Security Forces, local police cracking down on drunk driving during holidays

To keep drunk drivers off the road, Kadena law enforcement officials and Okinawa police will be exercising increased vigilance during the holidays. Motorists can expect to see a greater number of sobriety checkpoints around the base and off base as law enforcement officials try to keep the roads

DODEA changes age eligibility requirements for kindergarten, 1st grade

The Department of Defense Education Activity will make an important change to its entrance age eligibility requirement that will affect the early childhood program for the 2009-10 school year. The entrance eligibility birth date will be adjusted from October 31 to September 1. That means a child

New terminology recognizes deployed Airmen's contributions

The Air Force is adopting new terminology to better reflect participation in today's joint fight, the Air Force chief of staff advised in a letter to the field. Airmen who were previously categorized as filling non-standard or "in lieu of" taskings now will be referred to as filling a joint

CFC wraps up for Kadena

The men and women of Kadena Air Base showed their generosity by donating a total of $455,000 to charity as part of the 2008 Combined Federal Campaign, which wrapped up here Dec. 10. Senior Master Sgt. David Duncan, Kadena CFC primary community area project officer, said although the end total fell

PACAF centralizes fit testing

Airmen across PACAF will soon see a change in their fitness testing procedures as the command moves to centralize all fit testing under base health and wellness centers by March of 2009. After receiving feedback from across the command, Gen. Howie Chandler, Pacific Air Forces commander, directed the

Commentary: Being a military spouse means looking forward, not back

I became a military spouse almost four years ago after marrying then Airman 1st Class Bernabe Balatero, Jr. Like many other military couples, we married fairly quickly with a small wedding that we promised would be redone on a grand scale in years to come. For me, the past four years have been an

Congress authorizes paternity leave

Eligible Airmen are now authorized 10 days of nonchargeable paternity leave following the birth of their newborns, courtesy of the 2009 Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act passed by Congress. The law applies to married, active-duty Airmen. The Airman's wife must have given birth to the

F-22As scheduled to deploy to Kadena

The U.S. Air Force is scheduled to deploy 12 F-22A Raptors to Kadena Air Base in January 2009 for approximately three months in support of U.S. Pacific Command's security obligations in the Western Pacific. These deployments underscore the U.S. commitment to Japan as a vital regional partner and

Kadena Airmen participate in cultural ceremony at Chitose Air Base

For members of the 44th Fighter Squadron and 44th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, the opportunity to participate in a traditional Japanese New Year celebration was a welcome end to a week-long training exercise. Five of the approximately 70 Kadena Airmen training at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's

Harlem Globetrotters dazzle Kadena

Kadena residents reminded about holiday lighting guidelines

Energy officials are reminding Kadena residents to be mindful of energy consumption this holiday season, especially when using holiday lights to decorate their homes and offices. This means observing holiday lighting hours, which run from dusk until 10 p.m. nightly. After 10 p.m. holiday lights must

Kadena officials offer holiday safety tips

Kadena safety, fire and emergency service officials encourage everyone to follow a few safety tips during the holiday season. "Electrical safety is a huge concern during this time of year," said Lorie Bellamy, 18th Wing ground safety manager. To avoid electrical fires, individuals should use only

Team Kadena volunteers keep holiday mail moving

The Kadena Post Office is requesting volunteers to keep the extra half million pounds of holiday mail moving smoothly. Every holiday season, the post office relies on 150 to 300 volunteers to help with the additional mail. Kadena's Assistant Postmaster, Tech. Sgt Brian Barlow, said without the

Cessna forced landing investigation report released

An investigation into the Oct. 24 forced landing of a Kadena Aero Club Cessna-172 near Nago City concluded that the accident occurred as a result of engine failure brought on by fuel starvation. In his report, the investigating officer determined the aircraft ran out of fuel in flight because of

Kadena Air Base improves playgrounds in family housing areas

A new project is underway in Kadena Air Base family housing areas to replace deteriorating playgrounds with newer facilities. "The civil engineers have taken a proactive interest in improving the playgrounds on base," said Jeff Noorda, 718th Civil Engineer Squadron chief of base development.