YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Staff Sgt. Joe Horton, 374th Comptroller Squadron finance customer service representative, mans one of the desks at the Airman & Family Readiness call center April 21. The call center has been operating 24 hours a day in support of Operation Tomodachi. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad C. Strohmeyer)
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Airman 1st Class Carmen Turner, 374th Comptroller Squadron finance representative, helps a family with their travel voucher at a ReStart briefing at the Airman & Family Readiness Center here April 21. ReStart is designed to help families that left during the voluntary authorized departure in-process with the base after returning. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad C. Strohmeyer)
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Airman 1st Class Carmen Turner, 374th Comptroller Squadron finance representative, helps Maria Dungca, wife of Capt. Jay Dungca, with her travel voucher at a ReStart briefing at the Airman & Family Readiness Center here April 21. Ms. Dungca recently returned from California after the voluntary authorized departure order was lifted. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad C. Strohmeyer)
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Col. Otto Feather, 374th Airlift Wing commander, speaks to families at a ReStart briefing at the Airman & Family Readiness Center here April 21. ReStart is designed to help families that left during the voluntary authorized departure in-process with the base after returning. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad C. Strohmeyer)
by Airman 1st Class Lynsie Nichols
374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
4/21/2011 - YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Returning military dependents who had participated in the voluntary authorized departure program from Japan gathered for a briefing at the Yokota Air Base's Airman and Family Readiness Center April 21.
The departures were a precautionary measure to help ensure the safety of U.S. citizens, and also assisted and expedited Japanese recovery efforts by reducing the demand for food, water, fuel and electricity during the national emergency in Japan that resulted from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
Col. Otto Feather, 374th Airlift Wing commander, said in his opening remarks at the A&FRC, "We're very happy to have you here -- I know this was a trying time."
He added that "Our Department of Defense cares about us; they care about what we think.
To know that they were concerned about our peace of mind as an Air Force family, that they're willing to go to that extent to maintain our peace of mind and comfort, it says a lot about how they value us."
Colonel Feather also thanked everyone for their hard work during the Japan relief efforts, Operation Tomodachi.
"Every one of you has done an amazing job supporting this, you should all embrace that and be proud of it," said Colonel Feather.
Multiple briefings will be conducted, and family members returning to base will be given the opportunity to talk with veterinary personnel, school liaisons, public health professionals and reintegration specialists, as well as file their travel vouchers.
"For the folks coming back, this can be a confusing process; we're working really hard to make it as smooth as possible," said 1st Lt. Jenna Mirandette, point of contact for family re-integration.
Approximately 1,300 families are expected to return over the next few weeks.
"Some families have children going to schools back in the States and won't be ending until the end of the school year," said Lieutenant Mirandette. "Some families won't be returning at all due to their spouse's PCS orders."
There are representatives from the base waiting at the Narita Airport for families returning to Japan. From there, families will be directed to the shuttles that will bring them back to Yokota Air Base.
There are also individuals working at the A&FRC to answer questions about transportation.
Sponsors or family members should call the A&FRC at 225-4484 or 011-81-311-75-5884 to confirm the physical arrival of their family members to schedule in-processing.
