resident Office; a satellite branch of Japan Engineer District, perched atop Japan’s main island of Honshu’s northernmost tip in a prefecture called Aomori.