VOLUME 49 NUMBER 38 MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, JAPAN OCTOBER 8, 2004

INSIDE

www.iwakuni.usmc.mil

IWAKUNI WEATHERTodayRainHigh: 74

SaturdayRainHigh: 73

SundayPartly CloudyHigh: 76

Area park entertains all agesHachigamine park offers activities andattractions for the young and theyoung at heart. Page 4

Friendly competition unitesJapanese and American forces squareoff at Penny Lake in friendly softballgame. Page 11

As of Oct. 1, Kokusai DenshinDenwa International became the onlylong distance telephone carrier availableto Station residents.

The global telephone service wasrecently awarded an exclusive contracthere, making them the sole provider forinternational and domestic long distanceservices aboard the Station.

In accordance with the new contract,the rate for long distance calls to theUnited States has been reduced from sixto five Yen per minute. The rates forcalls to cellular phones have been re-duced from 17 to 13 Yen per minute.

All access to Nippon Telegraph andTelephone Communications trunks havebeen blocked.

“The immediate benefit for Air Sta-tion residents is reduced rates for inter-national and domestic long distance

Long distance rates drop for Station residentsCPL. DAVID REVERE

Combat Correspondentcalls,” said Chief Warrant Officer ChadH. La Suer, Station telephone officer.“Advantages that will be coming in thenear future include a new format for un-official bills, improved quality on callsto cellular phones, a new method of di-rect inward dialing and a decrease in thetime it takes us to produce an accuratebill after disconnecting a telephone.”

Some Station residents see thechange as beneficial.

“I think it’s a good thing as long asthey are making a good deal for us,” saidStaff Sgt. Anthony R. Watts, freight staffnoncommissioned officer in charge,Headquarters and Headquarters Squad-ron. “They’re giving us a rate that iscompetitive to whatever is out there onthe market.”

La Suer said the decision to consoli-date to one long distance carrier cameafter years of trying out other options.

“Years ago, the Air Station decidedto give Japanese carriers the opportu-

nity to conduct business aboard (Ma-rine Corps Air Station) Iwakuni,” he said.“The intent was that the competitionbetween the companies would lowerrates for our residents. This competi-tion drove the rates down so far that itstarted to become unprofitable for thecarriers to operate.”

La Suer said the small size of the Sta-tion made it impractical to support somany carriers.

“The only option that wouldn’t costthe Air Station a significant amount ofmoney was to select a single carrier,” hesaid.

Although the arrangement has un-dercut competition, KDDI will continueto offer residents a rate comparable toany other major long distance plan.

“One of our high priorities being sta-tioned overseas is calling home,” saidWatts. “They are offering a reasonable

see LONG Page 5

WASHINGTON – Defense Depart-ment employees donated $13 millionin the 2003 Combined Federal Cam-paign, and officials here hope to topthat number this year.

At a campaign kickoff event inthe Pentagon, DoD’s Director of Ad-ministration and ManagementRaymond F. DuBois spoke about thisyear’s campaign theme: Superhe-roes. “All of us can be supermen andsuperwomen when it comes to help-ing those of our families and friendsand neighbors who need our help,”DuBois said.

The Combined Federal Cam-paign is the federal government’sonly authorized workplace solicita-tion of donations. Military and civil-ian employees choose which char-ity or charities they elect to supportand can make straight donations orset up payroll deductions.

In 2003, DoD raised $13 millionfor the campaign — $1.5 million morethan the agency’s goal. This yearofficials set a goal of $12.1 million,and Deputy Defense Secretary PaulWolfowitz said he believes the de-

DoD officials urgegenerosity in giving

KATHLEEN T. RHEM

American Forces Press Service Like runners and joggers duringthe hours of darkness, bicycle ridersmust also pay heed to the same regu-lations, especially when it comes toreflective gear.

“I’m not going to wait until some-one gets injured before we start get-ting smart,” said Col. Michael A. Dyer,commanding officer. “What we aredoing here is to prevent people fromgetting injured.”

“During the day, riders shouldwear brightly colored clothing,” saidMaster Sgt. Eric Drummond, opera-tions chief, Station ProvostMarshal’s Office. “During the night,individuals need to wear a reflectivegarment, either a belt or a vest, that isvisible from the front and back.”

The hours of darkness are 30 min-utes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset.

Every bicycle, when in use at nighttime, should beequipped with a light on the front emitting a white light visiblefrom 500 feet. The rear of the bicycle should have a red reflec-tor or red light which is visible from 100 to 600 feet so that thebicycle is visible to oncoming traffic.

Riders who do not follow the safety guidelines will re-ceive a minor offense report through their sponsor’s chain ofcommand, according to Drummond.

“If the incident is repeated, more drastic measures will betaken, such as impounding the bicycle. We realize we couldbe taking away a person’s only mode of transportation by

Stricter safety regs for two-wheeled trafficMASTER SGT. LESLI J. COAKLEY

Public Affairs Chief

see DOD Page 5

doing this, so we urgeeveryone to comply sothat it will not have tocome to that,” addedDrummond.

Upon arrival atthe Station or uponpurchase of a bicycle,residents are requiredto register their bicyclewith the Vehicle Reg-istration Office. Re-quired documents toregister a bicycle arereceipt/bill of sale orshipping document. Asigned affidavit cansubstitute these docu-ments and can be ob-tained from the VehicleRegistration Office.Along with the re-quired documents, per-

sonnel must also present the bicycle being registered and anapproved safety helmet and locking device. Approved safetyhelmets American National Standards Institute (ANSI) orMemorial Foundation (SNELL). Look for these symbols whenpurchasing a helmet.

Once a bicycle is registered, it can only be de-registeredthrough a bill of sale or proper disposal through the Stationrecycling center. Personnel will not be allowed to check outof the Pass and Registration office without these documents.

Other important safety tips for Station bicycle riders areriding in single file and riding with the direction of traffic inthe appropriate bicycle lane.

Cpl. Anthony D. Pike

Lance Cpl. Everett Caldwell of the Staff JudgeAdvocate's office demonstrates appropiate reflec-tive gear for night time bike riding. Riders are onlyrequired to wear a reflective belt.

Commanding Officer/Publisher

Col. Michael A. Dyer

Public Affairs OfficerCapt. Stewart T. Upton

Public Affairs ChiefMaster Sgt. Lesli J. Coakley

Press ChiefCpl. Anthony D. Pike

Operations ChiefCpl. David Revere

Combat CorrespondentsCpl. Dave Boni

Lance Cpl. Lydia Davey

Information/EditorialSpecialist

Yukiko Mitsui

“This weekly newspaper is anauthorized publication for membersof the military services stationedoverseas and their families. Its con-tents do not necessarily reflect theofficial views of the U.S. Govern-ment, the Department of Defenseor the U.S. Marine Corps, and doesnot imply endorsement thereof.”

Editorial content is edited, pre-pared and provided by the PublicAffairs Office of Marine Corps AirStation Iwakuni, Japan.

All queries concerning newsand editorial content should be di-rected to the Public Affairs Office,Building one, Room 216, MCASIwakuni, Japan. Call 253-5551.

PSC 561 Box 1868FPO AP 96310-0029

Phone 253-5551Fax 253-5554

NEWS BRIEFSPOST OFFICE CLOSURE

Due to the Columbus Day holiday, PostOffice hours for the weekend will be asfollows; Saturday open from 8 a.m. to 12p.m. for parcel pick up only, closed Sundayand Monday, and resuming normaloperations Tuesday.

MALS-12 HAUNTED HOUSE

Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12is hosting its annual haunted house fromOct. 28-31, at the old MAG /Headquartersbuilding.

MARINE CORPS BALL

Tickets for the Nov. 4-6 Marine CorpsBalls are on sale at the Staff NCO cashcage. The Ball will be held at theIronWorks Gym and will feature a dinner.Marines are reminded to get their uniformsaltered early, alterations take 10 days andno rush orders will be accepted.

MAMMO VAN VISIT

A mobile test facility for mammogramswill be aboard the Station Oct. 20-23.Women more than 40 are encouraged tohave an annual mammogram. Patientappointments will start at 9 a.m. Oct. 21and 22. Oct. 23 will be used for follow upappointments. To schedule an appointment,contact Branch Medical Clinic at 253-5571.

PAGE 2 OPINIONTORII TELLER, OCTOBER 8, 2004 NEWS PAGE 3TORII TELLER, OCTOBER 8, 2004

The Torii Teller wel-comes Letter to the Editorsubmissions. Letters are theopinion of the writer only.Submissions can be editedfor clarity and space. Let-ters can be dropped off atthe Public Affairs Office orsent via e-mail to pikea@iwakuni.usmc.mil orcoakleylj@iwakuni.usmc.mil.

Erma Bombeck told this veryinteresting story, “In church the otherSunday, I was intent on a small childwho was turning around smiling ateveryone. He wasn’t gurgling,spitting, humming, kicking, tearing thehymnals or rummaging through hismother’s handbag. He was justsmiling. Finally, his mother jerked himabout and in a stage whisper thatcould be heard in a little theater offBroadway said, “Stop grinning! You’rein a church!” Withthat, she gave him abelt on his hind sideand as the tears rolleddown his cheeksadded, “that’s better,”and returned to herprayers.

I wanted to grabthis child with the tear-stained face close tome and tell him aboutmy God. The happyGod. The smiling God,the God who had tohave a sense of humorto have created thelikes of us.”

I think of this storywhen I reflect upon lifein general and life hereon base. Sometimes itseems as we hurryabout from meeting tomeeting, from pickingup children to runningthrough the aisles ofthe commissary so

Enjoy new experiencesCMDR. DONALD P. FIX

Headquarters and HeadquartersSquadron Chaplain

SEMPERTOONS BY STAFF SGT. CHARLES WOLF, JR.

Domestic Violence AwarenessMonth was started by the National Coa-lition Against Domestic Violence. Thefirst Domestic Violence AwarenessMonth was observed in October 1987with the purpose of raising awarenessand empowering battered women andtheir children and to eliminate violencein their lives.

Domestic violence is a national prob-lem with far-reaching effects in our com-munities, work places, and schools.Within the military community, every-one shares in the responsibility of help-ing to make a safer, violence-free envi-ronment for our families. Although Oc-tober is the month we highlight the is-sue of domestic violence, we must con-tinue our efforts to minimize and elimi-nate it throughout the year. We also urgethose currently experiencing violencewithin their families to immediately seek

October is ‘Domestic Violence Awareness Month’appropriate intervention and treatmentservices.

Domestic Violence is an offense un-der U.S. law, U.S. state law and underthe Uniform Code of Military Justice(UCMJ). In the Marine Corps, it is de-fined as “the use, attempted use, orthreatened use of force or violenceagainst a person of the opposite sex, orthe violation of a lawful order issued forthe protection of a person of the oppo-site sex, who is: a current or formerspouse, a person with whom the abuseshares a child in common, or a currentor former intimate partner with whom theabuser shares or has shared a commondomicile.”

Domestic violence can be physical,sexual, or psychological in nature. It canalso include intentional damage to an-other person’s property.

Types of abuse include:Physical: Use of physical force to

intimidate, control, or force a person todo something against his or her will.

Pushing, slapping, choking, punching,hair pulling, kicking, biting, and hittingwith objects or using knives, firearms,or other weapons are examples of physi-cal violence.

Sexual: Forcing someone to engagein any sexual activity through the useof physical violence, intimidation, theexplicit or implicit threat of future vio-lence or abuse if the offender’s advancesare refused is sexual violence.

Property Violence: Property damagecan be used as a means to scare or in-timidate. It includes breaking or damag-ing cherished possessions, putting afist or foot through a wall or door, throw-ing food, breaking dishes, damagingautomobiles, and etc.

Psychological or Emotional Vio-lence: This involves explicit or implicitthreats of violence; extreme controllingbehaviors; extreme jealousy; name call-ing; isolating behavior; and threats tochildren, family, or pets. This definitionis not intended to cover the occasional

individual acts of emotional abuse com-mon in many marriages. Rather, it cov-ers extreme emotional abuse that causestrauma and risk to the victim that pre-vents the victim from adequately caringfor self and children.

Marine and Family Counseling Ser-vices is constantly striving to preventall forms of domestic violence here inIwakuni. During Domestic ViolenceAwareness Month, we focus our effortsto increase community awareness to-ward the prevention of domestic vio-lence through the following events:

Domestic Violence AwarenessMonth Information Table: Come andlearn what you can do to prevent do-mestic violence. Marine and FamilyCounseling Services staff will have in-formational handouts, books, and vid-eos available on display regarding do-mestic violence. Every Wednesday,from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Food Court/

see AWARENESS Page 5

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — As the 22nd Marine Expedi-tionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) headed to-ward the United States aboard the amphibious assaultships of the WASP Expeditionary Strike Group, mostof the unit’s Marines and Sailors were looking aheadto their long-awaited reunions with family and friends.

However, the MEU’s aviation combat element,Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 (Reinforced),took the time also to look back on their combat servicein Afghanistan.

In a ceremony in theWASP’s hanger bay, 52Marines and Sailors wereawarded the Combat Air-crew Insignia (CAI).

Anti-coalition militialearned first hand howsharp the claws of theFighting Griffins wereduring the 3,600 hours ofcombat flight time HMM-266 amassed during theirtour in Afghanistan.

Stars on the combatair crewman wings desig-nate how many flighthours or sorties the Ma-rine has flown. For theGriffins to earn theirstars, each crewman hadto fly 15 hours of combatflight hours or conduct11 combat sorties per star. Marines can wear up tothree stars on their wings, though if the Marine earnsmore, the stars are kept in his record.

Their time in the air has only made them more pre-pared for whatever mission the Griffins have ahead ofthem.

“It’s really good experience for me because beingin the Navy and being a corpsman, I really wasn’t intothe flying thing,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Christo-pher White, of Indianapolis, Ind., one of several corps-

SGT. MATT PRESTON

Combat Correspondentmen who earned their CAI. “It’s an experience a lot ofcorpsmen don’t get to have.”

Whether flying to drop Marines off in search ofanti-coalition militia or picking up supplies in supportof activities in Task Force Linebacker’s area of opera-tions, HMM-266 (Rein) aircraft were continually in dan-ger of small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades(RPGs).

The crew chiefs, aerial observers and corpsmen ofthe squadron had to remain on their toes wheneverthey went “wheels up.” “Every day we flew, there was something new,” said

Sgt. KennethMatthews, a CH-53ESuper Stallion aerialobserver formParksley, Va., who per-sonally accrued 120hours of combat flighttime. “We were alwayson high alert.” The Griffins flewover 2,800 combat sor-ties in Afghanistan,performing troop andcargo transportationas well as providingescort and air cover forMarines on theground. Among the CAI re-cipients were twosearch-and-rescuecorpsmen attached tothe MEU Command El-

ement. For a complete list of those awarded the CAI,visit http://www.usmc.mil/22ndmeu/Profiles-of-Courage.htm.

In addition to HMM-266 and the MEU CommandElement, the 22nd MEU Battalion Landing Team 1stBattalion, 6th Marines and MEU Service Support Group22.

For more information on the 22nd MEU, visit theunit’s web site at http://www.22meu.usmc.mil.

Sgt. Matt Preston

An enlisted fight crewman from Marine MediumHelicopter Squadron 266 (Reinforced) receivesa badge denoting the awarding of the CombatAircrew Insignia for his service with the 22ndMarine Expeditionary Unit (Special OperationsCapable) during combat operations in Afghani-stan, April to July 2004.

Enlisted Griffins receive combat aircrew insignia

MAN ON THE STREETWhat do you do to relax?

"I like to go home and spend anice afternoon with my family.Nothing relaxes me more."

Staff Sgt. Charles FisherHeadquaters and HeadquatersSquadronS-4 Chief

Sgt. Ronald BushueMobile Calibration Complex 1Microwave Supervisor

Rianne Graves-LockDependant

"I hang out with my friends, playpool or video games and watchtelevision to relax."

"I go somewhere to be by myselfwith a cup of coffee in my hands."

intent on our task at hand that weforget to enjoy the experience.

I’m not saying that it is a cake walkto do all the activities that work, familylife, even social engagements present,but in a way we are in God’s church –his open air church every moment ofour life and he has to be saying,“lighten up a bit!”

I’m writing this article first andforemost for myself since I’m thegreatest offender. I am at ease andenjoying life only when I think it ispermitted and usually that is duringmy free time and even then I’mdirected by my own schedule. I’m still

trying to find the secret of living life,as I know God wants me to.

St. Irenaeus, who lived in thesecond century A.D. said, “The gloryof God is man fully alive”. That is oneof my favorite quotes since it reflectsnot only what God wants but also thegoal of our life. It is interesting to notethat St. Irenaeus suffered a martyr’sdeath but with a philosophy like his hemust have gone down rejoicing. Iknow that I need to remind myselfeach day to embrace what is before mewith great joy and when I forget I willonly display to others that MCAS ISNO PLACE FOR JOY!

MARINE CORPS COMMUNITY SERVICES

Press Release

PAGE 4 FEATURETORII TELLER, OCTOBER 8, 2004 FEATURE PAGE 5TORII TELLER, OCTOBER 8, 2004

October comes and Americans start to think ofHalloween and the upcoming holidays. For morethan one billion Muslims worldwide, including eightmillion in North America, it is a time of fasting, prayerand reflection as they celebrate the holy month ofRamadan.

Since Islam uses a lunar calendar, the exact datesof Ramadan change each year. This year, it beginson Oct. 16, in North America.

Ramadan commemorates Allah revealing the firstverses of the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, to theprophet Muhammad. (Allah is what Muslims callGod, which is the same one Christians and Jewishpeople worship.)

Consequently, at many mosques during thismonth, about one-thirtieth of the Qur’an is recitedeach night along with the evening prayers.

Ramadan: a month of religious dedicationGUNNERY SGT. M.A. ZEID

Combat CorrespondentThe most important part of Ramadan is fasting

from dawn to dusk and is mandatory for all adultMuslims who are healthy and sane. During daylighthours, Muslims cannot eat, drink or smoke. Thesick, pregnant women and children are not requiredto fast. Also during daylight hours, Muslims mustabstain from sexual activity.

The day starts with a meal eaten before the sunrises. After sunset and evening prayers, the fast isbroken with another meal. The evening meal usuallybegins with dates and fruit juice for quick energy.

The relevance of fasting is reflecting on one’s lifeand devotion to Islam. The idea is that refusingfood and water gives people sympathy for thosewho are poor and cannot afford food. It also givespeople a reason to appreciate what Allah gave them.

Attitude and actions during the fast are just asimportant as abstaining from food and drink. Peopleare to fast with the idea of self-reflection andimprovement of themselves and dedication to their

faith. Lying or fasting for the wrong reasonsinvalidates the Ramadan observance.

Furthermore, during this time, many Muslimsfocus on the five pillars of Islam; profession of faith,prayer, giving to charity, fasting during Ramadanand a pilgrimage to Mecca. Therefore, most Mus-lims tend to give more to charity than usual duringRamadan. Many believe they have a specialobligation to share their good fortune with the poorand make contributions to mosques.

Ramadan ends with the feast of Eid al-Fitr, one ofthe two most important Islamic celebrations. Theother one is the Haji, a pilgrimage to Mecca. Thisyear Eid al-Fitr, which literally means “the festival ofbreaking the fast” is on Nov 14th. For this festival,people dress in their finest clothes, decorate theirhomes and give children treats as well as visitingfriends.

This article was compiled from various sourcesand information from the Internet.

rate to make that possible. They aremaking it affordable to use their service.Their concern with our well-being is tothe customer’s best interest.”

Contact the telephone office at 253-5555 for a complete list of rates to allcountries.

LONG from Page 1

AL ASAD, Iraq — Marines here withMarine Light Attack HelicopterSquadron 169, Marine Aircraft Group16, are flying some of their Vietnam-eraaircraft with state-of-the-art technol-ogy.

Designed to be mounted on avariety of aircraft, the high-perfor-mance BRITE Star thermal imaging andlaser designator system is giving the‘Vipers’ another weapon for theirarsenal.

‘Vipers’ employ ‘BRITE Star’ in IraqSTORY AND PHOTOS BY

CPL. PAUL LEICHT

Combat Correspondent

Chief Warant Officer 2 Michael W. Reed, maintenance officer, Marine Light AttackHelicopter Squadron 169, shows off the remote control for the BRITE Star thermalimaging and laser designation system aboard one of the squadron’s UH-1N Hueyhelicopters at Al Asad, Iraq.

DOD from Page 1

partment will again exceed its goal.In a short speech at today’s kickoff

ceremony, Wolfowitz likened donatingto CFC to the work American servicemembers are doing overseas. Both, hesaid, are forms of selfless service.

“(Service members and civil ser-vants) are helping people today, par-

Sept. 11, 2001, are part of the CombinedFederal Campaign. Likewise, he said, soare the charities that are providing hu-manitarian relief in hurricane-damagedsections of the southeastern UnitedStates.

“CFC organizations are once againmaking a huge difference in helpingpeople put their lives back together,”he said.

ticularly in Afghanistan and Iraq, on atruly heroic scale,” Wolfowitz said.“While our armed forces serve us sofaithfully, the charities of the CombinedFederal Campaign give gifts of educa-tion, nutrition and other life-giving sup-port to those who need it most.”

The deputy secretary said it’s im-portant to note that most of the chari-ties that responded to the tragedies of

Crossroads Mall Hallway.Purple Ribbon Campaign

Show your active support for the prevention of do-mestic violence by receiving the Purple Ribbon, thesymbol for Domestic Violence Awareness. Ribbonswill be passed out around the community all month.

Violence and Teen Dating ClassIf you are a teen, you can learn how and why abu-sive relationships can happen to any teen. Don’t beone of them! Come and join us on Tuesday, October

AWARENESS from Page 3 19 from 5 p.m. at the Teen Center.Display Table at the Library

Visit the station library to learn what informationalresources are available. We will have a domestic vio-lence prevention display table set up at the libraryduring the month of October.

“What’s love got to do with it?”A movie based on the life of Tina Turner shows howthis superstar survived a violent, abusive relation-ship and overcame it. She shares her triumph to givehope for others who still suffer. Watch this movie onthe “big screen” in 5.1 channel surround sound and

stay for the discussion afterward with us on Oc-tober 15 and 29 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. in Building411, Classroom 217.

The purple ribbon is the symbol for domesticviolence awareness and prevention. You mayobtain a ribbon at the Marine and Family Coun-seling Services Office, Building 411, Room 210 orat the Information Table every Wednesday inOctober. This year’s MCHQ theme is HealthyHome Peace of Mind. Let’s all show our supportfor Healthy Home Peace of Mind. Please call 253-4526 for details on the above events.

A next-generationairborne lasertargeting system, theBRITE Star platformwas designed by itscreators to surpassthe abilities of itspredecessor, the Starsmall-arms firesystem.

“The BRITE Staris basically anupgraded StarSAFIRE (ForwardLooking Infrared)system with laser

designating andrange findercapability,” saidChief WarrantOfficer 2 MichaelW. Reed, mainte-nance officer,HMLA-169. “Ithas a larger fieldof view and isremotely operatedfrom inside thecockpit.” Unlike the UH-1N Huey’sgunship weaponsmounted to the sides of thehelicopter, the BRITE Star’s turretFLIR unit sits more inconspicu-ously under the nose of the Huey. Reed, a Marine of 19 years fromMurrietta, Calif., said unlike the StarSAFIRE, BRITE Star has a regularcamera screen image and a mainbore sight module that automati-cally aligns the thermal imager andTV sensors to the laser, whether inflight or on the ground. “The laser designator and range

finder is fully compatible with differentcodes and will designate for a varietyof (aircraft),” said Reed. “In rangefinder mode the eye-safe laser iscapable of providing accurate range-to-target information.”

Since arriving in Iraq in August,the ‘Vipers’ have fitted four UH-1Nswith BRITE Star.

Technicians with FLIR Systems,Inc., makers of Star SAFIRE andBRITE Star, helped HMLA-169 withthe installation of the units and have

worked in coordination with theMarines to resolve any maintenanceissues.

Relatively new to the Iraq area ofoperations, BRITE Star’s true potentialhas yet to be achieved, though it hasprovided the Marines with addedresources.

“The biggest advantage of theBRITE Star is its capability to laserdesignate for Hellfire missiles whichgreatly helps us accomplish ourmission,” said Reed.

Mounted just under the nose of aHuey helicopter at Al Asad, Iraq, theBRITE Star thermal imaging andlaser designation system allows theUH-1N to support a variety of imag-ing and targeting missions, particu-larly laser designating for Hellfiremissiles.

A short drive from the Air Stationand up the side of a mountain,residents can find a breathtaking viewof the local area and a serene settingto enjoy some family fun time.

Hachigamine park is located on ahilltop about 20 minutes away fromMCAS Iwakuni along route 2.

Getting to the park is reminiscentof driving through the ColoradoRockies with its steep drives andwinding curves. But, the climb isworth the view and the attractionsoffered at Hachigamine.

The main ticket area is located next

Local children’s park offersactivities for young and old alike

STORY AND PHOTOS BY

MASTER SGT. LESLI J. COAKLEY

Public Affairs Chief

to several cages featuring cock-atiels, monkeys, rabbits andpeacocks. The rabbit cage allowsyoungsters the opportunity to gethands on with the furry creatures.There is a picnic area next to an icecream stand and coin-operatedriding cars for the very young.

To the right of the main office isa tram that takes potential sliderson a short ride for a windy slidedown the mountainside. There isno physical ticket for this ride, buteach slider must get a cardboard‘seat’ for the slide and, working onthe honor system, each seat isgood for three rides. Each seatcosts 300 yen. This slide is not likeany children’s slide found in theStates. This slide is made entirelyof rollers, similar to what airportsuse to convey luggage. The ridercontrols the speed of the slide andat times can get some good wind.

From the slide, park visitors canstroll past the fish pond to an obstaclecourse which winds its way back up

the hill side and down again. Thereare roughly twenty obstacles that canbe negotiated with picture displays

telling the challengerhow to accomplishthem. This course issimilar to a MarineCorps obstacle course,but with many moreobstacles. Challeng-ers must be at least 8years old and it ishighly recommendedthat an adult accom-pany them.

Across the streetfrom the slide andobstacle course, are

the dinosaur park, train station andferris wheel. Dinosaur park has avariety of prehistoric creatures thatchildren can climb on or in. Be careful,these dinosaurs sometimes talk.

Towering high above the dino-saurs and perched on a clearing is theferris wheel. This slow-moving wheeltakes riders up in the air for anotherstunning view of the Iwakuni andsurrounding areas for 300 yen perperson. Another opportunity to soakup the surrounding water views is thetrain ride, which takes approximatelyfive minutes, and is located near thedinosaur park.

Located slightly downhill fromdinosaur park are camping sites andbarbeque pits. These sites can berented over night or for a daytimepicnic. There are many other activitiesat Hachigamine, such as a playground,tire and rope climbing and a horsestable. For directions, visit MCCS.

This dinosaur rules over the sev-eral prehistoric creatures on dis-play at Hachigamine park.

This youngster comes to a sliding halt afterscooting down the mountain side.

These kids climb out of one of theobstacles at Hachigamine.

One of the obstacles at Hachigamineis a rope climb up the side of themountain.

PAGE 6 FEATURETORII TELLER, OCTOBER 8, 2004

Figurines and furniture from around the orient were all at the bazaar for shoppers to chose from.Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Dukes, VFA 97, aviation ordnanceman,checks out sake sets at the bazaar. Hikaru Hachiyo makes personalized kanji signs for the bazaar goers.

Cpl. Precious Fair and Sgt. Dwayne Dow, both of the air terminal, shop atthe Mac Dome trying to find the right gift.

Merchants from all over the Far East gathered here forthe spring and fall annual bazaar Oct. 1-3, offering Stationresidents a chance to buy furniture, carpets and souvenirsall under one roof.

In addition to all the vendors that Marine CorpsCommunity Services brought to the Station, weary shop-pers had a place to fill their appetite with a food stand setup by MCCS.

Marine Corps Community Services gathered vendorsfrom around the Pacific for Station residents to have anopportunity to purchase gifts for friends and family,according to Pete Bengtson, MCCS, services officer. Thevendors chosen are selected based on how well shoppersenjoyed the items offered from former bazaars, new vendorsare also given the chance to display their items to Iwakuni

STORY AND PHOTOS BY

CPL. ANTHONY D PIKE

Combat Correspondent

Buying gifts at the Fall Bazaarshoppers, and to be invited back to future bazaars.

The bazaar was once again held in the Mac Dome,allowing for all the vendors to set up and display their bestproducts to the Iwakuni community.

“I love it,” said Matthew C. Perry teacher HeatherKunath. “It’s so nice to see a cultivation of everything here.It has been my first chance to see the different cultures andgenres. It’s great they can do this here.”

Along with make shopping convenient, the Fall Bazaaralso saves Station residents the time of running around toall the different locations.

“Imagine what it would cost to travel around the statesto shop for this,” said Kunath. “There are a lot of goodgifts. The (kanji) drawing is just a perk.”

The kanji drawing is a personalized Kanji design and ismade while shoppers continue looking for the perfect gift. Aquick stop at the Kanji artist booth featuring HikaruHachiyo, and shoppers have a unique and customized giftfor their house or as gifts.

Other shoppers agreed about the convenience ofhaving everything in one place.

“This is great and its saving me from running all over,”said Petty Officer 1st Class Lori Summers, Navy FighterAttack Squadron 97, store keeper. “It’s very eclectic withthe collection of everything all right here.”

Station residents volunteered their time to make theevent a success, and the shoppers noticed their effort.

“Everybody in there is great,” said Summers. “They areworking with us and making it enjoyable. This has probablybeen the best stop on our deployment.

All the money made from the bazaar is returned to theStation residents, according to Bengtson.

“It all goes back to the Station,” said Bengtson. “Everydollar goes to take care of events here like the free concertsthat we offer. We also use the money to maintain what wealready have and to purchase new items such as basket-balls for the gym.Cynthia O'Donnell helps pack up a new gift as a volunteer working at

the Mac Dome.

Hundreds of shoppers packed the Mac Dome over theweekend to find the perfect gift.

Bike TrailerBike trailer for two chil-dren, good condition. CallSamantha Hauser at 253-3363 dwh or 253-2081 awh.

Chaplains Office (253-6460)(The following jobs areopen at the Marine Me-morial Chapel)–Gospel Choir Director–Non-Denominat ional

Music Director

CHRO (253-6828)Human Resources Officeis currently acceptingapplications for the fol-lowing positions. For ad-ditional information andappropriate forms, con-

Mazda Cappella, 1996, 4door, midsize, P/S, P/B, P/W, cold A/C, runs great,blue, JCI until 2006,$1,700. Call Ruben at 253-3009 dwh or 090-7506-7978.

Nissan Skyline, 1991, 2door, black, automatic,sports exhaust, HKS blowoff valve, Apexi air intakeair filter, engine mount bar,Hicas 4 wheel steering,Momo sports steeringwheel, A/C, P/W, enginetimer, Kenwood CD/ste-reo, JCI until July 2006,$2,800 obo. Call Leroy at253-5509 dwh or 090-6438-0685.

Mazda Senita, 1991, fullsize sedan, good condi-

TORII TELLER CLASSIFIED ADSTo submit your ads or announcements: Torii Telleraccepts ads/announcements from nonprofit organizationsand groups only. Briefs run on space-available and time-

priority basis. Deadline for briefs is noon Thursday. ToriiTeller reserves the right to edit to fit space. Stop byBuilding 1, Room 216 to fill out a form.

tion, radio/CD player, JCIuntil June 2005, $1,1400.Call LCpl. Murphy at 253-4510 dwh or 253-7233 awhor 090-6012-9606.

Misc., Beauty Rest twinmattress with box spring,1 year old, $100; largenatural wood microwavecart, $75. Call evenings at253-2355.

Misc., Nikon N90S cam-era body, $460 obo. CallDave at 253-3428 dwh or21-7957.

Misc., Spalding Alliancegolf club set, golf bag andgolf cart, $50. Call JimDavis at 253-3705 dwh or0834-88-2551 awh.

tact CHRO, Building 1Room 104.MCCS:–Supervisory Education

Services SpecialistLogistics:–Supply Management

Officer–Transportation ClerkFacilities:–Interdisciplinary Engi-

neerS-6:–Information Technology

Specialist–Electronic TechnicianClinic:–Occupat ional Heal th

NurseDECA:–Sales Store Checker (In-

termittent)–Store Worker (Part-time)–Teller

MCCS (253-3030)

AUTOMOBILES

PAGE 8 FEATURETORII TELLER, OCTOBER 8, 2004 CLASSIFIED PAGE 9TORII TELLER, OCTOBER 8, 2004

FRIDAY

11 a.m./5 p.m. Alex And Emma (PG-13)2 p.m./8 p.m. The Rundown (PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. City By The Sea (R)2 a.m. Old School (R)

SATURDAY11 a.m./5 p.m. Mortal Kombat: Annihilation

(PG) 2 p.m./8 p.m. Mean Girls (PG)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Taking Lives (R)2 a.m. R.P.M. (R)

SUNDAY

11 a.m./5 p.m. Someone Like You (PG-13)2 p.m./8 p.m. The Whole Ten Yards (PG)

11 p.m./5 a.m. The Punisher (R)2 a.m. Vanilla Sky (R)

MONDAY11 a.m./5 p.m. Conie And Carla (PG)2 p.m./8 p.m. Catch Me If You Can (PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. The Man From Elysian Fields(R)

2 a.m. L.A. Confidential (R)

TUESDAY

11 a.m./5 p.m. Ella Enchanted (PG) 2 p.m./8 p.m. Chocolat (PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Slow Burn (R)2 a.m. Joy Ride (R)

WEDNESDAY11 a.m./5 p.m. Blue Crush (PG-13)2 p.m./8 p.m. Shrek 2 (PG)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Spartan (R)2 a.m. Kung Pow (PG-13)

THURSDAY

11 a.m./5 p.m. Babe (G)2 p.m./8 p.m. Godsend (PG)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Siege At Firebase Gloria (R)2 a.m. The Last Stop (R)

MOVIE SCHEDULESAKURA THEATER

OPEN WATERA couple goes on a scuba diving expedi-

tion when on vacation, but they accidentallyget left behind to fend for themselves inshark-infested waters (79 minutes)

WITHOUT A PADDLEThree young guys go into the Oregon

wilderness in search of lost treasure. Theytake a canoe up river and everything that cango wrong does go wrong. Hunted by twobackwoods farmers, they encounter death-defying rapids, tree-hugging hippie chicks anda crazy old mountain man played by BurtReynolds. (95 minutes)

LADDER 49Trapped in a fire that looks likely to kill

him, a fireman takes the opportunity to lookback over his life, career and marriage, whilehe waits for his company, Ladder 49, to res-cue him, if they can. (115 minutes)

FRIDAY7 p.m. Exorcist: The Beginning (R)

10 p.m. Open Water (R)

SATURDAY1 p.m. Yu-Gi-Oh (PG)4 p.m. Without A Paddle (PG-13)7 p.m. Exorcist: The Beginning (R)

10 p.m. Open Water (R)

SUNDAY4 p.m. Ladder 49 (PG-13)7 p.m. Exorcist: The Beginning (R)

MONDAY7 p.m. Ladder 49 (PG-13)

TUESDAY7 p.m. Without A Paddle (PG-13)

WEDNESDAY7 p.m. Open Water (R)

THURSDAY7 p.m. Little Black Book

(PG-13)

OUT THE GATEcase of inclement weather. Call 43-4338 for more details.

Miyajima Osunayaki FestivalThis festival will be held around

JR Miyajimaguchi train station Oct.17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will bebooths, games, tea ceremonies, con-certs, and more. The local elemen-tary school students, who study En-glish, will stand by in order to helpEnglish speaking visitors. Call 0829-55-3111 for more information.

Iwakuni City Bus TourThere will be a bus tour visiting

Joei Temple and Furukuma Shrine

Note: Japanese who do notspeak English may answer thephone numbers provided.

Kusunoki Firework FestivalA festival will be held Sunday,

starting at 12 p.m. at KusunokiHiroba Field. A flea market, a min-iature steam locomotive run, perfor-mances by a brass band and Japa-nese drums, a magic show and moreare scheduled. Fireworks displaystarts at 7:30 p.m. The festival maybe postponed to the following day in

in Yamaguchi City, and Tokusa forapple picking Nov. 14, 8 a.m. to 5:15p.m. An admission is required. CallPublic Affairs Office, Yukie Wadaat 253-5344 for more information.

Japanese Classical Music Perfor-mance

Visitors can enjoy the perfor-mance at Seifukan building,Shukkeien Park in Hiroshima Sun-day, starting at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and3 p.m. The park opens 9 a.m. to 6p.m. Admission is required. It is notcancelled in case of rain. For fur-ther information, call 082-221-3620.

(The following jobs areopen at MCCS Personnel)MCCS Job Listing:–Sales Associate/Cashier,

(Main Complex)–Senior Sales Associate/

Cashier, (Main Complex)–Senior Sales Associate,

Sound Shop–Procurement Assistant

(Merchandising)–Retail Area Supervisor,

civi l ian only (MainComplex)

–School Lunch Supervi-sor, all sources (SchoolCafeteria)

–Recreation Assistant(Outdoor Recreation),(Health Promotion)

–Operations Assistant, allsources (SMP)

Continuously Open Jobs(FT, PT, FLX)

Business Operations Di-vision

Retail Branch:–Laborer–Sales Clerk–Store Worker–Food Service Worker,

(Auto Mini Mart)Food & Hospitality:–ID Checker

JOB OPENINGS

WANTED

–Waiter/Waitress–Food Service WorkerServices Branch:–Car Rental/Service Sta-

tion Attendant–Car/Washer/Laborer–Recreation AttendantMarine and Family Service

DivisionLibrary Branch:–Library Aid–Library TechnicianChild Development Cen-

ter/School Age CareBranch:

–Program Assistant–Operations AssistantYouth/Teen Center

Branch:–Recreation Attendant–Operations AssistantSemper Fit DivisionAthletics Branch:–Recreation Attendant–LifeguardSMP, Sakura Theater

Branch:–Recreation AttendantHealth Promotions

Branch:–Recreation AttendantGo to www.mccsiwakuni.com for a complete joblisting.

Many things come withbeing stationed in Japan;for some this means seeinga new culture, tasting newfoods and trying out localcustoms.

One thing that mostnightclubs around theStation offer is karaoke,singing the words to yourfavorite songs.

Karaoke began in Japanabout 30 years ago, andmany point to Kobe as thebirth place. The wordkaraoke itself is thecombination of twoJapanese words of“karappo” and“okesutura,” which means emptyorchestra.

Karaoke began as a way forJapanese businessmen to relax after along day at work. Over the years thepopularity has spread to women andchildren, and to many other nationsincluding the United States.

OTHER ITEMS

Station residents venture into town to ...

STORY AND PHOTOS BY

CPL. ANTHONY D. PIKE

Combat Correspondent

Lance Cpl. Ricky Henson, H&HS, postal clerk, singsHeaven by Brian Adams at one of the Karaoke barsoff base.

Knowing the words to the songs are notimportant at Karaoke bars. TVs display thewords and highlight them at the right time.

Step up to the mic with Karaoke

Two Marines from the Station laugh as they walk off the stage after singing Karaoke.

Many Stationresidents havestarted to karaokeand enjoy the thrillof singing.

“It’s fun,” saidLance Cpl. Ricky Henson, Headquar-ters and Headquarters Squadron,

postal clerk. “It’s somethingto do to pass the time whileyou are out here, I enjoy it alot.” Singing karaoke is notonly fun to do, it alsoallows some to live out theirdreams of stardom, if onlyfor one song at a time.“I always wanted to be asinger,” Henson said. “Itallows me to live my dream,it doesn’t mean I am goodthough. I get to make a foolof myself while I am doingit.” The new joy of karaoke

Karaoke is as popularwith women as it is withmen here in Japan.

singing has lefthim wanting totake this customback home withhim, or at leastback on Station.

“You can’t findkaraoke barsanywhere backhome,” saidHenson. “It wouldbe nice if we hadone on base, itcould save usmoney and timespent traveling outin town to find akaraoke bar.”

PAGE 10 COMMUNITY BRIEFS

Test ScheduleTuesdays/Fridays - CLEP,DSSTWednesday - SATThursday - ACTOctober 20 - DLABOctober 21 - DLPTOctober 27 - ASVABOctober 28 - EDPT

For more information call253-3855.

Anger Management SeminarEvery Tuesday, 11:45 a.m. to12:45 p.m. until Oct. 26. Call 253-4526 to sign-up.

Stress Management SeminarWednesday, 11:45 a.m. to 12:45p.m. Class is in Building 411room 217. Call 253-4526 to sign-up.

WRESTLING CLINICA wrestling clinic will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, 5:30-7:30

p.m. in the IronWorks Gym sports court 2. Call 253-6035 for details.

GYMNASTIC CLASSESAn updated schedule of Kindergym, Youth Gymnastics, Intermedi-

ate Gymnastics, Advanced Gymnastics, and Mommy/Daddy & Me (forparents with 2 to 4-year-old children) classes are available at the Iron-Works Gym. Call Karen Francis at 253-3696 or visit the gym.

YOUTH CHEERLEADING & FLAG FOOTBALLRegistration for both events is open now through Oct. 24 for $30 at

the IronWorks Gym front desk. Late registrants must contact JamieBuning at the Youth Sports office and sign-up for $40. Coaches for theevents meet Oct. 25-26, 5 p.m. in the Wellness Room. Opening cer-

emonies are Nov. 13 at Penny Lake Field 2. Evaluations for 10 to 12-year-olds are TBA.

COLUMBUS DAY BOWLING SPECIALMonday, 1-9 p.m. $1 games at the Bowling Center. Call 253-

4657 for further information.

CHILI SLIP-N-SLIDE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENTSample some great chili and enjoy a softball tournament. Ball and

chili fans compete, Nov. 6, at Penny Lake Field. Participants in the chilicontest need not play ball to enter. Both contests are open to the Stationresidents and family members. Softball players must be at least 16-years-old; those younger than 18-years-old need written parental con-sent. Softball coaches meet Oct. 19, 9 a.m. in the IronWorks Gym. Call253-5777 to sign-up.

IWAKUNI SPORTS SCENE

TORII TELLER, OCTOBER 8, 2004 SPORTS PAGE 11TORII TELLER, OCTOBER 8, 2004

COMMUNITY BRIEFSn Sasebo Trip: Saturday, 7a.m. $20 transportation. Bringextra yen for snacks and extracash for shopping.n Kudamatsu Kenko IceSkating: Oct. 16, 10 a.m. $10transportation. Bring extra yenfor lunch and skate rental.

School Age Center (253-4769)n Power Hour Party: Today,4-5 p.m. Come party with us anddiscuss your successes.n Torch Club Meeting &Registration: Wednesday, 4-5p.m. Open to all youth age 9 to12. Let’s gather ideas and makeour youth program better thanever. This meeting takes placeat the Youth & Teen Center.

Youth & Teen Center (253-6454)n Samurai Keystone Meet-ing: Every Friday, 5-7 p.m. In-terested teenagers are invitedto join a committee to planevents for the Teen Program.

MCFTB (253-3754)n Prevention RelationshipEnrichment Program: Oct. 27-28, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Open to en-gaged and married Station resi-dents, and their fiance(e)s. Thefree workshop is a designatedalternate workplace for militaryand MCCS employees, led bytrained PREP instructors. Toreserve seats, call the Chaplainoffice at 253-5218. The Chap-

CRMC Classes (253-6439)n Ten Steps To Federal Em-ployment: Wednesday, 9-11 a.m.n Basic Resume Writing:Thursday, 1-3 p.m.n Teaching English Tips:Thursday, 1-2:30 p.m.

Club Iwakunin Band Ki: Theory: Oct. 16 inthe Club Iwakuni Ballroom. Freefor all the Station residents andtheir guests. Doors open at 8p.m. Show starts at 9 p.m. Call253-3727 for more details.

MCX (253-5641)n Fall Savings Sale: Tuesdaythrough Oct. 24. Purchase dis-count hooded jackets, Nauticajeans and more.

Single Marine Program(253-3585)

EDUCATION

lains office is also offering train-ing Oct. 20-22 for anyone whois interested in facilitating aPREP workshop.

Troops/Spouse To TeachersBriefingA general brief about teachingopportunities will be given atthe Sakura Theater today, 8:30a.m. An afternoon session de-voted to meetings with the rep-resentatives will be given today,1 p.m. in the Marine & FamilyServices Building. All SOFAstatus individuals are invited.Call 253-3855 for details or tosign-up.

University Of MarylandTerm II registration beginsTuesday through Oct. 22. Stu-dents must take a placementexam prior to registering formath and English. Course offer-ings include Speech, Econom-ics, Statistics and Psychology.For a complete schedule stopby Community Services Build-ing 411 or call 253-3494 for moreinformation.

Latin Dance ClassesEvery Monday, 7:15-8:15 p.m.Learn the salsa and other popu-lar dances. Classes cost $8 andare held at the IronWorks GymAerobics Room. Open to theStation residents age 16 andolder. Call 253-6359 for details.

Teen Reading MonthTeens are invited to read mys-tery books from library’s collec-tion or ones that they own. Ev-eryone who reads will receive a

Cpl. Anthony D. Pike

Going defensive with Marine Corps Martial Arts ProgramCpl. Adam Lozano, black belt instructor, demonstrates making two points

of contact to counter a strike in his grey belt Marine Corps Martial Arts Class.

certificate, and each book readearns one chance in a drawingfor a statue of Dracula, Franken-stein, or the Wolfman. Drawingwill take place on Oct. 29 at theStation library. Call 253-3078 formore information.

Crime StoppersIf you have any informationpertaining to a crime please call“Crime Stoppers” at 253-3333.Crime Stoppers is an answeringservice designed for anony-mous callers to give informationthat would assist the ProvostMarshal’s Office in solving andpreventing crime.

Thrift StoreThe Thrift Store is open Mon-days from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.,Wednesdays from 5-7 p.m. andthe last Saturday of each monthfrom 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Build-ing 1117, located next to theChapel. Volunteers and dona-tions are always welcome. Call253-4721 for more information.

Iwakuni ToastmastersToastmasters (TM) Interna-tional provides an excellent op-portunity to learn and practiceproper public speaking and in-valuable leadership skills. TheTM experience also looks verygood on your resume. The classmeets every 2nd Thursdayevening and 4th Friday at lunch.Japanese with intermediate orbetter English skills are wel-come. Call Sallie Donahue at253-5328 for more information.

MCCS

COMMUNITY

Roman CatholicSaturday 4:30 p.m. Confession

5:30 p.m. MassSunday 9:30 a.m. Mass

10:45 a.m. CCD

ProtestantSunday 8 a.m. Non-Denominational Christian

Worship Service9:30 a.m. Sunday School/

Adult Bible Fellowships11 a.m. Gospel Worship Service

Cooperative Chapel Ministries3rd Saturday 8 a.m. Men’s Fellowship Breakfast

CHAPEL SERVICES

Church of ChristSunday 9:30 a.m. Bible Study

10:30 a.m. Worship ServiceWednesday 7 p.m. Bible Study

Seventh-Day Adventist2nd & 4th Saturdays

9:30 a.m. Sabbath School/Worship

JewishEvery other Friday

6:30 p.m. Shabbat

Latter Day SaintsSunday 1 p.m. Priesthood/RS Meeting

2 p.m. Sunday School3 p.m. Sacrament

For information regarding divine services, religiouseducation or any other Command Religious Program/Chapel activity, call the Station Chapel at 253-5218.

LAY LED SERVICES

HEALTHCARE

Bats cracked and dirt flew asMarines from Combat Service SupportDetachment 36 and the ProvostMarshal’s Office met members of theJapanese Ground Self Defense Forcein softball action Saturday afternoon.But was anyone keeping score?

“Nah,” said Cpl. Stan Smith, PMOsenior customs inspector, Headquar-ters and Headquarters Squadron. “Itwas all for fun. We know they beatour tails fair and square.”

Despite the unofficial route, theJapanese expressed the utmostenthusiasm for their Marine associ-ates.

“Our relationship began four yearsago,” said Capt. Teru Katayama,JGSDF 46th infantry regiment com-mander. “We have done trainingtogether, so this is a process ofunderstanding each other.”

Katayama said he would like to

Marines slug it out with JapaneseSTORY AND PHOTOS BY

CPL. DAVID REVERE

Combat Correspondent

continue to hold sporting events likethis, giving the rest of the 46th achance to stomp the Marines.

“We hope in the future we can dosomething like this again,” affirmedCapt. Michael F. Mastria, CSSD-36executive officer. “We would like to

involve our families as well. This isjust an initial icebreaker to build somecamaraderie. I hope these relation-ships will last.”

Mastria and team stuck to a solidformula for building those relation-ships: baseball.

“We do bilateral training, so it’sgood to meet each other socially andknow each other in something otherthan a military setting,” said Lt. Col.

Teru Katayama congratulates the Ma-rines at the end of Saturday’s softballgame.

Steven Coates charges towardshome base during an early rally.

James Gannon, CSSD-36 com-manding officer. “We have somefun, and it’s good team building.” Though competition and teambuilding occurred, fun was thebottom line, according toGannon. “It’s just some fun Saturdayafternoon softball,” he said. “It’s all about the camaraderiebetween the JGSDF and theUnited States Marines stationedin Iwakuni,” Smith echoed.“These guys are going to gohome and tell everyone how theystomped the Marines in softball.”

But does the score really matter ina game where prizes were awarded forthe team clowns?

Smith, who exchanged competitivebanter with the Japanese throughoutthe game, was chosen as the funniestAmerican player.

“It was a good time had by all,”summed Smith.

“I really look forward to doingsomething like this again.”

Hikaru Tatebe cracks one into left field during Saturday’s softball game between Marines and the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force.

PAGE 12 SPORTSTORII TELLER, OCTOBER 8, 2004

With gentle breezes andovercast skies, Iwakuni’s quietestathletes drove, chipped and puttedfor a chance to be crowned thisyear’s fall individual strokechampion at Torii Pines golf course.

The tournament consisted offour rounds played during the lasttwo weekends and finished Sundaymorning. It featured 42 golfers inthree brackets was narrowed downone winner per category.

The categories were flight “B,”featuring golfers with handicaps 15and over, flight “A,” with ahandicap of 10 to 14, and thechampionship flight of golfers withno handicap.

For their efforts, each winnerwon a golf bag, a gift certificate anda small trophy. Each golfer whofinished the tournament waseligible for a raffle drawing, andeach walked away with an invita-tion to play in the next tournament.

The winners in the tournamentwere Rod Coryer who shot sixunder par for flight “B,” ChadGeorge shot nine under parwinning flight “A,” and IsamuNakagawa won the championshipflight shooting 16 over.

“We wanted 60 golfers,” said

Going fore parSTORY AND PHOTOS BY

CPL. ANTHONY PIKE

Combat Correspondent

Gary Groff, golf course manager andresident professional. “We under-stand that a lot of people are ondeployment though.”

Of the golfers present for thetournament was Isamu Nakagawa,the winner of the spring match playtournament.

“The defending champion isleading after three rounds,” saidGroff, while the fourth round wasstill underway.

Even with the defending champholding strong, the other golferswere still able to enjoy the tourna-ment.

“I didn’t do as well as Iwanted,” said Jesus Portillo, MarineElectronic Warfare Squadron 1.“But I still enjoyed playing in thetournament and being able to playunder pressure of competition.”

With the competition of thetournament, came the chance tomeet other Iwakuni golfers.

“It’s also good because you getto meet new people and talk withsome of the local golfers,” saidPortillo.

The golf course features ninefairways that offer two tees and twogreens giving it a unique approachto playing 18 holes.

“I like the course,” said Portillo.“It’s not typical and it presentsdifferent challenges to us.”

Ryan McNeill finishesoff the tournamentwith a short putt.

Jeses Portillo, VMAQ-1, tees off at the 17th hole at Torii Pines Golf Course.

Mark Johnson watches his putt on the final hole of the tour-nament.