Service offers more opportunities

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Phillip Butterfield
  • 35th Fighter Wing
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan - The Army, Air Force Exchange Service and the base taxi service expand their daiko service for on-base members to incorporate Fridays and Saturdays starting June 19 at Misawa Air Base. 

"Daiko" in the Japanese language means "to do for another," and that's what this service will provide. When a service member calls the base taxi dispatch center and asks for the service, two drivers will arrive -- one to take the service member home and the other to follow in the service member's car. 

"The base taxi service is the only taxi that can provide this service to our residents here on base," said Anna Iosefo, Misawa AAFES general manager. "We started the daiko service back in February, and it was only on Saturdays from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. But now AAFES, in cooperation with the base taxi service, will be expanding this service to Friday's as well." 

The daiko service can be purchased for an additional ¥ 1,000 to be added to your taxi fare. AAFES tries to make it as inexpensive as possible for service members, Mrs. Iosefo added. The price was set through agreements with the off-base taxi association and with an AAFES contract. With this added service, on-base residents now have another option to get them and their vehicles home. 

"I think the daiko service is a great idea," said Staff Sgt. Vanessa Perner, 35th Communications Squadron quality assurance evaluator. "It's a safe alternative to getting you and your car home." 

Misawa will be providing other opportunities for service members to assist in stemming acts of driving under the influence. The first program is the Safe Ride Home: Golden Ticket. This ticket, available for purchase at both shoppettes and the base exchange for ¥1,500, may be used for a taxi ride anywhere on base. 

The second program is the Frequent Rider Program. The frequent rider program is a punch card that will be provided to service members from the base taxi service. After six rides on the base taxi a service member will receive a voucher for a free movie or lunch, which is provided through AAFES. 

To ensure serve members know the important phone numbers, AAFES is offering pocket cards found at all base cash registers. The phone numbers found on the card will include, security forces and the base taxi service. 

Both of these programs and the pocket card are scheduled for the end of June, but the expanded daiko service will be in effect June 19. 

For more information, call AAFES at 616-3780.