CASTLES IN THE FAR EAST

The Japan Engineer District (JED) is one of the four districts in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pacific Ocean Division. JED began its operations on May 15, 1972, but its origins lie amid the destruction left by World War II. From 1945 to 1957, engineer work in Japan was carried out by military units such as the 8th Army Engineers, the 5th Air Force Engineers, and the U.S. Army Construction Agency, Japan.

During this early period, the engineer units concentrated on essential construction to support American forces. Military engineers were responsible for much of the early reconstruction in Tokyo and on bases throughout Japan. Priorities were repairing damaged highways, landing strips, and utility systems and constructing housing and hospital facilities for U.S. forces.

When the Korean War began on June 25, 1950, the engineer mission underwent a rapid transition from postwar construction to active support of the United Nations forces in Korea. The American bases in Japan were vital to the war effort and the pace of construction increased.

On July 15, 1957, the Far East District was established in Seoul with construction responsibilities in Korea and Japan. At that time, the Department of Defense directed that military construction for all services be consolidated under the Corps of Engineers and nascent JED moved to Camp Zama, where it operated as Far East District (Rear).

During this time, the corps was also operating from the Okinawa Engineer District. Both the Okinawa District and Far East District (Rear) were involved in the Vietnam War effort, with major construction projects on Okinawa, Japan, and Taiwan. At the end of the war, FED, FED (Rear), and the Okinawa Engineer District were merged to form the Office of the Deputy Division Engineer for Western Pacific (WESTPAC). JED came into being when WESTPAC was abolished in 1972.

With an initial strength of 105 people, the district has grown to a workforce of 315 personnel including Japanese and U.S. Citizens working together with the Government of Japan. Geographically, JED is one of the largest of the 45 districts in the Corps of Engineers, stretching 1550 miles from north to south; JED manages the largest Host Nation funded design and construction program in the world.

Iwakuni MCAS Bowling Center - A 2,589 SM (27,870 GSF), 20-lane Bowling Center located on the North side of the Base in a mixed-use area. Key elements of the facility include 20 bowling lanes, modern pinsetter equipment, control desk, Pro Shop, administrative offices, concourse area, lockers, National Brand food service, multi-purpose room, children's recreation room, lounge, slot machines and ADA-compliant restrooms. The supporting facilities include utilities, parking and landscaping.

Photos and Graphic Images by Japan Engineer District

Landslide and Road Repair Project, Northern Training Area, Okinawa, Japan - Heavy rainfall resulted in a severe landslide which damaged a perimeter road and disrupted access to a highly valuable training facility required for mission readiness. This environmental project provided critical repairs to stabilize the landslide area, correct site drainage, and restore service to the perimeter road utilizing soil nailing technology and
“low maintenance” road techniques. In addition to restoring service of the perimeter road and correcting potential safety hazards, this project installed features which would reduce the frequency and costs of future road maintenance and also helped the USMC meet environmental regulatory requirements by preventing/minimizing red-silt discharges into nearby water systems as required by the Japan Environmental Governing Standards (JEGS). Through the use of innovative new environmental engineering technologies, the repair work was completed in 3 month at a cost of $200K.

Photos and Graphic Images by Japan Engineer District

Camp Zama Golf Clubhouse Renovation - This Community & Family Support Center (CFSC) project provided long needed improvements to the Camp Zama Golf Course Clubhouse. This $3M upgrade completed in November 2007 included the renovation of the entry vestibule, dining area, kitchen, locker rooms and the conversion of a conference room into a bar/lounge area. There was also the addition of a new locker room building, a new cart storage building, a patio for outdoor dining, exterior architectural screens for mechanical equipment, a covered walkway from the parking lot to the clubhouse and golf cart area, pavement and supporting utilities.

Photos and Graphic Images by Japan Engineer District

USACE

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is made up of approximately 34,600 Civilian and 650 military members. Our military and civilian engineers, scientists and other specialists work hand in hand as leaders in engineering and environmental matters. Our diverse workforce of biologists, engineers, geologists, hydrologists, natural resource managers and other professionals meets the demands of changing times and requirements as a vital part of America's Army.

Our mission is to provide quality, responsive engineering services to the nation including:

Planning, designing, building and operating water resources and other civil works projects (Navigation, Flood Control, Environmental Protection, Disaster Response, etc.)
Designing and managing the construction of military facilities for the Army and Air Force. (Military Construction)
Providing design and construction management support for other Defense and federal agencies. (Interagency and International Services)