• February

    Japan Engineer District begins pilot Japanese intern program

    For the last several weeks, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Japan Engineer District (USACE JED)
  • Japan Engineer District Stands Up Inaugural SFRG

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Japan Engineer District (USACE JED) Headquarters stood up their first ever Soldier and Family Readiness Group (SFRG) recently at Camp Zama after having established officers and receiving approval for its standard operating procedure (SOP), making it official.
  • Rising Star brings Value Engineering to JED

    Kenji Hayashi, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Japan Engineer District’s (USACE JED) Value Engineering Officer (VEO), was recently awarded the USACE ‘Value Engineering Professional of the Year award.’
  • Japan Engineer District Reorganizes

    A historic re-organization has occurred within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Japan Engineer District (USACE JED).
  • 'Giant Kite festival' takes flight at Sagamihara

    The Oodako matsuri, or Giant Kite festival, is held annually along the Sagamihara riverbank near Camp Zama, every year on Greenery, and Children’s Day (May 4th and 5th, respectively) – a part of Japan’s ‘Golden Week,’ a string of holidays lasting from May 1st to May 7th.
  • Fish out of water: a Soldier's week with the JGSDF

    1st Lieutenant Andrew Gilbert, a project Engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Japan Engineer District (USACE JED) Kanagawa Resident Office, experienced his first-time usage of heavy equipment, such as an excavator and steamroller, courtesy of his Japanese host nation teammates, the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF).
  • Hansen celebrates new main gate opening

    A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held under the warm Okinawan sun, at Marine Corps Installations Pacific (MCIPAC) Camp Hansen, Wednesday, March 22nd.
  • Camp Zama's Army Wellness Center - engineering a holistic approach to health

    Have you found yourself feeling listless recently? Too many hours glued to your work computer, crunching numbers, or browsing the same websites day-in and day-out? Have your 5-day-a-week trips to the Post Exchange food court thrown your diet and shape out of tune? How about your mental health – has all the above got you feeling a bit blue? Fear not – there exists a one-stop facility on Camp Zama that can help you get back on the track to a better lifestyle!
  • 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.