A Public Service Announcement! ;)

A Public Service Announcement! ;)

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Why George Washington Went to Japan


Thanks to Mike Rhode for bringing this to my attention:

Manga CVN 73 USS George Washington (2008) has been released by the US Navy. The 204-page graphic novel is available for download and tells the story of the USS George Washington's stationing in Japan. A forward from RADM James D. Kelly, USN, the commander of naval forces in Japan, extols the beauty of Japan and seems to read like a rationale for the vessel's presence. Available in both Japanese and English, the Manga is free to whomever cares to download and is published by the Public Affairs Office of the Navy.

So, it appears to be a work that offers a rationale, educates, and informs. And probably persuades, or attempts to, anyway. The ship's history and services are detailed via the experiences of a new soldier named Jack, a Japanese America, who is walking its floors for the first time. The USS Cole and terrorist attacks are mentioned, and the work of men and women on the ship is portrayed as honorable and impressive. The soldiers work as a team, look out for one another, and drill constantly so they're prepared for any dangerous situations. They attend seminars on Japanese culture and language. Upon entiring the port at Yokosuka, they are reminded by their commander to be good neighbors.

A hero on the ship after putting out a dangerous fire, Jack immerses himself in Japanese culture with awe and respect, especially mindful that this is where his grandparents live. "Japanese blood definitely runs through my veins," he says. After meeting up with his grandparents, Jack asks his grandpa if he'll ever visit the states. His reply comprises the last pages of the story before the ship's stats are given. "I can go anytime. We're neighbors across the ocean, right?"

The military has a long history of using sequential art to help train and educate its troops, and other governments have used the format as well, one notable example being the guide to immigrating to the states that the Mexican government published a few years ago. This seems geared towards wary citizens of Japan and is a very interesting piece of proactive public relations work.

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