9 CAMP ZAMA, Japan (May 21, 2021) – An employee’s offhand comment in the U.S. Army Garrison Japan housing warehouse set in motion a program that has since recognized the excellence of hundreds of workers here.
Col. Thomas Matelski, commander of USAG Japan, said he was touring garrison facilities soon after he took command in July 2019 when a worker told him, “This is the first time that I’ve seen one of the senior leaders in a while.”
The comment stuck in his mind, Matelski said, and he began thinking of ways he could get out and see the garrison’s team of more than 3,000 employees across USAG Japan’s 15 sites and facilities across Japan. He decided to recognize employees in person based on positive Interactive Customer Evaluation comments.
9 CAMP ZAMA, Japan (April 30, 2021) – Camp Zama’s Outdoor Recreation facility has moved into an impressive new space in the Community Recreation Center, and it opens May 1 at 8 a.m.
Rick Bosch, director of Camp Zama’s Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, gathered employees who worked on the project to thank them April 29, and described the new facility as a “one-stop shop” for outdoor recreation equipment, vehicle rentals, adventure tours and much more.
Col. Thomas Matelski, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Japan, and USAG Japan Command Sgt. Maj. Justin Turner toured the new facility during the event and thanked FMWR employees for their hard work.
9 SAGAMIHARA FAMILY HOUSING AREA, Japan (April 26, 2021) – Members of the U.S. Army Garrison Japan community observed Child Abuse Prevention Month at the library here April 23 with a lively festival aimed at raising awareness.
“Today is a coming together of the community to celebrate children and remind ourselves how precious our children are, but also to send a strong message to commit to preventing and ending child abuse,” said Marissa Ayag-Garcia, manager of the Family Advocacy Program at U.S. Army Garrison Japan’s Army Community Service and an organizer of the event.
Many children attended because they had the day off from school due to a teachers’ training day, and the event included live music from the U.S. Army Japan Band, a proclamation reading, a pinwheel planting, free popcorn and much more.
8 CAMP ZAMA, JAPAN (APRIL 16, 2021) - U.S. Army Garrison Japan hosted a retirement ceremony April 16 to bid farewell to outgoing Deputy Garrison Commander J. Steve Niederriter and his wife, Janet.
USAG Japan Commander Col. Thomas R. Matelski, the ceremony’s presiding officer, presented Mr. Niederriter with a Superior Civilian Service Medal, retirement certificates from Installation Management Command – Pacific and USAG Japan, and a retirement pin.
USAG Japan Command Sgt. Major Justin Turner also presented Niederriter with a coin, and Matelski presented Janet with the Public Service Commendation Medal.
Craig L. Deatrick, director of IMCOM-Pacific, joined the ceremony virtually, and both Matelski and Deatrick provided comments to thank the Niederriters for their selfless service.
9 CAMP ZAMA, Japan (April 13, 2021) – Throughout the Zama Middle High School Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Cadet Leadership Challenge here April 6 through 8, the cadets showed they were up for the test.
They treated blisters from the nearly 3-mile road march quickly and thoroughly. They helped each other over difficult obstacles during the obstacle course. They demonstrated teamwork during the orienteering test. They cheered each other on during the Army Combat Fitness Test. They listened carefully to the safety brief before their Black Hawk helicopter flights. And when it came time to learn medical rescue carries, it seemed everyone wanted to carry the 200-pound cadet.