MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 225 returned to Iwakuni from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Saturday after participating in Exercise Northern Edge 2004.
The squadron deployed to Alaska May 31, to provide support to the joint-service exercise that incorporated more than 150 aircraft and 9,000 service members.
"Our mission was to exercise forward deployment capabilities and to provide actual operating forces to help exercise wing command and control," said Maj. Che Bolden, VMFA(AW)-225 training officer and assistant operations officer.
"Specifically, we focused on ensuring that the aircrew was accustomed to a large force exercise," he added.
The squadron worked closely with the United States Air Force, said Bolden.
"Joint operations make each branch of the military more effective," said Sgt. Maj. Curtis Anderson, VMFA(AW)-225 sergeant major. "It's important to know how other services operate, and for them to understand how we do business."
In addition to their regular workload, the Marines also took time to provide a group of Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets a tour of the squadron's F/A-18D Hornet fighter jets.
Interaction with local communities is a regular occurrence for the squadron, said Anderson.
"It's good to host young midshipmen and the cadets that come to visit us," he said. "They leave with a better perspective of military life."
"The squadron as a whole got a lot accomplished, especially with the aircrew's training," said Bolden. "We did the best we could and should have done."
"Anytime you go on an exercise and return without a mishap, you've been successful," said Anderson. "I couldn't ask to be in a better squadron."