COMMANDER, FLEET ACTIVITIES OKINAWA, Japan — Commander, Fleet Activities Okinawa (CFAO) personnel partnered with the “Golden Eagles” of Patrol Squadron (VP) 9, the CFAO Chief Petty Officers’ Association, and the Naval Officers’ Spouses’ Club of Okinawa to donate three industrial cooling fans to an after-school childcare center in the Heshikiya district near White Beach Naval Facility, August 15, 2025.
The donation, part of CFAO’s ongoing community relations (COMREL) efforts, will help create a more comfortable and safer environment for the children and staff.
“We’ve been volunteering at this center for a long time, and it’s become a special place for our Sailors,” said Candice Barber, CFAO’s public affairs officer and COMREL coordinator. “After spending time in their gym month after month, it was hard not to notice how hot it always was, especially for the kids and staff who use it every day.”
Okinawa has a subtropical climate with year-round high humidity and high temperatures between 86 and 90 degrees during the summer months, from July to September.
VP-9, homeported at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, has been an active participant in CFAO’s community outreach, setting a standard for building strong ties with local organizations while forward deployed.
“My favorite part of this donation will always be the kids,” said Navy Counselor 1st Class Sherrita Henry, from Raleigh, North Carolina, who contributed on behalf of the VP-9 First Class Petty Officer Association. “Being able to spend time with them and see the gratitude on both sides is so humbling. We came to give back, but they’ve given just as much to us.”
Efforts like these highlight the strong ties between U.S. Navy Sailors and the local community, reinforcing the Navy’s commitment to being a good neighbor while carrying out its broader mission in Okinawa and across the Indo-Pacific.
Fleet Activities Okinawa maintains and operates facilities to support United Nations Command-Rear missions, coalition and allied partners, and U.S. Navy and Joint Force operations across the Indo-Pacific, while also fostering partnerships with the Okinawan community.
Date Taken:
08.29.2025
Date Posted:
08.29.2025 04:03
Story ID:
546868
Location:
URUMA, OKINAWA, JP
Hometown:
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, US
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