Sailor recognized for Okinawa environmental protection

Photo By Staff Sgt. Courtney White | Navy Lt. Carl R. Blaesing receives a certificate of appreciation from Kenji Tanaka at United States Naval Hospital Okinawa May 23. The certificate recognizes Blaesing for his outstanding support of the Japanese plant quarantine service since 2009. The quarantine service is responsible for inspecting all equipment coming into any Okinawa port, according to Blaesing. There are seven ports on Okinawa and all incoming military controlled equipment must be checked. Blaesing is the environmental health officer and head of the USNH preventative medicine department. Tanaka is the director of the Naha Plant Quarantine and Protection Station, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, government of Japan.  

OKINAWA, AICHI, JAPAN

05.23.2012

Story by Lance Cpl. Courtney White 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP LESTER, Japan — Navy Lt. Carl R. Blaesing received a certificate of appreciation from the director of the Naha Plant Quarantine and Protection Station at U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa May 23.The certificate recognizes Blaesing, the environmental health officer and head of the USNH preventative medicine department, for his outstanding support of the Japanese plant quarantine service since 2009.

“His hard work and dedication guaranteed that no plant quarantine pests were introduced into Okinawa,” said Kenji Tanaka, the director of the Naha Plant Quarantine and Protection Station, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, government of Japan.

The quarantine department is responsible for inspecting all equipment coming into any Okinawa port, according to Blaesing. There are seven ports on Okinawa, and all incoming military-controlled equipment must be checked.

“It is a (24/7) job,” said Blaesing. “We must be there any time a unit returns, and that could be days, nights, weekends or holidays.”

The department’s goal is to prevent any invasive species from coming onto the island, according to Blaesing. No foreign organisms, plants, animals, soil or insects are allowed in order to shield native species from harm.

“It is an honor working with (the Japanese government),” said Blaesing. “They depend on us to make sure no foreign organisms come onto the island which can be harmful to their environment, and we work very hard to make sure we uphold our end of the bargain.”

Blaesing’s willingness to communicate openly on a regular basis resulted in a solid professional relationship that will last for many years, according to Tanaka.

“We really appreciate his work ethic and attitude,” said Tanaka. “The close communication made it easy to work with his department. We know they are reliable and we can count on them.”

• Date Taken: 05.23.2012
• Date Posted: 06.01.2012 03:45
• Story ID: 89271
• Location: OKINAWA, AICHI, JP