Annual event of visiting USAF Air Base was carried out on 30 (Wed) September to Yokota AB.　31 corporate and individual associate members and 5 JAAGA officers participated in this event.　Mr.Tatsuya Yagi (Marubeni-Aerospace Co.Ltd.) was selected as leader of this group.　According to conversation between them, many participants visit Yokota AB first time.
　　At 9:30a.m. we went to Yokota AB by USAF bus while it sprinkled.　Unit we visited first is 515th Air Mobility Operation Group (AMONG) which was just organized in June 2008, and is subordinate unit of Air Force Mobility Command.　Unit consists of 730th (Yokota), 731st (Korea) and 732nd (Kadena) Mobile Squadron, they provide supply and maintenance service to military and airline aircraft which fly to air bases of Western Pacific theater.　After briefing at 515th AMONG, we were guided to their maintenance hunger and warehouse.　They work 24 hour a day and 365days a year.　There was a detailed explanation about their unit.　I suppose that they keep their morale very high.
　　At 10:00a.m. we took base tour on bus.　When each participants saw base facilities, housing, school, hospital, military inn like hotel, big base exchange, movie theater, restaurant and others studded in well cared grass field, they felt they were now in foreign country.
　　During this tour we past construction area surrounded fence where there were many crane trucks.　Headquarters of Air Defense Command of JASDF will be deployed at this site in 2023.　Construction is immediate pace now.
　　After bus tour JAAGA had luncheon at Yokota Officers Club and invited Lt.Gen. Rice and his staffs.　Gen.Rice expressed words of welcome and appreciation on JAAGA activities at opening speech.　Then we took lunch and talked with USAF airmen about duty, family,life in Japan and others.　.
　　Afternoon we visited headquarters of 5th Air Force first.　We received mission briefing by Maj.Hall with fluent Japanese, there Lt.Gen.Rice, Brig.Gen.Angellera (vice commander of 5AF) and staffs attended.　Gen.Rice politely replied to questions by visitors.
　　At 2:00p.m., we moved to broadcasting station of American Forces Network (AFN).　AFN is an organization which provides information and amusement through radio and television network to members of armed forces and their family who live oversea.　Mr.Hamitt, director of media, showed us welcoming, we entered TV studio and On-Air radio booth.　One AFN listener longingly heard explanation because he has been AFN listener since AFN had been called as FEN (Far East Network)
　　Lastly we visited headquarters of 374th Airlift Wing.　The wing has responsible for whole airlift operation of Pacific theater and supporting activities at Yokota AB.　After welcoming words, Maj.Watt explained about outline of Yokota AB and 374th Airlift Wing.
　　At 16:00p.m. we ended all our tour at Yokota AB. as scheduled.　It's first experience for many participants to visit USAF base and to talk with USAF airmen.　I think that they could deepen their understanding about national security.　Visiting to Yokota AB was ended with great success.　This depends on USAF cooperation to our activity and our good preparation for this event.　We left Yokota AB while raining
(reported by secretariat Kobata)