MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- The Marine reservists of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 41 are paving the way for other reservists as they landed on the Station to conduct their two weeks of training May 18.
The 118 Wranglers of MALS-41 traveled from Fort Worth, Texas to take advantage of the knowledge available from the active duty Marines in Iwakuni while lending an extra hand.
"We are an intermediate-level maintenance and supply activity," said Lt. Col. James Frawley, MALS-41 commanding officer. "We came over here for our two week annual training to support MALS-12 for operational tempo relief. This is the first time we have been in Japan, but it is probably going to be a reoccurring thing."
While in Iwakuni, the unit will be assisting MALS-12 in several of their shops, from airframes to aviation life support. The two weeks of training here benefit the reservists in a variety of ways.
"I have gained a lot of experience with the equipment we don't touch and even the equipment that we do," said Lance Cpl. Gordon Little, MALS-41 flight equipment technician. "Being a reservist with limited time on the weekends, I don't have the time to get into a large piece of equipment. This gives me the time to get a feel for the equipment."
The larger more complex projects and equipment reserve Marines undertook involved packing parachutes and repairing life saving equipment carried on the helicopters and jets that are aboard the Station.
"Our Marines are working on a variety of items that we cannot in Fort Worth, because we do not have that type of aircraft," said Gunnery Sgt. John Weakley, MALS-41 aviation flight equipment division chief. "We don't have the chance to work on many of the life rafts that the aircraft here carry."
In addition to the chance to do their jobs for a full two weeks, the reservists now find themselves immersed in a new culture for the first time.
"For a lot of Marines, this is their first chance to get out of the continental U.S.," Frawley said. "In the reserve program these Marines got out of boot camp and came right to Fort Worth and never left the continental U.S. They've never spent any extended time on active duty."
This trip, although unusual for this reserve unit, allows the reservists to better understand where stations like Iwakuni are, what goes on here and what it is like to work in the fleet, according to Frawley.
"If we were to be called up one day, this is the job I would be doing, and the fact that we would have to be accustomed to working with active duty Marines is important," Little said.
Although the majority of the benefits went to the reservists, the Marines of MALS-12 also benefited from the visit.
"It's very helpful having them here," said Cpl. Juan Torres, MALS-12 flight equipment technician. "Just getting to work with them is building our leadership skills. Most of the Marines who work in this work center know their jobs well, and they can help the reservists to do their job."
Although the reservists will be leaving today, their two-week visit was well worth the long journey from Texas.
"The best thing that will come out of this will be helping our fellow Marines here," Frawley said. "We appreciate the welcome we received from MALS-12 and Marine Aircraft Group 12. They made us feel at home."