17th Area Support Group
The Zama Military Community provides forward-based logistical support, installation management, and services in support of the bilateral relation, contingency operations and other missions of USARJ/9th TSC. The 17th Area Support Group provides administrative and logistical support for all Army organizations and activities in Japan. It supports the 9th TSC's deployment, reception, staging, onward movement, and integration of US and allied forces. It maintains Army War Reserve stocks, conducts COSIS, and provides quality logistics, services, and facility support in the Pacific Theater. Camp Zama won the 1995 and 1996 ACOE award for small overseas installations. Population served: 8,000 (including military, civilians, family members and retirees). Size: 2,266 acres (main base and 10 sub-installations).
The 17th Area Support Group provides logistical support for executing the movement and sustainment of forces in military operations, RSO&I operations, emergency relief and other contingencies (natural disaster, humanitarian assistance, etc..) and bilateral, unilateral, and joint exercises. We constantly strive to reach our overarching strategic goal "Be the leader in providing logistical support and plans management."
Secondly, 17th ASG provides installation management that ensures that installation meet all readiness mission requirements for war contingencies, peacekeeping and humanitarian taskings, deployment, environmental stewardship, and engineering and housing. 17 ASG also provide telecommunications (includes television services), telephone, and computer hardware and software support. The strategic goal "Provide unparalleled installation facilities, infrastructure, and environmental excellence" supports this key product and service.
The 17th Area Support Group provides Community and Bilateral Relations of U.S. Army forces stationed in Japan, displaying the resolve of the United States in support of its national interests around the world. The ASG provides community relations with local mayors and prefecture (state level) officials and host four major, open-post, goodwill events each year that attract over 100,000 local Japanese citizens. 17th ASG also provides 228 unilateral and bilateral band concerts each year by our 296th Army Band with a total attendance of 660,000 Japanese and U.S patrons.
The 17th Area Support Group provides services that directly impact on the quality of life of soldiers, family members and civilians, such as, an 18-hole golf course, recreational parks, a fishing pond, fitness centers, swimming pools, recreatioinal equipment, van rentals, and a large-inventory library, education center, and a civilian personnel advisory center.
The Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 17th Area Support Group (17th ASG) was established as the U.S. Army Garrison, Honshu (USAGH), one of the three major subordinate commands of U.S. Army Japan, effective 30 June 1974. It was organized under the directorate concept. The U.S. Army Aviation Detachment, Camp Zama, was reassigned to Headquarters, U.S. Army Japan. In conjunction with the establishment of U.S. Army Garrison, Honshu, operational functions of Headquarters, U.S. Army Japan and their related resources were transferred to the new organization. The Garrison Commander and his administrative and service staff and organizations were located in Camp Zama, Japan. The operational elements of the garrison, to include supply, maintenance, transportation, procurement, and ammunition remained in the areas where their predominant operations were located, i.e., Directorate of Industrial Operations at Sagami Depot, Directorates of Transportation and Procurement at North Pier, Yokohama, and Directorate of Ammunition at Akizuki.
HHC, 17th ASG serves as the company headquarters for both 17th ASG and USARJ. There are over 2,100 assigned/attached soldiers, civilians, and Master Labor Contract personnel (MLC).
The 25th Postal Company is a detachment of 29 personnel assigned including soldiers, civilians, and MLCs. They provide all postal support to the U.S. Army on the Island of Honshu.
17th ASG controls 13 sub-installations on Honshu. These locations fall into two major geographical areas of the island: the Kanto Plain around Tokyo and Hiroshima in the southwest portion of the island.
Sagamihara Family Housing Area (SHA) is located three miles northeast of Camp Zama. This facility is the major family housing complex for personnel assigned to Camp Zama and Sagami General Depot. It contains 601 housing units as well as the main commissary.
The main combat service support mission is to provide installation and logistical support and also combat service support for Reception Staging, Onward Movement, and Integration (RSO&I), Non-combatant Evacuation Operations (NEO), and disaster relief assistance and evacuation. This ability is exercised annually in regional or bilateral exercises.
The most important bilateral field training exercises (FTXs) for the 17th are North Wind and Orient Shield. The ASG provides the critical site support base for these bilateral FTXs. Each of these FTXs involve a battalion-size U.S. unit from either the 25th Infantry Division (Light) from Hawaii or an Army National Guard unit working with a regimental-size unit from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.
