Tax Center volunteers needed Published Dec. 5, 2012 By 374 AW/JA YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- With tax season fast approaching, the Yokota legal office is in need of volunteers willing to assist military members and eligible family members, reservists and retirees prepare their income tax returns. The tax center at Yokota is a free service that is provided to Airmen on an "as available" basis from January until June. In the past, the legal office has been able to make this service available to all Airmen at Yokota, but last year, due to low manning, it had to restrict access to E-6 and below. The legal office is looking for volunteers to help man the tax center so that it can once again make this important service available to everyone at Yokota. If you don't have experience working with taxes, don't worry! You can still volunteer. Training will be provided by the Internal Revenue Service and the legal office. Attendees will receive training from experts on how to properly file taxes and determine tax deductions and exemptions. These are skills volunteers can use in the Yokota tax center now, but can turn into valuable job skills when they seek future employment. The legal office is also looking for any licensed attorneys or accountants who are interested in assisting the tax center with their expertise. Because of the resources that go into training tax center volunteers, the legal office requires that volunteers commit a minimum of eight hours per week to the tax center for the entire tax season, which runs from then end of January until late June. However, schedules are flexible to accommodate vacations, temporary duty and, of course, any mission-related needs. Also, Air Force spouses who volunteer with the tax center qualify for 10 hours of free child care per week under the Child Care for Volunteers program. Volunteers must sign up no later than Jan. 2. For more information on the tax center and how to volunteer, call 225-8069.