Teaching English in Japan, Chapter One

Takano is a retired Japanese schoolteacher who for the past twenty years has visited the US naval base in Yokosuka, her hometown, to practice her conversational English with American military spouses.  Until a few years ago, the process was fairly simple.  She simply showed her passport to the security guard at the base entrance and the guard telephoned her sponsor (teacher) who came to the entrance to escort Takano to the sponsor's home.

Several years ago the process changed.  Japanese nationals were required to obtain special passes to enter the base.  Takano and her sponsor applied for and received a pass that allowed Takano to visit the base three days a week for six months.  Takano did not wish to visit the base more than once a week.  She selected the three days she was most likely to visit in light of her own and her sponsor's schedules.  To apply for a pass, Takano and her sponsor were required to complete a two-page application and submit it to the Pass Office at the main gate.  They Pass Office clerk looked at Takano's passport and the sponsor's military ID card and asked them to return to the Pass Office no sooner than three days later to obtain the official pass.  The pass itself was created when Takano and her sponsor returned to the pass office no sooner than three days later; the clerk took Takano's photograph, checked their identification once again, and updated the computer record.  The security personnel might have spent the intervening three days researching Takano's non-existent criminal history. 

This was the process in place when I arrived in Japan.  The only suggestion I would offer for improving that process would allow applicants to visit the Pass Office once rather than twice.  The sponsor would submit the application form electronically and not have to waste 10-30 minutes looking for a parking space near the Pass Office.  Someone forgot to teach military accountants that time is money.  Time as money will be a recurring theme in this blog.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

New regulations for "teaching English on board Fleet Activities (FLEACT), Yokosuka" were issued on June 25, 2010, the same day CAPT David Owen assumed command.  (The regulations are signed by CAPT Owen but another commanding officer here tells me they were prepared for and initially signed by the outgoing base commander, CAPT Daniel Weed.  Some people considered CAPT Weed a mean-spirited megalomaniac.  I think he is deserving of pity but I have made up the name Takano just in case those other people are right.)

Besides commanding the Yokosuka navy base, CAPT Owen and CAPT Weed also share the distinction of serving here unaccompanied by a spouse.  I believe CAPT Owen is unmarried.  I know CAPT Weed is married but his wife chose not to spend more than a few months in Japan with him.  The current second in command is a female Navy captain married to another Navy captain who works for the Seventh Fleet.  The relevance of these biographical snippets is simply that none of the current or recent decision-makers has the benefit of testing their ideas, hare-brained or otherwise, on a spouse who could offer practical insights.  Someone like me, for instance.

Takano was granted a new six-month pass a few days before the new regulations were signed so we did not have to worry about them until it was time to apply for another pass at the end of January.  These are the hoops I subsequently jumped through in an effort to be a good citizen.  (This is what I was thinking while I was jumping through those hoops.)

I had to know the new regulations in order to follow them so I searched for the base website.  My computer told me "There is a problem with this website's security certificate" and recommended that I close the webpage and not continue to this website.  Holding my breath, I opted to "Continue to this website (not recommended.)"   (Dear Pentagon, please get a security certificate issued by a trusted certificate authority.  It is beyond ludicrous for you to constantly tell me to check this website for typhoon and other emergency information and then not allow me to access the website.)

The next message to appear on my computer screen says "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage."  (*#!%!  I'd give up right now if I didn't love Takano so much.  She loves to travel but her parents are in their late eighties and for the next few years visiting the U.S. military base will be her only chance to experience an international adventure.)

Maybe I can open the CFAY website by following the link on the Seventh Fleet website.  Nope.  The link doesn't work.  So I try the link on the Pacific Command and U.S. Military Forces, Japan websites.  Those links don't work either but I discover that CFAY's parent command, Commander Naval Forces Japan (CNFJ), has the same security problem.  This bugs the heck out of me.

Maybe I can find a link on JapanBases.com, the informative non-governmental website CAPT Weed and his subordinates briefly succeeded in shutting down last spring by threatening to end the government contract with the employer of the civilian who created the website.

No working link there either but I discover I am not the only one blocked from the CFAY website.  There is a forum devoted to this issue.  I copy the following advice:
   
Your browser is looking for a DoD Root Certificate, which is a digital document providing the identity of a web site or individuals.  You can download and install the certificate using the directions below.
Fixing the Certificate Error (Windows OS only)

CA Certificate Download: http://dodpki.c3pki.chamb.disa.mil/rootca.html

1. Open Internet Explorer and go to the CA Certificate download page.
2. Click the link called "Download Root CA 2 Certificate." A popup will appear.
3. Click "Open." The Certificate Window will appear.
4. In the left frame, open the subfolders until you see the the "Certificates" folder. The frame on the right will display a list of certificates.
5. Double-click on the "DoD Root CA 2" certificate. You'll probably see two of them, so double-click the first one. A popup will appear.
6. Click the "Install Certificate..." button. The Certificate Import Wizard will open.
7. Select the "Place all certificates in the following store" and click "Browse."
8. Choose "Trusted Root Certification Authorities" and click "Ok."
9. Click "Next"and "Finish."
10. Click the next two "Ok" buttons and close the Certificates window.

ThaiGuy, a forum member, is a kindred spirit.  He notes that CFAY has succeeded in creating a website only hackers can access.
Look for Chapter Two after I work my way through the 10-step program . . .


  

Seasons Greetings from CFAY Security

It was midafternoon on Christmas Eve when I took this picture while idling in my car on the one-way street in front of the Navy Exchange. Since the right lane is where taxicabs wait for sailors who need help transporting purchases back to their barracks, the left lane is the only available route to the Navy Exchange parking lot. A drive-up bin for returning rented movies is situated on the left sidewalk directly opposite the taxi stand. A five-year old could suggest fifty better places to locate that bin.

But it was midafternoon on Christmas Eve when I took this picture and, in the spirit of the season, I vowed I would not lose my temper in the three blocks between my house and the Navy Exchange. When I turned into that one-way street and spotted a police van blocking the left lane, I waited patiently while the two officers opened and closed the back gate of their van. I knew I could probably squeeze between their vehicle and the taxis but the solid line down the center of the road means "Do Not Change Lanes" so I opted to wait for one of the genial officers to wave me across that line. They glanced in my direction, turned their backs, and marched to the entrance to the MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) office which was locked because - let's all sing in unison - it was midafternoon on Christmas Eve.

With nary a backward glance, they meandered toward Starbucks. I took a deep breath, crossed the solid line, and managed to squeeze between their vehicle and the taxis.

Bah, humbug.

Disregard for Parking Rules

Parking a vehicle next to a curb painted yellow is as illegal on a military base as it is in any American town or city.

There are two police vehicles parked in the no-parking zone in front of the Navy Exchange. Are the officers responding to a robbery-in-progress? That might explain why one of the vehicles is two feet from the curb.

Surely the officers would not park illegally to visit the food court or, gasp, shop during work hours. Surely military police training emphasizes the importance of obeying the rules and regulations the officers are responsible for enforcing. Surely they understand the importance of serving as role models.

The police vehicles are still there 90 minutes later. I am surprised it takes them that long to arrest the shoplifter.

Bike Rack

What budding genius will admit to planting this bike rack next to the PSD sidewalk? There’s a broad plaza ideal for parking bicycles directly in front of the building entrance. Can CFAY make life any more difficult for pedestrians?

Cell Phones and Strollers

The pedestrians surged into the busy Tokyo intersection when the light changed to green.  A Caucasian woman in the middle of the pack pushed a stroller with her right hand while chatting into the cell phone in her left hand.  She zigzagged across the crosswalk, veering first to the left and then overcorrecting to veer to the right, oblivious to the Japanese pedestrians beside and behind her.

The child tried to get her attention by climbing to his feet in the stroller.  Either she had not fastened his safety belt or he had managed to unfasten it.

She stopped in the middle of the intersection to push him back into the stroller with her right hand.  She did not for one instant stop talking on her cell phone.  She never even looked at the child.

When she eventually reached the safety of the sidewalk, she continued her animated telephone conversation for five more minutes, shoving the child back into the stroller with her right hand at regular intervals.  She still did not glance at the child.

Turn off your cell phone!

I was not standing close enough to eavesdrop on her conversation so I don't know what language she was speaking.  I hope it wasn't English.