SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan — Master Chief Robert J. Shannon took over the command master chief post here Nov. 2, the Navy said in a news release.

He replaced Master Chief Dwayne White, who was acting command master chief after Master Chief Marcos Sibal transferred to his new job as commander master chief of the U.S. Seventh Fleet in July.

Shannon served on four submarines — the USS Sam Rayburn, USS George Washington Carver, USS San Juan and as chief of the boat on the USS Newport News.

Shannon last served as command master chief for the Naval Weapons Station in Charleston, S.C.

School clubs announce art auctionMISAWA AIR BASE, Japan – Robert D. Edgren High School Drama Club will perform its fall play, “Rumors,” in the Mokuteki Ballroom at 7 p.m., Nov. 15 to 17.

Tickets are $5 at the door or $3 in advance. Call DSN 226-4377 for ticket information.

On Nov. 16, Edgren’s Booster Club will hold an art auction in the Officers Club.

The preview begins at 5 p.m., and the auction begins at 6.

Call DSN 226-4377 for more information.

Iwakuni helos, personnel at FutenmaA small detachment from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, flew into Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on Thursday as part of the Corps’ unit deployment program that has been delayed due to the operations in Iraq, said Marine officials.

About 60 Marines and four CH-53D helicopters arrived, officials said.

The rest of the squadron, about 90 Marines and six more aircraft, will arrive at a later date.

The squadron is returning from a deployment to resume their normal unit deployment program, in which personnel rotate every six months but aircraft rotate less frequently, officials said.

The CH-53D units that would normally deploy to Iwakuni for the unit deployment program have instead been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since December 2005.

Airman to be jailed for drug chargesAn airman first class was sentenced to seven months and a bad-conduct discharge after he pleaded guilty to drug-related charges at a Kadena Air Base, according a base release Thursday.

Airman 1st Class Jon-Austin Ray, with 18th Component Maintenance Squadron, also was reduced to airman basic.

Ray pleaded guilty to possessing and using methylone, trying to grow hallucinogenic mushrooms, conspiring to grow hallucinogenic mushrooms and fraudulently enlisting, according to Kadena officials.

The maximum punishment Ray could have received was reduction to E-1, confinement for one year, forfeiture of two-thirds pay and allowances and a bad conduct discharge.

Running track opens at Yongsan GarrisonYONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea — After three months under construction, a new running track is open at Yongsan Garrison.

Adjacent to the helipad near Collier Field House, the 1/7 mile track features a soccer field and ample parking.

Construction, which began August 10, was recently completed by Shin Kwang Industrial Construction Company and cost $193,000 to the command.

Lines and goals for a soccer field in the center of the track will soon be provided through non-appropriated funds.

U.S. Army Garrison, Yongsan spokesman David McNally said reservations are not required to use the field, but the field can be reserved by calling collier Field House at 736-4588.

No vehicles, skating, pets, stakes, metal spikes or smoking will be allowed on the running track.