Spalling concrete is pictured on housing tower 1088 at Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Aug. 20, 2025. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripes)
CAMP KINSER, Okinawa — The Okinawa Military Housing Office has delayed repair work on spalled concrete at housing towers on this Marine Corps base after discovering asbestos in some balconies, according to the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base.
The wing’s 718th Civil Engineer Squadron identified “limited areas containing asbestos” in some residential balconies in the towers, the wing wrote in an unsigned email Friday. The message did not specify which towers were affected.
“The material is non-friable (tightly packed) and remains contained, meaning it does not pose a health risk to residents under current conditions,” the email said.
The discovery was made during early inspection and planning phases for repairs and required “additional coordination and contracting to ensure proper abatement procedures,” according to the wing. Residents have been instructed to not attempt self-repairs, and to avoid spalling debris if it is discovered.
Spalling refers to cracking and delaminating steel-reinforced concrete.
“Work remains on track to begin later this fall,” the email said, without elaborating.
Engineer squadron commander Lt. Col. Akira Nervik and Kinser commander Marine Corps Col. Paul Bock led a town hall meeting at Surfside Club on Tuesday, during which Nervik discussed the asbestos discovery, according to an attendee.
Tech. Sgt. Micaiah Anthony, acting on orders from Brig. Gen. John Gallemore, 18th Wing commander, barred Stars and Stripes from attending the meeting. Bock also requested that Stars and Stripes not attend, Master Sgt. Davon Hammond, Kinser’s operations chief and acting camp director, told the news outlet before the meeting.
Asbestos was discovered in the “outer layer” of concrete on all the housing towers, Nervik told residents at the meeting, according to Gunnery Sgt. John Beaver of Marine Air Control Squadron 4, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
“They said because it’s not pulverized or in an aerosol form — powder form — there’s no issue, but that’s the concern with the repairs, so now they have to reassess how they’re going to do the solution because they have to factor in the asbestos,” he told Stars and Stripes after the meeting.
Engineers will begin installing scaffolding around the six occupied towers in November to replace the orange plastic fencing that has surrounded them since July, according to the wing’s email.
“I’m unable to take my dog around the areas, unable to use the majority of the grassy areas around the tower that I live in,” Capt. Samuel Kuckuk, of the 4th squadron and a resident of tower 872, said after Tuesday’s meeting. “The whole annoyance of canalizing the entryways makes it much more of a process to get in and out.”
Spalled concrete was found July 29 outside tower 1088, according to an Aug. 1 unsigned email from the wing. Further inspections were made at 544 homes in six occupied and two unoccupied towers, Nervik told residents at a Kinser town hall meeting on Aug. 19.
None of the families living in 65 homes with balconies at high risk for spalling concrete will be required to move, he said.
The 263 occupied units are in towers 1086, 1087, 1088, 867, 871 and 872 on Kinser’s north side.
AloJapan.com