A Navy fire services instructor from Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY) received top honors from the Department of Defense May 18.

Each year the DoD recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of the services for their contributions in fire prevention, and honors fire departments and firefighters in the DoD Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) program.

Masahito Ogasawara, from CFAY, was named the overall DoD Fire Service Instructor of the Year. He also claimed the Navy's Fire Service Instructor of the Year.

"Bravo Zulu and congratulations to our DoD F&ES award winner," said Vice Adm. Dixon Smith, Commander, Navy Installations Command. "To be identified by your peers as the best in DoD is a remarkable distinction. All participants should be very proud of their professional achievements and well-deserved recognition."

Ogasawara coordinated 17 major exercises to include a high-visibility nuclear exercise, an urban search and rescue, and 11 major shipboard fire exercises -- which integrated the Japan Emergency Response Team and 13 response agencies both on and off base. He also translated 24 training classes, which assisted 370 Japanese-speaking regional firefighters to participate in the lessons. This effort saved the Navy approximately $14,000 in translation fees.

More than 60 nominees representing all service components competed in 12 awards categories.

Navy F&ES is just one of the more than 120 products and services managed by Navy Installations Command to support its mission of sustaining the fleet, enabling the fighter and supporting families.

For more information about the Navy's F&ES program, visit http://www.cnic.navy.mil/om/operating_forces_support/fire_and_emergency_services.html/.

For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil/, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy/, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy/.

For more news from Commander, Navy Installations Command, visit http://www.navy.mil/ or http://www.cnic.navy.mil/.