Fleet Activities Yokosuka Kicks Off NMCRS Active Duty Fund Drive

Photo By Kristina Doss | Rear Admiral Gregory Fenton delivers a keynote speech on March 1 to help kick off the 2018 Active Duty Fund Drive in support of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS). The drive aims to help raise awareness and funds for the services NMCRS provides Sailors, Marines, and their families such as interest-free loans, budget counseling, Budget for Baby workshops, and affordable household items, uniforms, and clothing at the organization's Thrift Shop. (U.S. Navy Photo by Kristina Doss/Released by Fleet Activities Yokosuka Public Affairs Office)  

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, JAPAN

03.01.2018

Story by Kristina Doss 

Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka

YOKOSUKA, Japan (March 1, 2018) -- Fleet Activities Yokosuka leaders and volunteers gathered together at the Officers' Club, March 1, to help kick off the 2018 Active Duty Fund Drive in support of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS).

The drive, which occurs annually, aims to raise awareness and funds for the services that NMCRS provides Sailors, Marines, and their family members. The society's services in Yokosuka and neighboring Atsugi and Misawa include interest-free loans, budget counseling, Budget for Baby workshops, and affordable household items, uniforms, and clothing at the organization's Thrift Shop.

"In my over 31 years of serving in the U.S. Navy and then annually going through this process, I've definitely seen the tremendous positive impact that the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society has upon our Sailors and personnel and certainly in their time of need," Rear Adm. Gregory Fenton, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Japan and Navy Region Japan, said at the kickoff event.

Fenton noted that in 2017 the Yokosuka branch of NMCRS provided $660,955 in interest free loans and grants to area Sailors and Marines, yet only received $427,773 in donations.

"Our goal [for 2018] is to provide 100 percent contact to everybody here on base, giving them an opportunity to understand what the society does and give donations that will hopefully help close that gap a bit," Fenton said.

The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, which does not receive government funding and depends on financial contributions, was founded in 1904. Since then, the society has been there to support each generation of Sailors and Marines who faced family emergencies, natural disasters and other unexpected life events that strain monthly budgets.

Chief Gas Turbine Systems Technician (Mechanical) Abraham Jackson, assigned to USS Barry (DDG 52), said that he benefited from the society's support earlier in his career.

"Long story short, I bought a car, which needed more work than I could afford at the time. It was in between paydays, and they were able to help me out so that I could continue to go back and forth to work to make money and pay them back," said Jackson. "It was a good resource. They actually provided good financial counseling so that I was aware of my spending. Today, I try to maintain the same mindset of being more mindful of what I spend; have more money coming in than going out."

Jackson, who is now an active duty volunteer for NMCRS, plans on sharing information about the society's programs with fellow Sailors in his command, as well as encouraging donations to ensure NMCRS services continue to be available for Sailors in the area.

"It's the funds we give that are used by others, so if that pot dries up and eventually you are in need, it will be harder to provide those services," Jackson said.

Besides Jackson, many other Yokosuka-area Sailors have also benefited from the lengths NMCRS will go to assist them.

Fenton said that in addition to the suite of services NMCRS Yokosuka offers year-round, the society provided uniforms and other items from their Thrift Shop to affected crews in the aftermath of the USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) and USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) collisions.

"Certainly, as 2017 demonstrated with the accidents involved with the USS Fitzgerald and USS McCain, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society did a tremendous job not only meeting the emergent requirements of Sailors and their families throughout the year, but in dealing with the additional trauma and challenges associated with those two accidents," Fenton said after the event.

Captain Jeffrey Kim, commander of Fleet Activities Yokosuka, agreed.

"2017 was a very remarkable year for how the entire community came together, and NMCRS was at the center of how the community came together to help each other, to help our neighbors, to help our shipmates, and to help our families," Kim said at the conclusion of the event. "Clearly, I can say perhaps there is no other base last year in the Navy from which there is no greater level of gratitude to be presented to NMCRS. So that is why I think it's very important for us to understand all that they have done."

NMCRS Yokosuka Director Jill Warning expressed her appreciation for the support of Fleet Activities Yokosuka leaders and active duty volunteers as the organization strives to raise awareness and funds for its programs.

"The support of leadership is crucial to a successful fund drive," said Warning after the kick-off event, which featured remarks by NMCRS volunteers, breakfast and music from the U.S. 7th Fleet Band.

The Active Duty Fund Drive will take place at individual commands across Fleet Activities Yokosuka, March 1-30. Online donations can be made at http://nmcrsfunddrive.org

• Date Taken: 03.01.2018
• Date Posted: 12.20.2018 19:15
• Story ID: 304684
• Location: YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, JP