Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan

Lt Col. Shawn Basco, commanding officer of Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, left, shakes hands with wing commander Mark Larter, the senior Australian defense officer for Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia, June 6, 2014, upon arrival aboard base. Marine with VMFA(AW)-242 arrived in Australia as part of Exercise Southern Frontier 14, an annual bilateral training exercise between the RAAF and the United States Marine Corps with a primary focus on offensive air support. - Lt Col. Shawn Basco, commanding officer of Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, left, shakes hands with wing commander Mark Larter, the senior Australian defense officer for Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia, June 6, 2014, upon arrival aboard base. Marine with VMFA(AW)-242 arrived in Australia as part of Exercise Southern Frontier 14, an annual bilateral training exercise between the RAAF and the United States Marine Corps with a primary focus on offensive air support.

Lance Cpl. Terrance Watts, a plane captain with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, digs a trench for irrigation lines, Aug. 24, 2013. Watts spent his day helping the Jilkminggan community and in return they cooked the Marines and sailors authentic Aboriginal food to include bush bread. - Lance Cpl. Terrance Watts, a plane captain with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, digs a trench for irrigation lines, Aug. 24, 2013. Watts spent his day helping the Jilkminggan community and in return they cooked the Marines and sailors authentic Aboriginal food to include bush bread.

Cpl. Stephenie Stombaugh, a motor transportation operator with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, helps a student with an arts-and-crafts project at the Macfarlane Elementary School in Katherine, Australia, during a community relations event Aug. 16, 2013. The Marines are scheduled to visit the school and work with students twice a week for the duration of Exercise Southern Frontier. - Cpl. Stephenie Stombaugh, a motor transportation operator with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, helps a student with an arts-and-crafts project at the Macfarlane Elementary School in Katherine, Australia, during a community relations event Aug. 16, 2013. The Marines are scheduled to visit the school and work with students twice a week for the duration of Exercise Southern Frontier.

Navy Lt. Nathan Oehrlein, right, a flight surgeon with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 discusses search-and-rescue techniques with Mick Gablonski, a search-and-rescue crewman with the Commercial Helicopter Company SAR, during Exercise Southern Frontier 2013, Aug. 9. Southern Frontier is being conducted to help enhance readiness, increase interoperability of forces, and strengthen regional partnerships to effectively respond to regional challenges. - Navy Lt. Nathan Oehrlein, right, a flight surgeon with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 discusses search-and-rescue techniques with Mick Gablonski, a search-and-rescue crewman with the Commercial Helicopter Company SAR, during Exercise Southern Frontier 2013, Aug. 9. Southern Frontier is being conducted to help enhance readiness, increase interoperability of forces, and strengthen regional partnerships to effectively respond to regional challenges.

Lance Cpl. Dallin Haynie, an aviation ordnanceman with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, reverses a short airfield tactical support loader after loading ordnance on an F/A-18C Hornet, during Exercise Southern Frontier at Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia, Aug. 8, 2013. - Lance Cpl. Dallin Haynie, an aviation ordnanceman with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, reverses a short airfield tactical support loader after loading ordnance on an F/A-18C Hornet, during Exercise Southern Frontier at Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia, Aug. 8, 2013.

A Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 F/A-18 Hornet takes off from the flightline here during the first part of the surge mission in support of Exercise Southern Frontier 2011 Aug. 2. The scenario tested the Black Knights’ ability to continually provide an aerial assault to a specified area on request. They successfully launched 30 sorties in less than 14 hours. - A Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 F/A-18 Hornet takes off from the flightline here during the first part of the surge mission in support of Exercise Southern Frontier 2011 Aug. 2. The scenario tested the Black Knights’ ability to continually provide an aerial assault to a specified area on request. They successfully launched 30 sorties in less than 14 hours.

Iwakuni and Okinawa-based Marines and sailors work together to clear weeds and unwanted trees during a landscape beautification project at the Marabou Drive Park here July 15 as part of community relations projects planned in support of exercise Talisman Sabre 2011. More beautification projects at the park are planned to take place each weekend until the end of Talisman Sabre July 29. Certain areas of the park have been invaded by foreign plants and weeds that have choked and killed off much of the natural Australian vegetation here. - Iwakuni and Okinawa-based Marines and sailors work together to clear weeds and unwanted trees during a landscape beautification project at the Marabou Drive Park here July 15 as part of community relations projects planned in support of exercise Talisman Sabre 2011. More beautification projects at the park are planned to take place each weekend until the end of Talisman Sabre July 29. Certain areas of the park have been invaded by foreign plants and weeds that have choked and killed off much of the natural Australian vegetation here.

Lance Cpl. Fatimah Butler, a Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 food service specialist, receives instruction on new ways to stir rice from Belinda Pickles, an Australian chef, before serving lunch at the Airmen’s Mess Hall here July 14. MWSS-171 Marines are training in the mess hall here for the duration of exercise Talisman Sabre 2011. - Lance Cpl. Fatimah Butler, a Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 food service specialist, receives instruction on new ways to stir rice from Belinda Pickles, an Australian chef, before serving lunch at the Airmen’s Mess Hall here July 14. MWSS-171 Marines are training in the mess hall here for the duration of exercise Talisman Sabre 2011.

Cpl. Roger Easterly, fixed-wing aircraft airframes mechanic with VMFA(AW)-224, and Pfc. Paul Estrada, aircraft electriccal systems technician with VMFA(AW)-224, torque a jet onto a tripod during Exercise Southern Frontier at Royal Australian Air Force Bast Tindal, Australia, Sept. 23. The RAAF provided the squadron with the tripods to mount their jets as well as hangers, workspace and an abundance of logistical support in order to assist the squadron with the exercise. - Cpl. Roger Easterly, fixed-wing aircraft airframes mechanic with VMFA(AW)-224, and Pfc. Paul Estrada, aircraft electriccal systems technician with VMFA(AW)-224, torque a jet onto a tripod during Exercise Southern Frontier at Royal Australian Air Force Bast Tindal, Australia, Sept. 23. The RAAF provided the squadron with the tripods to mount their jets as well as hangers, workspace and an abundance of logistical support in order to assist the squadron with the exercise.

An 81mm mortar explodes on the deck here during exercise Southern Frontier Sept. 14. The training allowed Marines with VMFA(AW)-224 and supporting squadrons to improve their multilateral interoperability and procedures during missions requiring air power. - An 81mm mortar explodes on the deck here during exercise Southern Frontier Sept. 14. The training allowed Marines with VMFA(AW)-224 and supporting squadrons to improve their multilateral interoperability and procedures during missions requiring air power.