MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Army Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, U.S. Army chief of engineers and Army Corps of Engineers commanding general, visited his soldiers aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni July 19, 2012. With Bostick was his staff, which included Army Brig. Gen. Richard L. Stevens, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pacific Ocean Division Commander.
The purpose of the visit was for Bostick to see current construction project development. Construction is reported to eventually cover more than 70 percent of the station, said Lee Seeba, Iwakuni residents engineer with ACE.
“Today I was visiting with our Iwakuni office of U.S Army Corps of Engineers,” said Bostick. “I really wanted to take a look at this great work they did on this magnificent airfield they built in the ocean. They moved it about 1,000 meters from the old flight line to give a place for Marines and others to fly in and help the Japanese populace feel more at ease with the jets flying overhead. I want to thank the Japanese contractors for their service and their hard work.”
The construction project is one of several which are taking place currently. The next year is scheduled to have an increase of construction projects across the station as well.
“There are more than 100 projects soon-to-be underway with more than 20 currently in progress right now and several hundred more to come in the near future,” said Bostick. “A tremendous amount of work is to be done that can only happen with great teamwork and partnership between the military, the contractors, the Japanese government and all the workers working together to accomplish the mission.”
According to Bostick, the ability to accomplish the station’s various construction projects is an example of the many different groups and organizations on the station coming together and working cohesively.
“You have to look far and wide to find a project of this magnitude, scope and demands,” said Bostick. “But with the help of the Japanese government and the help of the Marines and the other military services, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has done a fantastic job with the contractors to accomplish the mission in a very quick time frame.”
With all the construction underway, many changes to the station are slated for the coming year. The various projects serve as a testament to the cohesiveness and adaptability of not only the U.S. ACE, but those aboard station who help as well.