News Stories

. - A U.S. Army Soldier with 1-1st Special Forces Group (SFG), watches for the drop zone from a KC-130J Hercules with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152, during air delivery training for a static line jumpmaster course at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, Aug. 22, 2017. The air delivery was part of unit-level training Evergreen. Air delivery offers the ability to maximize the number of personnel and equipment rapidly delivered to a forward location, with little or no ground support in the objective area. Evergreen will serve as VMGR-152’s 2017 Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation through tri-lateral training with the U.S. Army 160th Special operations Aviation Regiment and the 1st SFG to gain valuable insight on the most recent Operation Inherent Resolve assault-support tactics. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joseph Abrego)

Japan Air Self-Defense Force Conducts Patriot Advanced Capability-3 training at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni - Local Japanese media interview U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Robert Vuolo, left, the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni operations officer, and Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) Lt. Col. Kotaro Hyodo, commander of the 2nd Air Defense Missile Group, during Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) deployment training at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 29, 2017. PAC-3 protects ground forces and critical assets at all echelons from advanced aircraft to cruise missiles and tactical-ballistic missiles. This training displays the strength of the U.S.-Japan alliance, and demonstrates the JASDF’s ability to rapidly deploy multiple defense assets to U.S. military installations across Japan. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Aaron Henson)

Single Marine Program volunteers cleanup Yuu Beach - U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kaysom Montgomery, a heavy-equipment operator with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 171, holds a trash bag for other volunteers during a Single Marine Program Yuu Beach cleanup at Iwakuni City, Japan, Aug. 25, 2017. The event was an opportunity to demonstrate the willingness of service members to be respectful ambassadors and contribute to making Japan a better, cleaner place to live in. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Carlos Jimenez)

Friendly Baseball Tournament unites American, Japanese families - A Japanese little league baseball player bats during the Youth Sports’ Friendly Baseball Tournament at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 19, 2017. Hiroshima defeated the Iwakuni All Stars in the first game of the tournament. The event was a good opportunity to share an experience with the locals who attended and for the Americans to act as a welcoming and friendly ambassador. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Carlos Jimenez)

. - U.S. Marines with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152, refuel a U.S. Army MH-60 Black Hawk with the 4-160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), during night air delivered ground refueling for unit-level training Evergreen at Gray Army Airfield, Washington, Aug. 15, 2017. VMGR-152 used the opportunity during the joint training to give instruction on set up and operation of air delivered ground refueling with the 4-160th SOAR’s airborne service detachment. Air delivered ground refueling offers a mobile deployable gas station to austere locations for units who don’t have readily available resources near them. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joseph Abrego)

Marine returns Japanese WWII flag to original family - Tatsuya Yasue gives an appreciation speech to World War II veteran Marvin Strombo at Higashishirakawa Village, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, Aug. 15, 2017. Yasue and Strombo are reuniting for a flag return ceremony to give back the Yasue family an heirloom that belonged to their late brother Sadao Yasue. Tatsuya, along with other members of the family have waited over 70 years for the return of the brother they lost during the war. The ceremony provided both families with closure as they finally have a part of Sadao to bring home. The reunion was made possible by the Obon Society of Astoria, Oregon. The ceremony also took place during the Obon holiday in Japan, a holiday dedicated to going back to the place of origin of one’s family and spending time with one another. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. N.W. Huertas)

VAW-125 returns to MCAS Iwakuni - An E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft with Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125 taxis down the flight line upon return to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 9, 2017. VAW-125 deployed aboard the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) for the first time with Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5. The E-2D is the latest variant of the long-running E-2 Hawkeye series of aircraft, which employs long-range radar and electronic communications capabilities to oversee the battlespace and detect threats beyond the sensor range of other friendly units. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Aaron Henson)

Americans dance with Japanese locals to honor ancestors - Lina Wasson and her daughters Kayla Wasson and Hailey Wasson, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni residents, pose for a photo wearing summertime kimonos during the Bon-Odori festival at Kinjuen nursing home in Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 14, 2017, as part of a Cultural Adaptation trip. The Obon holiday is a Japanese Buddhist custom where people honor the spirits of their ancestors. It has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance called the Bon-Odori. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Carlos Jimenez)

VMGR-152 arrives at Whidbey Island for unit-level training - A U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152 in transit to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, for unit-level training Evergreen, Aug. 13, 2017. The unit-level training will consist of division formation flights with stateside-based VMGR squadrons and tri-lateral training with the U.S. Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and U.S. Army 1st Special Forces Group to gain valuable insight on the most recent Operation Inherent Resolve assault support tactics. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joseph Abrego)