Col. Marcus Hunter, center, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Japan, and Command Sgt. Maj. Rick Meeker, far right, garrison senior enlisted leader, pose for a photo with Japanese partners during a holiday reception at Camp Zama, Japan, Dec. 16, 2024. More than 200 local community leaders and Camp Zama personnel attended the event to celebrate the holiday season and their connections. (Photo Credit: Kei Sasaki)
CAMP ZAMA, Japan – More than 200 local community leaders and Camp Zama personnel celebrated the holiday season and their connections here Monday evening as U.S. Army Garrison Japan hosted its annual holiday reception.
Col. Marcus Hunter, garrison commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Rick Meeker, who recently assumed the role of the garrison’s senior enlisted leader, greeted guests as they arrived for the event inside the Camp Zama Community Club.
“This is a very important time when we celebrate many traditions,” Hunter said later in his opening remarks. “Regardless of the different traditions that we have… there is one binding thing that draws us together and that is our strong partnership and alliance.”
The garrison command team, along with Soldiers, Army civilians and their spouses from across the organization, engaged in an evening of cultural exchange with Japanese counterparts that included Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members as well as local government and academic officials.
The reception, which had a buffet dinner, group photos with Santa Claus, holiday carols and music by the U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific-Asia from Yokota Air Base, aimed to strengthen the many relationships between Camp Zama and its surrounding community.
Throughout the evening, a photo slideshow and several poster boards in the club’s ballroom displayed various community engagement activities in which garrison personnel participated with their Japanese partners.
Those events included office calls, cleanups, cultural events, professional military engagements and open-post events that drew tens of thousands of people to Camp Zama.
Hunter said he was truly grateful for the opportunity to have the attendees come together and reflect on the past year’s accomplishments.
The colonel also said he appreciated the band for entertaining the crowd, and the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation for catering the event that served turkey, roast beef and tempura among other dishes.
“Thank you everyone for being here tonight and having such a wonderful time,” Hunter said. “We wish you a very Happy New Year in 2025 and look forward to our close relationship and collaboration.”
