CFAY Wraps Up Majority Of Voluntary Military-Assisted Departures

By MC2(SW/AW) John Smolinski, Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka Public Affairs

YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- The last large group of Department of Defense family members departed Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY) March 24, as authorized by the voluntary military-assisted departure (VMAD).

The U.S. Department of State authorized the VMAD for eligible family members of U.S. service members and Department of Defense (DoD) civilians assigned to installations on the main island of Honshu, Japan March 16.

The departure was authorized due to a deteriorating situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in northern Honshu after a 9.0 earthquake struck and the tsunami that followed hit the plant March 11.

VMAD should not be confused with the term evacuation, as military and DoD civilians were not directed to leave. Each family had to make the decision based on factors for their unique situation.

"The best thing we have been able to do throughout this whole process is to give people a peace of mind during a very stressful situation," said Ester Franklin, Adolescent Substance Abuse Counseling Service counselor at Yokosuka Middle School, who has volunteered to help with the processing at the James D. Kelly Fleet Recreation Center.

CFAY registered and transported more than 1,300 family members who travelled by government contracted flights from Yokosuka to Seattle and Travis Air Force Base.

Personnel support detachment (PSD) Yokosuka has processed more than 3,100 flight requests through the commercial travel office (CTO) for travel out of Japan since the authorization went into affect.

"We've gone into 24-hour service mode, setting up a three-section rotation so that we may accept requests for government-funded travel around the clock," said Lt. Cmdr. Jed Espiritu, officer-in-charge, PSD Yokosuka. "The commercial travel office here has also put in long hours, coming in on weekends all without a single complaint, something monumentally important in this operation."

CFAY hosts 82 tenant commands that support operating forces throughout the Western Pacific, including 11 high-operational-tempo warships forward-deployed.

"Both PSD military and civilians have been working long hours since Saturday, and that is a testament to this detachment's teamwork and dedication," said Espiritu.

CFAY, PSD Yokosuka and other commands came together to accomplish a unified, customer-focused mission.

"Throughout this operation, I've seen continuous improvement in the way we process, track and ticket flights," said Espiritu. "I've watched customers here being kind and considerate to other customers and our clerks, despite some confusion and anxiety, even dropping off cookies and baked goods. I've seen overwhelming support for Yokosuka dependents from our assigned Chaplain, Lt. Cmdr. Doug Vrieland, the Fleet and Family Support Center, and various other commands that have volunteered to provide comfort and assistance to the family members departing from Japan."

Departed personnel will be provided return travel to Japan when directed by the Under Secretary of Defense.

"CFAY is looking forward to the return of family members who departed voluntarily," said CFAY Command Master Chief Gregory Vidaurri. "Once authorization is provided for the return of our family members, our goal is reunite our Sailors with their families as soon as possible."