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By Lt. j.g. Duc H. Nguyen
YOKOSUKA, Japan – A small group of Sailors and civilians with U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS) Far East climbed to the summit of Mt. Fuji August 1, during a command team building event to increase morale and esprit de corps.
Each year more than 300,000 people make the ascent to the top of the sacred mountain, nearly all make the climb during the official climbing season of July and August.
“I’ve waited 20 years for this opportunity to climb Fuji-san,” said Jeffery Norman, an IT specialist working within the theater network operations and security center. “I’m super excited and can’t wait to make it to the summit.”
For the 27 personnel from NCTS Far East who participated in the climb, their day started early at 1:30 a.m. preparing the mental and physical challenges ahead.
Mt. Fuji is an active volcano and one of Japan’s “Three Holy Mountains.” It is also the highest mountain in Japan extending 12,388 feet towards the sky. Mt. Fuji has been named a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site, a status earned in June 2013.
The climbers from NCTS Far East approached via the Yoshida Trail from Fuji-Subaru Line 5th Station. This trail is the most popular of the four available to the summit, attracting 136,587 hikers in summer 2015. Yoshida initially offers a steady and flat incline to the 7th station where it quickly transitions to a steep and rocky climb the rest of the way to the summit.
Climbers can purchase walking sticks at the base station and earn special stamps that are branded onto the sticks to mark one’s accomplishment as they progress to the summit.
“The stamps are a great incentive to climb further to the top of Fuji-san,” said Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Thomas Trujillo. “I’ve made it my personal goal to collect every stamp to the top. I suppose you can say that some people climb for the stamps and Fuji-san just happens to be in the way.”
Located at the summit is a Shinto Shrine dedicated to Shinto goddess, Sengen-sama. For centuries many travelers have worshipped and offered up prayers upon reaching the summit. Quickly becoming tradition is for travelers to enjoy a savory bowl of ramen and a few other delectable dishes at an eatery before they start their journey towards the base of the mountain.
The climbers dedicated their event to the Shinsen Children’s Home, a school and orphanage that NCTS Far East has sponsored since 1998.
In May 2016, NCTS Far East, commanded by Capt. Matthew H. Welsh, was awarded the Zenkokai Award for significant contributions towards the betterment of relationships and strong ties with Japan. NCTS Far East was previously awarded in 2000, 2013, and 2014.
NCTS Far East, located in Yokosuka, Japan, provides communications and information technology services for 7th Fleet and supporting units, U.S. Naval Forces Japan, U.S Naval Forces Korea, Defense Information Systems Agency and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
U.S. Fleet Cyber Command serves as the Navy component command to U.S. Strategic Command and U.S. Cyber Command, and the Navy’s Service Cryptologic Component commander under the National Security Agency/Central Security Service. Fleet Cyber Command also reports directly to the Chief of Naval Operations as an Echelon II command.
U.S. 10th Fleet is the operational arm of Fleet Cyber Command and executes its mission through a task force structure similar to other warfare commanders. In this role, C10F provides operational direction through its Maritime Operations Center located at Fort George Meade Md., executing command and control over assigned forces in support of Navy or joint missions in cyber/networks, information operations, electronic warfare, cryptologic/signals intelligence and space.
| Date Taken: | 08.01.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 08.11.2016 13:00 |
| Story ID: | 206817 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, TOKYO, JP |
| Web Views: | 185 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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