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Pacific Ocean Division News

  • August

    Jon Runnels (foreground) and Kenny Kwan (background), quality assurance representatives deployed with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Temporary Emergency Power Team, perform a quality assurance inspection of a generator at a water pump station on Maui, Aug 22. The USACE is working in partnership with the local and federal response to the Hawaii Wildfires.

    Lights In the dark: Power Team swing shift keep lights on, water flowing

    When the sun sets below the Pacific Ocean, the workday is less than halfway complete for Jon Runnels and Kenny Kwan. The pair are quality assurance representatives deployed with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Temporary Emergency Power Team on Maui.

  • Mekong delegation heads to the United States to exchange best practices on water resources management

    Leaders, scientists and engineers from the Mekong region and the United States are joining together to address increasing challenges over water security and river management. Preparations are underway in Hawaii and California for next week’s arrival of a high-level Mekong River Commission (MRC-Mekong) delegation, which heads to the United States as part of the annual Sister Rivers Partnership Exchange program. Sponsored by the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the MRC-Mekong delegates are scheduled to meet with the Mississippi River Commission (MRC-USA) to exchange best practices on water and river management. The two commissions will be joined by a third water commission, the International Water and Boundary Commission (IBWC) to learn about how the U.S. and Mexico cooperate on transboundary issues on their shared rivers.

  • June

    As part of recovery efforts following Typhoon Mawar’s landfall last month, Service members install the 100th temporary, emergency roof as part of the Roofing Installation Support Emergency Utilization Program (RISEUP), in Mangilao, Guam, June 27.

    Task Force RISEUP completes 100th temporary, emergency roof installation in Guam

    Service members and residents of Guam celebrated the 100th temporary, emergency roof install completed by Task Force RISEUP, which is short for Roofing Installation Support Emergency Utilization Program, as part of Typhoon Mawar recovery efforts, June 27.
  • Students from Camp Humphrey’s Central Elementary School pose for a group photo at a STEM event hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Far East District on May 25 in South Korea. In its 11th consecutive year holding outreach events like these, the program works to inspire curiosity and innovation in the students to continue to be engaged in STEM. (U.S. Army photo by Rachel Napolitan)

    Army engineers inspire young minds in South Korea through two hands-on STEM events

    No mission is too difficult and no task is too great for the United States Army Corps of Engineers - Far East District. To tackle the challenge of inspiring and educating the next generation in STEM-related fields, the district hosted a series of interactive events at two Camp Humphreys elementary schools in South Korea in May to demonstrate real-world applications of STEM concepts with over 1,000 students.
  • A blue and yellow graphic with symbols identifying workers supporting Typhoon Mawar RISEUP Temporary Roofing

    RISEUP Program Launches to Help Temporarily Repair Metal Roofs

    GUAM - The U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in coordination with the Office of the Governor, Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Mayor’s Council of Guam, have launched the Roofing Installation Support Emergency Utilization Program (RISEUP) to help temporarily repair metal roofs damaged by Typhoon Mawar.

  • May

    Two men, one wearing an Army uniform and the other wearing a blue polo shirt, sit in front of two silver laptops to review final deployment strategies.

    USACE readies for Typhoon Mawar Disaster Relief

    The US Army Corps of Engineers is working in partnership with the local and federal partners in response to Typhoon Mawar.

  • March

    JED representatives Dr. Rex Mols, OAO’s Host Nation Branch Chief, and Brian Ciccocioppo, Resident Engineer of Okinawa’s Torii Office, judge a science fair being held at the AmerAsia school in Okinawa. The school is home to 63 students, most being half Japanese and half American. The two Engineers have volunteered their own time to encourage interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) at the local school as a way of giving back to the local Okinawan community.

    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

    Zama City General Hospital, located outside the gates of Camp Zama, is a frequented healthcare provider for Department of Defense civilians to seek medical assistance. The hospital has been recently renovated to include space for new technology and added rooms for patients. Numerous Japanese hospitals often offer their services to foreign clientele and feature English-speaking staff members and are familiar with American personnel. Photo courtesy of Zama City General Hospital.

    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.
  • U.S. Army Medical Command – Japan commander, Col. Jeremy Johnson, briefs to a ‘space available’ town hall at the Camp Zama Community Club, January 31, 2023. The town hall was held in response to Department of Defense civilians being restricted to ‘space available’ clinic visits after a mandate released in 2017 prioritized active-duty Servicemembers and their families, or those who were covered by the military health plan TRICARE Prime. Guest speakers, to include the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Hon. Gilbert R. Cisneros, Acting Assistant Secretary of DHA, Ms. Seileen Mullen, and U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Joseph Heck, the director of Department for Health Affairs Region Indo-Pacific to Japan, along with U.S. Army Japan Commanding General, Maj. Gen. JB Vowell, were in attendance to listen to concerns from DoD civilians and offer pending solutions to the difficulty of receiving health care from off-installation providers in Japan.

    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

    Rock-N-Roll Burrito, a family-owned Mexican cantina-style establishment located near Naval Air Facility Atsugi, January 24, 2023. Owned by Peruvian native and long-time Japanese resident Hajime Higa and his family, Rock-N-Roll Burrito has offered freshly made Mexican cuisine to hungry U.S. Servicemembers and their families for nearly a decade.

    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.