The Good Conduct Association of Japan, or Nippon Zenkokai Association, will bestow good-conduct awards on six Americans with connections to the U.S. military.
The awards were for service to the community and fostering good deeds. The association, which falls under the prime minister’s office, each year honors people who have performed specific good deeds or given long-term help to the community. Most of the hundreds of honorees are Japanese citizens, but the organization also recognizes a handful of foreigners each year.
Awardees are honored at a ceremony at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo’s Harajuku area. Awardees this year, including organizations and individuals, were recognized for saving lives, helping orphans and bettering relations between Americans and their Japanese hosts, according to the organization.
“It has long been one of our annual activities that we seek ... people whose gallant or benevolent acts are remarkably beneficial to their neighbors or to the general public and reward them ... regardless of their nationalities,” Tsuguaki Kawamura, the association president, wrote to U.S. military commands in Japan in a letter seeking nominations.
Nine categories of service are recognized, including contributing to public life, beautifying the environment, preventing accidents and guiding youth and children.
The entire Branch Health Clinic at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni earned an award for public life, social welfare, youth and child guidance and neighborhood support.
“The clinic has a history of volunteering,” said officer-in-charge Cmdr. Rachel Haltner. “People take care of each other. We never really have a problem finding volunteers.”
The clinic’s staff sponsors fund-raisers to help the community, works closely with an orphanage and a local preschool, and conducts medical education programs outside the gate.
“We’re happy to help and give back,” Haltner said. “But to be recognized by Japan is an honor.”
Tenise Pettigrew at Yokosuka Naval Base, a Navy wife and former servicemember who grew up as an Army dependent, earned an award for contributing to public life, environmental beautification and being a good neighbor taking part in Japanese society through Ikebana International, a social organization centered on harmonious flower arrangement.
She said getting involved off base as soon as she arrived was natural. “That was really instilled in me from my Army brat days — get out and see things,” she said. “I figure anything on base I can do back in the States.”
Pettigrew joined Ikebana International and eventually led the Kamakura Chapter. She represented the group at events in Europe and helped increase participation in the group and the tradition of cultural exchange it brings.
“This is the highlight for me,” she said of the award. “It proves for me that the things I’ve done here were the right things and that is getting out and enjoying Japan.”
Those honored ...
The 2005 Nippon Zenkokai Association U.S. military-related awardees are:
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa
Medical Section, H&S Company, Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division. The section has staged Christmas plays, read books and taught English at local elementary schools and for Japanese adults since 2000.Third Transportation Support Battalion, 3rd Force Support Group: Members of the unit have long been continuing to clean beaches in Ginowan city as well as visiting local orphanages and supporting English education at elementary schools.Tokyo (through U.S. Army Japan)
First Sgt. Issac D. Morrow and Lt. Col. Daniel R. Todd, Pacific Stars and Stripes. They found a car with fire shooting up from its hood at a center barrier while driving on Chuo Expressway on Feb. 24. Risking danger, they broke the car window and rescued the injured occupant, removing him to a safe place before the car exploded.Yokota Air Base
Staff Sgt. Dana Derby, unit training manager; and Mary Hallmon, commander’s secretary, 374th Maintenance Squadron. Both organized and led diverse activities during 2004 to benefit children and adults in the community including an Easter egg hunt and a children’s holiday party. They sponsored the Reng Gakum orphanage and have donated food and organized visits to the center.Commander Naval Forces Japan
Branch Health Clinic, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, led by officer-in-charge Cmdr. Rachel Haltner. The entire clinic was awarded for sponsoring an orphanage and preschool, raising money for charity and helping off-base communities with medical education.Tenise Pettigrew, Yokosuka Naval Base. Through participation in Ikebana International, she helped better cultural relations and mutual understanding in her community.— Juliana Gittler and Hana Kusumoto
