Education
Operation ‘Red Light, Green Light’ in Okinawa, Japan
By
18th Wing Public Affairs June 19, 2025
Senior Airman Luis E. Rios Calderon, Airman 1st Class Amy Kelley
18th Wing Public Affairs June 19, 2025
(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Luis Emilio Rios Calderon)
OKINAWA, Japan -- The Office of Special Trial Counsel District 6, in collaboration with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and Internet Crimes Against Children operations, launched a new cyber safety education initiative at Hope International Academy in Okinawa, Japan, June 16, 2025.
The initiative titled “Operation ‘Red Light, Green Light” aims to empower teens to make safer decisions online and offline by educating them on the risks of digital activity and how to recognize predatory behavior and harmful content.
“This pilot program equips Okinawan youth with tools to navigate online spaces where they may become potential targets more safely and also strengthens our partnerships with our host nation community,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Marcus Williams, Headquarters Air Force Office of Special Trial Counsel (OSTC) District 6.
Williams and AFOSI Special Agents engaged students on multiple topics including online privacy and responsible sharing, recognizing and reporting inappropriate content, and strategies for identifying and addressing cyberbullying.
They also provided foundational tools for the students to reference and share with their classmates such as NetSmartz, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s premier online safety education program.
“This brief gave us great information on things we should avoid, suspicious behavior to look out for, and different resources we could use if we ever needed to report anything.” said Jack Cornett, a student at Hope International Academy.
The Office of Special Trial Counsel (OSTC) for District 6 and AFOSI teams plan to continue their cyber safety education initiative, with hopes of expanding the program to all schools on Kadena in the near future. Their goal is to take a proactive approach in educating and empowering local teens with the knowledge and tools to navigate the internet safely—while also helping to ease concerns for parents.