Chief Warrant Officer 2 Mckenzie Patangan, right, a helicopter pilot assigned to U.S. Army Aviation Battalion Japan, introduces a group of local Japanese children to a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter at Camp Zama, Japan, Sept. 23, 2024. Residents from the Central Children’s Home toured the helicopter as part of their visit to the installation that also included playing dodgeball with Soldiers. (Sean Kimmons, U.S. Army Garrison Japan Public Affairs)
CAMP ZAMA, Japan – Several residents from a local children’s home made their first visit here Monday to interact with Soldiers and see a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter up close.
Soldiers invited nearly a dozen children, ages 4 to 12, from Central Children’s Home in Sagamihara City to the installation as part of the U.S. Army’s ongoing partnership with the home.
The initial stop for the children was Kastner Airfield, where Chief Warrant Officer 2 Mckenzie Patangan, a Black Hawk pilot assigned to U.S. Army Aviation Battalion Japan, introduced the children to the helicopter.
“I’ve seen other instances where the [Camp Zama] community has helped out local organizations and then finally an opportunity aligned where I was able to help out,” she said of the event. “I think it’s a good way to give back to our local community.”
Patangan provided headsets to each child as they sat and talked to each other in the back area of the helicopter that was parked on the tarmac.
The children also had their chance to go into the cockpit and wear a pilot’s helmet and tactical vest.
Patangan said she was glad to offer the young guests such a unique experience.
“I really didn’t know what to expect, but given [the children’s] overall positive attitude, they were so happy to be here,” she said. “It honestly really made my day seeing them happy.”
The children then traveled to the Youth Center to meet with members of the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program and play a few games of dodgeball with them.
Spc. Craig Kernen, a BOSS member assigned to the 88th Military Police Detachment, decided to volunteer for the event as his way of helping foster relationships with the Japanese people.
“They were excited to play with us and see our uniforms,” he said of the children. “It’s nice to put a smile on their faces and at least brighten their week.”
Despite him being a little tired from working the night shift, Kernen said he still wanted to come to be an ambassador and present a positive aspect of the Army to the children.
“It’s especially important overseas in a foreign country… to kind of introduce them to how Americans do things, how we operate, how we talk, how we are,” he said. “It’s important for us to make a good impression out there and show them what we’re actually about.”
While this specific group of children had never been to Camp Zama, the event also marked the home’s first visit to the installation since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yukiko Yamagishi, a supervisor at the home, said that Camp Zama and Naval Air Facility Atsugi personnel have continued to support their residents by holding holiday parties at the home.
Last month, Soldiers from the 623rd Movement Control Team also visited the home to play dodgeball with the children, leaving them yearning for more of the friendly competition.
“They played dodgeball at the end of the visit,” Yamagishi said, “but it wasn’t enough time, so they were very excited to come here and play dodgeball again.”
The tour of the helicopter was an eye-opening experience for the children as well.
“They told us in advance that there would be a helicopter, but as soon as we got there the children got even more excited to see it,” she said.
Yamagishi said all the children were very pleased with the visit as she expressed gratitude to the Camp Zama community for the ongoing support.
“The kids really enjoy engaging with the U.S. military,” she said, “so I think it’s very important that this relationship continues.”
