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.

A pilot with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 conducts low altitude training during Exercise Southern Frontier above Australia’s Northern Territory, Aug. 8, 2013. The Royal Australian Air Force hosts the annual exercise at RAAF Tindal, which consists of elements from Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. - A pilot with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 conducts low altitude training during Exercise Southern Frontier above Australia’s Northern Territory, Aug. 8, 2013. The Royal Australian Air Force hosts the annual exercise at RAAF Tindal, which consists of elements from Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force.