News Stories

Photo by Cpl. Dahkareo Pritchett - U.S. Marines with Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting, Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and Marine Labor Contractors with Fire and Emergency Services pose for a group photo at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, June 9, 2025. Both ARFF and FES recently won the Medium Fire Department of the Year award for the third time in a row due to their outstanding performance and overall readiness for any situation that arises. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dahkareo Pritchett)

MCAS Iwakuni ARFF Multinational Crash Damaged or Disabled Aircraft Recovery training facebook sharing buttontwitter sharing buttonlinkedin sharing buttonpinterest sharing buttonsharethis sharing button

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF), recently recognized for being the Medium Fire Department of the Year for the third consecutive year, hosted a multinational training event that brought together fire and emergency response teams from across the globe. This initiative reflects the department’s continued

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Photo by Sgt. Isaac Orozco - Katie Mintz, U.S. Navy Ombudsman with Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, holds a handmade blanket she created for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, June 6, 2025. Mintz was chosen as the recipient of the 2024 Dorothy Flatley award for exceptional support to Sailors, Marines, and their families. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Isaac Orozco)

Compassion in Action: Ombudsman Katie Mintz Receives 2024 Dorothy Flatley Award

Ombudsman are often described as vital, and essential, serving as the bridge between service members and their families. Working quietly behind the scenes, they provide clarity when communication falters - especially during deployments or times of crisis.For Katie Mintz, a Washington native and ombudsman for Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102, every

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Photo by Sgt. Randall Whiteman - The Furukawa family memorial was created by Kazuzou Furukawa to mourn the deaths of his family following the end of World War II after the 80th anniversary of the Marukoyama Memorial Ceremony in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, April. 3, 2025. The Marukoyama Memorial Ceremony is held every year in Kure during cherry blossom season to honor the crew members of the U.S. Navy TBM-3 Avenger, Torpedo Squadron 6, who died in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, on July 24, 1945. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Randall Whiteman)

Marukoyama Memorial Ceremony Honors 80 Years of Reflection, Healing, and Friendship

On April 3, 2025, U.S. Marines and Sailors from Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni joined local residents in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, to mark the 80th anniversary of a tragic World War II aircraft crash. Together, they honored a moment in history that has since become a powerful symbol of reconciliation and shared humanity.On

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Photo by Sgt. Randall Whiteman - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Manuel A. Lopezchavez, the meteorological & oceanographic platoon sergeant with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, and a native of Florida, poses for a photo after receiving the METOC Marine of the Year Award at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, March. 25, 2025. Enlisted METOC Marines who have excelled in their field are given the METOC Marine of the Year Award in recognition of their achievement and merit. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Randall Whiteman)

METOC Marine of the Year

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Manuel Alejandro Lopez Chavez, a native of Miami-Dade, Florida, and the meteorological & oceanographic (METOC) platoon sergeant for Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, MCAS Iwakuni, was recently selected as the recipient for the 2024 METOC Marine of the Year award.The METOC Marine of the Year award is an annual award that

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Photo by Lance Cpl. Siwan Lewis - U.S. Navy Interior Communications Electrician 1st Class Nathan Cobb, a technical services manager with Armed Forces Network Iwakuni, and North Carolina native, maintains servers at AFN Iwakuni, Feb 6, 2025. Cobb routinely diagnoses and repairs radio and television broadcasting equipment at AFN Iwakuni to ensure Marines, Sailors and their dependents have uninterrupted access to American radio and television programing as well as command information and news from across the Department of Defense. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Siwan Lewis)

Understanding Who They Are: How a Sailor’s View on Marines Changed

After spending five years aboard a ship manned by only Navy Sailors; the last thing this Sailor expected was to be stationed with Marines, whom he once feared. After a few months at his second duty station, Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, he came to realize that Marines were not as terrifying as he initially thought.U.S. Navy Interior

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Photo by Lance Cpl. David Getz - U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Brandon Champagne, an air traffic controller with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, and a native of Florida, poses for a photo after a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal award ceremony at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, Jan. 29, 2025. Lance Cpl. Champagne received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for rescuing two individuals trapped in wreckage after a vehicle accident while home on leave. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. David Getz)

Marine 24/7: A Heroic Rescue on the Road

Fight, flight, freeze, or fawn? You may have heard these four stress reactions, but have you ever been struck with this choice at a moment’s notice? If you found yourself in the midst of an unfolding emergency, would you take charge to make a difference? For U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Brandon Champagne, an air traffic controller with

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U.S. Marine Corps Courtesy Photo - U.S. Marine Corps 1stLt James Detulleo scans his surroundings during training at The Basic School in Quantico, VA, 2021. (U.S. Marine Corps Courtesy Photo)

A Calling to Serve: First Lieutenant James Detulleo’s Journey in the Marine Corps

For First Lieutenant James Detulleo, service has never been just a duty—it’s a calling. Growing up surrounded by military families, he found inspiration in their unwavering dedication and values. These early influences instilled in him a belief that service to others is greater than serving oneself. For Detulleo, it’s about contributing to a

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Photo by Lance Cpl. David Getz - U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Billy Emerton, left, a flight equipment technician, with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 242, Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Air Wing and Gunnery Sgt. David Emerton, equal opportunity advisor for Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, both natives of Texas, pose for a photo at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 5, 2024. Answering the nation's call has always been a proud tradition in many American homes. Marines having siblings who also serve in the armed forces is nothing new, but for the Emerton brothers, their service has been closer than most. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. David Getz)

The Emerton brothers

Answering the nation's call has always been a proud tradition in many American homes. Marines having siblings who also serve in the armed forces is nothing new, but for the Emerton brothers, their service has been closer than most.“We were close before joining, so it made it that much harder when I joined and realized that I was going to be away

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Photo by Sgt. Phuchung Nguyen - U.S. Marine Corps chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense (CBRN) specialists assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, Marine Aircraft Group 12, pose for a group photo on Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sept. 6, 2024. As CBRN Defense Specialists, Marines are trained to respond to and clear areas with possible CBRN hazards in addition to training units in general CBRN information, identification, and response. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Phuchung Nguyen)

MWSS-171 CBRN Defense

On August 21, 2013, the normal sounds of a Syrian summer night was interrupted by the whistling of soaring projectiles that were followed by not explosions, but silence. In minutes, the night was filled with coughs and gasps from residents in the city eventually evolving to screams of terror. An odorless and colorless cloud of sarin, a nerve agent,

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Photo by Sgt. Phuchung Nguyen - Jennifer Ayers, the Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni aquatics director and a South Carolina native, poses for a portrait at the Marine Corps Community Services’ indoor pool on Sept. 5, 2024. Ayers and the MCAS Iwakuni aquatics team provide swim clinics and master classes, and train instructors with the goal to improve service members’ survival skills and increase their water confidence. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Phuchung Nguyen)

Modern Day Mermaid

In 2023, it was recorded that 27 Marines and sailors lost their lives due to preventable off duty mishaps. On Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Jennifer Ayers, the aquatics director and swim survival skill master trainer, is on a mission to help change these statistics for the better. Finding ways to improve the service members' confidence and

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