Pacific Department of Defense Dependents Schools personnel have new e-mail addresses after the Internet domain name for the schools, including Guam, changed Monday.

DODEA — Department of Defense Education Activity — announced its Internet domain now is dodea.edu. It was odeododea.edu.

New e-mail addresses for school officials in Japan, South Korea, Okinawa and Guam are now: firstname.lastname@pac.dodea.edu.

For instance, the e-mail address for a teacher named Mary Smith would become Mary.Smith@pac.dodea.edu.

The old e-mail addresses are valid through Dec. 31.

Additionally, the main Web site for DODDS Pacific and Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS) Guam will be renamed by Dec. 31 to www.pac.dodea.edu.

Payments OK’d in asbestos lawsuit

Japan’s government agreed Monday to pay 305 million yen (about $2.87 million) to Yokosuka shipyard workers who contracted lung disease after working on ships with asbestos at Yokosuka Naval Base, said Takeshi Furukawa, the workers’ attorney.

Each of 20 former workers will be paid 14 million yen (about $131,000); the family of a worker who died last year will be paid 25 million yen (about $235,000), Furukawa said.

One worker who sued received no money because the 10-year limit on claiming such payments had expired, Furukawa said.

Yokohama District Court’s Yokosuka branch recommended the settlement in March but the Japanese government asked that it be reduced for two plaintiffs, arguing they also worked at other companies where they could have contracted lung disease.

However, it withdrew that request in September.

The court is expected to recommend a settlement in January for 15 other plaintiffs who sued last year, Furukawa said.

DECA scholarships available

Students at military bases worldwide may compete for up to $1,500 in college scholarships from the Defense Commissary Agency by writing an essay on how the heightened awareness of terrorism has impacted their life.

Applications are now available for DECA’s fifth annual Scholarships for Military Children program and are due at commissaries by Feb. 16, DECA officials announced in a news release this week.

At least one $1,500 scholarship will be awarded at every commissary with qualified applicants. Last year, 500 scholarships were handed out.

A link to the program, as well as more information about the scholarship, can be found at: http://www.commissaries.com.

DOD discouraging unsolicited mail

Defense Department officials are reminding well-wishers to refrain from sending unsolicited mail, care packages or donations to servicemembers during the holiday season.

The department suspended the “Any Servicemember” and “Operation Dear Abby” programs indefinitely in the wake of anthrax mail attacks. Agency officials, in a news release this week, say that unsolicited mail during the holidays “causes mail from families and friends to be mixed with mail from unknown sources resulting in delivery delays.”

Officials also reminded family members not to pass around military addresses for use by donation programs.

“Unknown mailers could then obtain those addresses and mail harmful items to servicemembers,” officials stated.

For those who don’t have loved ones deployed overseas, they can show their support during the holidays through a list of programs available at: www.defendamerica.mil.

To guarantee mail arrives in time for the end of year holidays, family members can view mailing guidelines at: www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/bulletin/2004/pb22138.pdf.