The base is set up in organized chaos, especially now that they are working on the steam pipes along Airlift Ave (the main road through the base). The base is divided into four parts: North, South, East, and West. North and South are where most of the military buildings are located. The East and West ends are mainly housing.

EAST SIDE HOUSING
This is where we live. There are several towers and many garden houses. We live in a tower on the first floor right near the entrance. So our balconies are more like terraces. We have in the east side a fire station, shopette, East Side Elementary School, Tayio Recreation center (which has the thrift shop, music/dance rooms, and where the Yokota Players perform), a teen center, an outdoor pool, AMC (Army Mobile Command or the terminal for flights), a dry cleaner, the only gas station, Popeyes, Auto Care Center and the Four Seasons (a sporting goods/toy/hardware store). We also have a Japanese train track that goes through this section. A train goes by every ten minutes and no matter what we are required to stop at the train tracks before crossing. Also to get to the East Side we have to cross a Japanese highway. Meaning we have to go off and then on base to get home. They don’t have to check our ideas if we are coming from straight across the highway (there is a light).

NORTH END
This is where part of the flight line and its required buildings are located along with the Kanto Lodge (billeting), the BX, Yujo Recreation Center (computer lab, travel agents, tours sign-up, the biggest movie rental place in base), Skills Development, University of Maryland Asian Division, Family Support, the bowling alley, the East Chapel, the post office, law office, the fitness center, Burger King, Officer’s Club, library and some garden housing.

SOUTH END
There is more garden housing, towers, the middle and high school, the housing office, a bunch of warehouses, the rest of the flightline, the Enlisted Club, and it is also where Sam works.

WEST SIDE HOUSING
You have to cross the flight line to get here. There is only two routes to do so. One on the north end and the other on the south. They have the hospital, East Side Elementary School, the indoor swimming pool, a shopette, fire station, and the teen center. I usually only go that way to go to the hospital which also contains the pharmacy and Life Skills, which is where I am to go in a little over an hour. Life Skills is the counseling center. They already had me see a psychiatrist which said I needed to take anit-depressants. I said no. He asked why and I told him the truth. I don’t want to be chemically altered and I have a phobia of new medications (don’t know why).

Well I have to finish getting ready to go today. Have lots to do including food shopping.

Heartlink is a military orientation for spouses. Today I went to it. I learned a lot. For example I learned:

- Air Force Song

- That Yokota is 1750 Acres and houses 11,000 people.

- What LES, SGLI, FSGLI, SBP, NEO, DEERS, BAH, BAS, BAQ, DFAS, DOR, DOS, DPP, EFMP, ESC, FSC, HAWC, HOLA, COLA, MPF, NAF, PFMP, PCS, POA, POV, TAP, TDY, TMO, WIC, STEP, AFAS means and that was what I hadn’t known until today. There is also USAF, ZULU, OTS, JAG, DEROS, CONUS, BX, PX, AAFES, AMC, APO, PACAF, AWOL, AMN, AFB which I had to learn through experience.

- I learned how to read the LES (Leave and Earnings Statement or pay statement) and what benefits we are entitled to (Like BAH, SGLI, and COLA).

- How Sam’s squadron relates to the base. His squadron the 20 OWS (Operational Weather Squadron) is part of the 5th Air Force. The base is run by the 374th Airlift and the 5AF is just using the base.

- I got to learn about Protocol. The most important one being what to do when they play Retreat. Each night at 5pm they play Retreat, the Japanese National Anthem, and the American National Anthem. While it is playing you are required to do the following depending upon where you are:
In a car: Pull over to the side of the road and put on your caution lights.
Outside: Stand facing the flags with your hands over your heart or at your side.
Inside: (if you can hear it) Pause in what you are doing.

- I learned about what we do if there is a NEO (Noncombatant Evacuation Operation). I won’t go into the details but I plan on participating during one of thier exercises in the future.

- We learned about the different agencies on base available for the family to use. There is Family Support, Family Advocacy, Life Skills, Chapel, Legal, Tri-Care, Red Cross, Health and Wellness Center, AAFES (the BX, etc) and the Recreation Center. Along with Tama Hills the Yokota “resort”.

At Heartlink I also met other spouses and not just new spouses. The wing commander’s spouse was there along with the MSG Commander’s spouse (MSG is Mission Support Group). We got to hear a lot of stories from them. There was only on male spouse and he served for 8 years before he left because he and his wife were both in the AF and they kept being stationed at different locations and they had kids.

Tomorrow Sam and I plan to go to Tachikawa. There is a craft store there I want to check out. I have signed up to teach a course at Skills Development. I’m going to teach how to make dream catchers. I will let you know how our trip goes.

103¥� 21�°C/70°�F Rainy