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Submit your photos for Welcome to the Pacific cover by Jan. 15

Have you ever dreamed about having your photo featured on the cover of a magazine?
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On Hallowed Ground: Tuning in to Japan’s temple-shrine dichotomy

People may be surprised to hear that Japan has more temples (77,000) and shrines (81,000) than convenience stores (48,908). But according to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, it’s true.
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Celebrate New Year’s in the Oshogatsu fashion

New Year’s, or oshogatsu, is one of Japan’s most important and longest holidays. Although oshogatsu originally referred to the whole month of January, most people associate it with the first three days (sanga nichi) of the month. On these days, people go to shrines or temples, spend time with friends and relatives while drinking sake and eat...
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NORAD tracks Saint Nick around the world

It’s that time of the year and Santa Clause is busy getting ready to see all the children who have been good this year. Santa knows where those children are even if you and your family are stationed on faraway bases in the Pacific.
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Holiday swag: Think commissary for those perfect stocking stuffers

On your next trip to the commissary, remember you don’t need a stocking hung by the chimney with care to get some very practical stocking stuffer items that people will actually use.
U.S. military leaders observe a Shinto ceremony ahead of construction for CV-22 Osprey facilities at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019. (SETH ROBSON/STARS AND STRIPES)
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Air Force breaks ground on first phase of ‘Osprey campus’ at Yokota in Tokyo

The Air Force broke ground Thursday on $63 million worth of facilities for CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft at the home of U.S. Forces Japan in western Tokyo.
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Tom McCaffery speaks on Thursday at the annual meeting of AMSUS, the Society of Federal Health Professionals. McCaffery announced to the nearly 2,000 conference attendees that he has asked the Military Health System's senior leadership to develop and codify a formal strategic framework to guide integrating and optimizing all MHS components to meet his vision. (MHS photo)
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McCaffery calls for military medical strategic framework for warfighting readiness

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Tom McCaffery today called on the Military Health System to continue to “adapt and evolve” to deliver on the system’s mission to prepare a military medical force needed to meet current and future operational requirements.
Barclay Butler, Ph.D., MBA, assistant director of management at DHA, explains the market concept to an audience of active-duty and civilian conference attendees at the 2019 AMSUS Annual Meeting in National Harbor, Maryland, Dec. 4. (Photo by MHS Communications)
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Military hospital transformation – introducing the market construct

The Defense Health Agency launched the most significant change to the Military Health System in over three decades when in October it initiated the congressionally directed transfer of authority, direction, and control of military medical and dental facilities in the United States to DHA.
Gunnery Sgt. Tyler Nichols registers to vote during the Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Ga.'s first voting convention in 2017. Marines can encourage others to vote, but they remain restricted both in person and online when it comes to advocating for political candidates. (NATHAN HANKS/U.S. MARINE CORPS)
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Corps reminds Marines they can 'like' politicians, but should be careful what they 'share'

With political campaigns ramping up and presidential impeachment efforts underway, the Marine Corps issued a reminder about what political activities its members can engage in legally, including what’s acceptable to tweet, “gram” and otherwise share on social media.
Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, questions witnesses during a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing addressing suicide prevention on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019. (CARLOS BONGIOANNI/STARS AND STRIPES)
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Senate legislation looks for link between veteran suicides and prescription drugs

A measure introduced in the Senate on Thursday aims to create a better understanding of the connection between veteran suicides and prescription drugs.
Navy Capt. Heather King, executive director of the TriService Nursing Research Program at the Uniformed Services University, details the process of ship-based global health engagement missions during the October 22, 2019, Medical Museum Science Café titled "Ship-Based Global Health Engagement Missions: Expanding Global Partnerships" at the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Silver Spring, Maryland. (NMHM photo)
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Ship-based Global Health Engagement

A hospital ship's primary mission is to provide care for our forces anywhere, anytime, anyplace. The secondary mission is humanitarian, civil assistance, and disaster response," said Navy Capt. Heather King, director of the Uniformed Services University Tri-Service Nursing Research Program.
This undated photo provided on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019, by the North Korean government shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visiting the nation's Mount Paektu area. KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY/KOREA NEWS SERVICE VIA AP
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North Korea lashes out at Trump’s threat of military force

North Korea lashed out Wednesday at President Donald Trump’s threat to use military force if necessary to achieve denuclearization, warning that “the use of armed forces is not the privilege of the U.S. only.”
Japan-based sailors and Marines listen to President Donald Trump speak aboard the USS Wasp in Yokosuka, Japan, May 28, 2019. DAVID GLOTZBACH/U.S. NAVY
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At NATO summit, Trump says Japan and South Korea should pay more for US troops

Japan and South Korea can and should pay more to host U.S. forces, President Donald Trump told reporters alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday in London.
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Bonenkai: Year-end parties in Japan a total bash!

Much like the holiday season in the States, December is the most cheerful time in Japan thanks to endless year-end parties, called bonenkai (literally, forget-the-year party).
A competitor atop her horse jumps over an obstacle during the 71th annual BG Sams Equestrian Cup held Nov. 24 at Tsukui Equestrian Park. Soldiers, family members and staff assigned to U.S. Army Medical Activity – Japan on Camp Zama, Japan, watched the tournament. (U.S. Army photo by Noriko Kudo)
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Equestrian event in Japan named for U.S. Army general features Japanese medical student-riders

The 71th annual BG Sams Equestrian Cup, held Nov. 24, brought the Soldiers, family members and staff of U.S. Army Medical Activity – Japan together with Japanese medical students at Tsukui Equestrian Park.
A Chinese coast guard vessel sails in Japanese territorial waters near the contested Senkaku Islands, May 8, 2017. COURTESY OF JAPAN COAST GUARD
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Japan reports a record number of Chinese ships near contested Senkaku Islands

China has sent a record number of its ships this year past an island group in the East China Sea whose control it disputes with Japan, according to the Japan Coast Guard.