Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan

Lance Cpl. Christopher Kopack, left, and Lance Cpl. Efrain MoralesHernandez, correctional specialists with the Provost Marshal’s Office aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, read a book to students at Midoro Hoikuen School in Iwakuni City, during a community relations visit, July 30, 2015. Kopack and MoralesHernandez are assigned to Headquarters and Headquarter Squadron, MCAS Iwakuni. Volunteers played games and sang songs to help the children learn English. - Lance Cpl. Christopher Kopack, left, and Lance Cpl. Efrain MoralesHernandez, correctional specialists with the Provost Marshal’s Office aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, read a book to students at Midoro Hoikuen School in Iwakuni City, during a community relations visit, July 30, 2015. Kopack and MoralesHernandez are assigned to Headquarters and Headquarter Squadron, MCAS Iwakuni. Volunteers played games and sang songs to help the children learn English.

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni residents plate their finished Shumai and traditional fried rice during a Japanese cooking class at Fukushi Kaikan in Iwakuni, Japan, July 24, 2015. Shumai is traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates and is one of three Oriental dishes prepared during the class. The station’s cultural adaptation program coordinates the class three times a year, and it is one of many ways to indulge in local cuisine. - Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni residents plate their finished Shumai and traditional fried rice during a Japanese cooking class at Fukushi Kaikan in Iwakuni, Japan, July 24, 2015. Shumai is traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates and is one of three Oriental dishes prepared during the class. The station’s cultural adaptation program coordinates the class three times a year, and it is one of many ways to indulge in local cuisine.

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, residents pick green tea leaves during a Cultural Adaption Program tea harvesting event in Iwakuni City, May 7, 2015. During the visit to Hirose-Iwakuni High School, students, guests and even elders from a local nursing home picked 37 pounds of green tea leaves that will be fanned, steamed cooled, pressed, rolled and dried for everyone’s enjoyment. - Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, residents pick green tea leaves during a Cultural Adaption Program tea harvesting event in Iwakuni City, May 7, 2015. During the visit to Hirose-Iwakuni High School, students, guests and even elders from a local nursing home picked 37 pounds of green tea leaves that will be fanned, steamed cooled, pressed, rolled and dried for everyone’s enjoyment.

Service members with MALS-12 arrive to begin cleaning up Tsuzu Beach during a community relations event conducted by the Marine Aircraft Group 12 Chaplain's Office aboadr Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni,Japan, March 13, 2015. Community relations events serve as an important tool in strengthening the bond between the U.S. and Japan. Major entities aboard station that conduct regular community relations events include the Marine Memorial Chapel, MAG-12 Chaplain's Office and the Single Marine Program. - Service members with MALS-12 arrive to begin cleaning up Tsuzu Beach during a community relations event conducted by the Marine Aircraft Group 12 Chaplain's Office aboadr Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni,Japan, March 13, 2015. Community relations events serve as an important tool in strengthening the bond between the U.S. and Japan. Major entities aboard station that conduct regular community relations events include the Marine Memorial Chapel, MAG-12 Chaplain's Office and the Single Marine Program.

Volunteers from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, teach the English alphabet to Midoro Hoikuen students during a community relations preschool event in Iwakuni City, Feb. 19, 2015. Coordinated by the Marine Memorial Chapel aboard station, volunteers spent the morning dancing, singing, learning and playing with the Japanese children. The chapel coordinates multiple COMREL events each month to give MCAS Iwakuni personnel a chance to be part of the growing relationship between the station and community. - Volunteers from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, teach the English alphabet to Midoro Hoikuen students during a community relations preschool event in Iwakuni City, Feb. 19, 2015. Coordinated by the Marine Memorial Chapel aboard station, volunteers spent the morning dancing, singing, learning and playing with the Japanese children. The chapel coordinates multiple COMREL events each month to give MCAS Iwakuni personnel a chance to be part of the growing relationship between the station and community.

Lance Cpl. Cody Freeman, an electrician with Combat Logistics Company 36 aboard Marine Corps Air Station, Iwakuni, Japan, and a teacher from Kinnan Hoikuen in Iwakuni city, read English storybooks to students during a community relations visit, Jan. 9, 2015. Marines from CLC-36 visited the school to teach basic English, interact with the Japanese children and play popular American games. CLC-36’s continual interaction with this school helps preserve an important bond between the Marines and local Japanese. - Lance Cpl. Cody Freeman, an electrician with Combat Logistics Company 36 aboard Marine Corps Air Station, Iwakuni, Japan, and a teacher from Kinnan Hoikuen in Iwakuni city, read English storybooks to students during a community relations visit, Jan. 9, 2015. Marines from CLC-36 visited the school to teach basic English, interact with the Japanese children and play popular American games. CLC-36’s continual interaction with this school helps preserve an important bond between the Marines and local Japanese.

Pfc. Brandon Messina, a volunteer from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, carries a bag of trash past a “no littering” sign during a river cleanup, sponsored by the Single Marine Program, in Asakita-ku, Hiroshima, Sept. 5, 2014. This was the first cleanup the SMP conducted in Hiroshima recently. - Pfc. Brandon Messina, a volunteer from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, carries a bag of trash past a “no littering” sign during a river cleanup, sponsored by the Single Marine Program, in Asakita-ku, Hiroshima, Sept. 5, 2014. This was the first cleanup the SMP conducted in Hiroshima recently.

Staff Sgt. Juan Ramirez, a volunteer from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, and a Japanese local volunteer fill sandbags while cleaning up damage done by Typhoon Halong in Sunayamacho, Iwakuni, August 14, 2014. Typhoon Halong peaked as a Category 5 Super Typhoon, causing landslides, mudslides and heavy flooding, resulting in deaths, injuries, and damage throughout Japan. - Staff Sgt. Juan Ramirez, a volunteer from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, and a Japanese local volunteer fill sandbags while cleaning up damage done by Typhoon Halong in Sunayamacho, Iwakuni, August 14, 2014. Typhoon Halong peaked as a Category 5 Super Typhoon, causing landslides, mudslides and heavy flooding, resulting in deaths, injuries, and damage throughout Japan.

Service members aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, play on an oversize inflatable tube with students from Ekimae Hoikuen Pre-School Jan. 28, 2014, in a community relation visit hosted by the Marine Memorial Chapel. Yasue Miyoshi, teacher with Ekimae Hoikuen Pre-School, said she noticed within the last few years the students open up to military members with their frequent visits to the school. The service members came to the pre-school to teach basic English skills to students and strengthen the Japanese-American relationship. - Service members aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, play on an oversize inflatable tube with students from Ekimae Hoikuen Pre-School Jan. 28, 2014, in a community relation visit hosted by the Marine Memorial Chapel. Yasue Miyoshi, teacher with Ekimae Hoikuen Pre-School, said she noticed within the last few years the students open up to military members with their frequent visits to the school. The service members came to the pre-school to teach basic English skills to students and strengthen the Japanese-American relationship.

Sgt. Justin Pack, operations chief with the station Public Affairs Office, and Cpl. Javier King personnel administrator with station installation personnel administration center, march around a plaza during the Kuragake Castle Festival, Nov. 17 2013. Pack and King were two of five Marines from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, to participate in this event, which celebrated a battle that occurred during the 16th century in Kuga, Iwakuni City. - Sgt. Justin Pack, operations chief with the station Public Affairs Office, and Cpl. Javier King personnel administrator with station installation personnel administration center, march around a plaza during the Kuragake Castle Festival, Nov. 17 2013. Pack and King were two of five Marines from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, to participate in this event, which celebrated a battle that occurred during the 16th century in Kuga, Iwakuni City.