Best military base/government facility: Marine Corps Community Services, Okinawa, Japan.

When troops were deployed to the Middle East after 9/11 and their children sent to relatives in the United States, many left behind a thriving aquatics community on the Okinawa, Japan, Marine Base.

To hold that community together, the aquatics team gave "cash incentives" for length of service, and many of the seasonal staff were turned into full-time, year-round employees. This kept many on the island. The team also used a government-funded "Summer Hire Program" for high school and college students, offering full and part-time administrative positions at the facilities.

During this difficult period, the team never lost sight of its mission to serve. Events such as Community Water Safety allow youths to take seasonal swim tests and become familiar with facility rules. Meanwhile, the facilities continue offering traditional events such as Memorial Day barbecues, Hula Hoop contests, swim relays and more.

And because the patrons are military-related, staying fit remains a primary objective in the service's line of programming-from triathlons ...