Welcome to Americafest

  • Published
  • By Brig. Gen. Brett T. Williams
  • 18th Wing Commander
KADENA AB, Japan --  Hai sai! On behalf of the 18th Wing and all of the men and women of Kadena Air Base, welcome to AmericaFest 2008. This year's open house, the first in four years, promises to be an exciting and entertaining event for the whole family. AmericaFest features a wide variety of aircraft representing not only the U.S. Air Force, but our Navy, Marine Corps and Japan Air Self Defense Force partners as well. 

You'll also be treated to a variety of talented musical acts, plenty of activities for children, fireworks, and a great selection of food vendors serving the best in American and Japanese food. 

The purpose of AmericaFest is twofold. For the men and women of Team Kadena, the members of the other military services on Okinawa and their families, this event is a chance to say thank you for everything you do to carry out your mission to defend Japan and preserve peace and stability in the Pacific. I'm proud of your professionalism and grateful for your service to our great Nation. 

For our friends and neighbors in Okinawa and around Japan, we hope that you have an entertaining time while experiencing a little bit of American culture as we celebrate the 232nd anniversary of America's Independence. AmericaFest is a chance for us to invite you in to see our aircraft, meet our Airmen and their families and hopefully learn a little bit about our important mission here in Japan. 

America's enduring alliance with Japan has been the bedrock of peace and security in the Pacific region for over 60 years, and the Air Force's presence in Okinawa has played a critical role in this process. I hope that by meeting and talking with our Airmen and their families, you'll see just how committed they are to their mission and to their role as ambassadors and good neighbors here in Okinawa. 

Above all, AmericaFest is about bringing Americans and Japanese together in the spirit of friendship. For the thousands of Americans stationed here, Okinawa is now our home. It's where we're raising our families and forging new relations. 

We're grateful for the friends we've made in the local community, and we're confident that AmericaFest will lead to new friendships and contribute to greater mutual respect and appreciation between our two great nations. 

So enjoy the day, make some new friends, eat plenty of funnel cakes and above all, have fun! We'll see you on the flightline.