The following news briefs are provided to help keep our community informed about what’s happening on our U.S. Army Garrison Japan installations.
To submit your information for publication, email full details (who, what, when, where, why and how, along with contact information) to usag.japan@gmail.com.
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Veterans Day Ceremony
U.S. Army Garrison Japan will hold a Veterans Day Ceremony Nov. 11 in the Camp Zama Community Club ballroom just prior to the concert performance of country music artist and American Idol finalist Kellie Pickler.
Doors to the ballroom will open at 7 p.m. A color guard ceremony will take place at 7:45 p.m., followed by the singing of the national anthems. USAG Japan commander Col. Christopher L. Tomlinson will provide remarks to conclude the ceremony. The entire community is invited to attend, and to enjoy the concert that follows.
Commissary’s holiday operation hours
DeCA guidance for holiday operating hours has recently changed. As a result, the commissaries at Camp Zama and Sagamihara Family Housing Area will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. this Friday for Veterans Day. The commissaries will still be closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
Thanksgiving Meal
Looking for a taste of home this Thanksgiving? The Shogun Warrior Restaurant will be serving roast turkey and more on Nov. 23 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Housing Office – New Operation Hours
Effective Oct. 20, the Housing Office will be closed every Thursday morning.
New Business Hours:
Monday through Wednesday and Friday: 8 a.m. to noon / 1 to 4 p.m.
Thursday: 1 to 4 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday and Holidays: Closed
Day for Kids Event
MWR Child and Youth Services will host a Boys & Girls Club of America “Day For Kids” event Nov. 19 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Yano Fitness Center.
The event is free, but there is a charge if participants would like carnival snacks and a raffle entry.
Contact 263-4125 (046-407-4125) for more information.
Holiday Mailing Deadlines
See below for the mail-by dates for various shipping options to ensure your holiday packages arrive in time!
Pfizer Vaccine Available for Children Ages 5 to 11
MEDDAC-J now offers the Pfizer Vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. Appointments are available on Thursdays from 9 to 10 a.m. To schedule an appointment, please use this website: https://informatics-stage.health.mil/COVAX/.
Guidance on Leashing Dogs While on Base
We are still receiving complaints about residents who are walking their pets without leashes on Camp Zama and the Sagamihara Family Housing Area.
Some people reported that unleashed dogs have acted aggressively toward other residents and pets.
It is mandatory that your pets are on leashes—or in a fenced yard—when outside of your quarters.
To the majority of residents who abide by the rules, thank you for being great neighbors! To those who choose to ignore the rules, please note that you could face disciplinary or administrative actions, and that violations may result in losing the privilege of living in government housing. Also, please be reminded to clean up your pet’s waste.
Community members, please report violations to the Housing Office at 263-3527 or the Military Police Station at 263-3002.
COVID-19 Testing No Longer Required for U.S. Entry
(From Japan to United States)
As of June 12, air passengers will not need to get tested and show a negative COVID-19 test result, nor show documentation of recovery from COVID-19, prior to boarding a flight to the United States, regardless of vaccination status or citizenship. Of note, the Centers for Disease Control’s order requiring proof of vaccination for noncitizen nonimmigrants to travel to the United States is still in effect.
(From United States to Japan)
Following an update in Japan travel regulations, members who received a negative molecular (i.e., RT-PCR, LAMP, TMA, NEAR) pre-departure COVID-19 test result are now exempt from entry testing and restriction-of-movement requirements regardless of vaccination status.
For specific questions, contact your chain of command or check the travel.state.gov website here.
Child and Youth Services Seeking Employees
Looking for a rewarding job with great salary and benefits, where you know you’re making a difference in today’s youth and children? That opportunity is here! Start your career with Army MWR, Child & Youth Services. Check out the opportunities available and apply now by accessing this link: ArmyMWR.com/CYSCareers.
Army Recruiting Office Opens on Camp Zama
An Army recruiting office recently reopened on Camp Zama to better support potential recruits on mainland Japan following a decade-long hiatus. Anyone interested can speak to recruiter Sgt. 1st Class Jason Blowers. Blowers can be reached by email at jason.e.blowers.mil@army.mil. The office is located near the Camp Zama laundromat.
Free COVID-19 Home-Test Kits Available at MEDDAC-Japan
MEDDAC-Japan is now offering free COVID-19 home-test kits. This is available only to our empaneled TRICARE beneficiaries and due to current supply we are limited to one kit per ID cardholder. You are able to pick up your home-test kits at our COVID testing location (blue and white tent in the rear of the clinic). There will be two separate lines, one for testing and one for home-kit pick up. Please ensure that you are in the appropriate line. If you do not have an ID card, you will not be issued a kit or tested. Children under the age of 10 can be validated with a parent’s ID card.
Guidance for Disposing COVID-19 Self-Test Kits
If you use a COVID-19 self-test kit at home, on- or off-post, please follow these directions for disposing of the kits following use. Please follow the same directions for both positive and negative test results.
• Kits with needles cannot be disposed of at garbage collection points. Those kits must be returned to the store where you purchased them.
• After use, place the kit in a plastic bag, tie it tightly to prevent direct contact with the kit, write the date on the outside of the bag, and store it for four days.
• Only the items that are physically used during testing (test vials, swabs, gloves, test strips etc.) need to go through this process, the rest of the test kit packaging, test instructions and other packaging within the kits go into normal trash using standard processes.
• If the test kit comes in contact with the outside of the plastic bag, double up the bag.
• Wash your hands thoroughly under running water with soap after placing the waste in the plastic bag.
• After four days have passed, you can place the bag containing the test kit with other garbage as regular garbage and put it out on the designated collection day.
COVID Testing
MEDDAC-Japan officials now provide COVID-19 testing daily.
Symptomatic: Walk-in symptomatic testing (no appointment necessary) is conducted from 8 to 9:30 a.m.
Close contact / asymptomatic: Personnel who are instructed by MEDDAC-J or a unit contact tracing team can report for testing from 9:30 to 10 a.m.
Pre-travel testing: Personnel requiring testing for travel (official or unofficial) can be tested from 10 to 11 a.m.
Take-home tests can also be picked up at the COVID testing location, which is located in the rear of BG Sams U.S. Army Health Clinic. For more information, call DSN 262-4175 (046-407-4175).
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