printable press release

Kadena Air Base: An Island of Creativity

Almost anyone affiliated with the military will tell you that the key to getting through a family member’s deployment is staying positive and productive. The Air Force Arts and Crafts Centers know their job is to help on both fronts.

“I’ve always said that Arts and Crafts provides a sense of well being that can’t be measured,” says Raymond Speight, Director of Arts and Crafts Center at Kadena Air Base, Japan, and a 30+ year veteran of the program. “When you’re deployed and worried about your family, it wears on you. Maybe not immediately, but eventually. So when you know they’re happy, taken care of and busy, it can help you remain more focused on your job. And if you’re a family member, the center provides a relief and release.”

Overseas Arts and Crafts Centers, says Speight, provide the familiar when families need it most. “When there’s a language barrier, like there is here in Japan, venturing out can be very difficult. Many people tend to be intimidated by that and stay closer to home for activities. It’s even more pronounced here than in England or Germany, because we’re also on an island.”

Last year, Kadena Arts and Crafts served 48 thousand Air Force, Army and Marine service members and families in the center’s Auto Hobby Center, Mud Factory (ceramics and pottery), FrameWorks (framing shop), Wooden Solutions (carpentry and wood crafts), Balloon Corner (specialty balloons and bouquets), Keepsakes Plus (customized awards and engraving) and Crafty Things, Etc., a retail arts and crafts store. Eight hundred people a month participate in 80 scheduled classes, led by 30-35 instructors, many of whom are local artists willing to share their culture and skills.

“Local crafts make a great foundation for learning overseas,” explains Speight. “We try to provide an opportunity for our customers to get a sense of the local and regional cultures as they build their memories of where they’re living and this time in their lives.” Kadena features Japanese and Okinawa-inspired crafts like ShiShi dogs, dragon plaques, craft pots and Okinawan canteens to captivate young and old. “The Mud Factory classes are taught so that everyone produces a successful piece. In turn, that brings them back for more classes and builds even more positive memories.”

Because Kadena is a deployable base, Speight’s team makes a point of taking care of the spouses who are left behind. “Our Auto Hobby Center offers a program to spouses of deployed Airmen called ‘We Care About Car Care.’ It provides a free 45-point safety check-up and a free oil change, just to give the spouse an extra sense of security. We also provide free towing during the deployment term, so they know someone’s always looking out for them when they may need it most.”

Last year, Kadena’s Arts and Crafts program was named “best in the Air Force and best in the DoD,” says Speight. “The award may go to Arts and Crafts, but I attribute the success of our program to the people we serve. We are proud that they use our facilities and make the most of the time they spend in Japan by spending time with us.”