$33 million WESTPAC Transportation Facility unveiled during ceremony at Yokota

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Robin Stanchak
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  Yokota's key leaders, service members and guests gathered for the official opening of the new Western Pacific Transportation Facility held during a ribbon cutting ceremony here Oct. 24 .

The facility brings together the 730th Air Mobility Squadron, Detachment 2 of the Pacific Air Forces Postal Squadron and the Defense Courier Service--three tenant units stationed here who had previously been housed in separate facilities.

The planning process for this project began in 1997, and the facility's construction completion date is scheduled for 2013. The estimated cost for the total project is 2.5 billion Yen or approximately $33 million.

The facility will serve a number of functions. It will be used as the Air Mobility Command Aerial Port, Pacific Air Forces Mail Terminal and the Defense Courier Division Station Operations Center. It will also be utilized by the Japan Air Self Defense Force and the Navy Air Clearance Authority.

The 730th AMS provides support for airlift and tanker operations at Yokota, Misawa Air Base, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and Itazuke Auxiliary Airfield, Japan, but also to numerous locations throughout the Pacific, such as Singapore and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

"With this new facility, our mission capabilities are expected to increase. By having close ties and access to our allies and joint partners, we expect an increase in interoperability and communication. With this close communication, we expect aircraft velocity to improve as well as increase aircraft utilization," said Master Sgt. Stacy Kosik, 730th AMS cargo operations section chief.

"I'm so proud of the way the Japanese and U.S. forces worked together to design this fantastic facility. The WESTPAC Transportation Facility will ensure the 730th AMS's 'port dawgs' are able to continue their role as the premiere AMC airlift hub in the Western Pacific."

In addition to the 730th AMS working in the facility, Det. 2 of the PACAF Postal Squadron has also begun operations from there as well.

The PACAF Postal Squadron is a successor of the U.S. Air Force Postal and Courier Service and supervises three operating locations, Narita and Osaka International Airports in Japan and Bangkok, Thailand. They are responsible for moving mail for Department of Defense personnel and families throughout the Pacific theater.

"It is our responsibility to cover mail transportation in north and south East Asia, and with this new facility we are provided a larger work area to effectively carry out our mission and more modern technology that will enhance our overall capabilities," said Senior Master Sgt. Yvonne Davis, superintendent for Det. 2.

"Being located in the same facility as the 730th AMS will help expedite our efforts. Instead of traveling from one facility to the next, all we have to do now is walk down the hallway to coordinate customer service.

"We all share some load of the same mission. We utilize 730th AMS resources and AMC channels to forward mail, so they are a key player in ensuring mail is moved in a timely manner," said Davis.

Beginning in January 2012, another key performer in the new facility will be personnel from the Defense Courier Service. The DCS employs all couriers assigned in the Pacific area of responsibility.

"Today's couriers are located in 18 world-wide stations, with the Defense Courier Station-Yokota being one of the largest in terms of personnel and material movement," said Chief Master Sgt. David Eldridge, chief of DCS-Yokota. "We are charged with supporting all DoD entities, both military and civilian, the Department of State, all federal agencies in the Pacific AOR, as well as allied nations."

"As a tenant unit, the Yokota Station is supported heavily by the professional men and women assigned to the 374th Airlift Wing, the 459th Airlift Squadron and the 730th AMS. With the help of the 730th AMS, we're able to receive, process and deliver national security cargo throughout the Pacific AOR.

"To this day, the Defense Courier Division has been carrying out operational control of worldwide defense courier stations and continues to synchronize the defense courier related activities of the U.S. Transportation Command staff," he added.