Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan

Sgt. Maj. Eric J. Seward, sergeant major of 1st Marine Air Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, loads highly explosive ordnance onto an F/A-18 Hornet here Feb. 16 in support of Cobra Gold 2011. Cobra Gold is a regularly scheduled exercise that demonstrates joint and multinational capabilities and improves interoperability between the United States and Thailand. - Sgt. Maj. Eric J. Seward, sergeant major of 1st Marine Air Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, loads highly explosive ordnance onto an F/A-18 Hornet here Feb. 16 in support of Cobra Gold 2011. Cobra Gold is a regularly scheduled exercise that demonstrates joint and multinational capabilities and improves interoperability between the United States and Thailand.

Charles Van Allen, a Matthew C. Perry High School student, launches over a string during a reverse limbo game at Takamori Midori Junior High School Feb. 16. The reverse limbo game was one of several planned activities that helped bring the Japanese and American high school students to understand each other’s cultures in a fun and friendly way. - Charles Van Allen, a Matthew C. Perry High School student, launches over a string during a reverse limbo game at Takamori Midori Junior High School Feb. 16. The reverse limbo game was one of several planned activities that helped bring the Japanese and American high school students to understand each other’s cultures in a fun and friendly way.

Cpl. Darren Guffey, Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 competitor, busts out bench leaps at the Strength and Endurance Commander’s Cup challenge at IronWorks Gym here Feb. 18. MWSS-171 took first place with an accumulated 1,364 repetitions. - Cpl. Darren Guffey, Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 competitor, busts out bench leaps at the Strength and Endurance Commander’s Cup challenge at IronWorks Gym here Feb. 18. MWSS-171 took first place with an accumulated 1,364 repetitions.

Yuuki Tanaka, Waki guard forward, and James Garner, Wolverines guard forward, attempt to take possession of the ball for their teams of a start of the youth basketball game at the IronWorks Gym sports courts here Saturday. - Yuuki Tanaka, Waki guard forward, and James Garner, Wolverines guard forward, attempt to take possession of the ball for their teams of a start of the youth basketball game at the IronWorks Gym sports courts here Saturday.

Two Marine Aircraft Group 12 pilots explain to Japanese Air Self-Defense Force 3rd Wing, 3rd Squadron pilots the capabilities of missiles that can be attached to an F/A-18 at a Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533 hangar here Feb. 18 during a Japanese Officer Exchange Program hosted by MAG-12. The exchange program aims at bettering the working relationship and understanding between the Japanese and American pilots. - Two Marine Aircraft Group 12 pilots explain to Japanese Air Self-Defense Force 3rd Wing, 3rd Squadron pilots the capabilities of missiles that can be attached to an F/A-18 at a Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533 hangar here Feb. 18 during a Japanese Officer Exchange Program hosted by MAG-12. The exchange program aims at bettering the working relationship and understanding between the Japanese and American pilots.

A station Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting crew demonstrates teamwork while preparing to extinguish a fire during a live fire exercise here Feb. 13. The importance of teamwork is monumental to the ARFF Marines who eat, work and sleep together. It is important to know what the other Marine is capable of. - A station Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting crew demonstrates teamwork while preparing to extinguish a fire during a live fire exercise here Feb. 13. The importance of teamwork is monumental to the ARFF Marines who eat, work and sleep together. It is important to know what the other Marine is capable of.

Gunnery Sgt. Shawn Lawson, Combat Logistics Company 36 maintenance chief, center, gives direction to Cpl. Andrea M. Olguin, a station combat photographer, near left, as Master Sgt. Joseph Pham, right, Combat Logistics Company 36 supply chief, looks on here Feb.16 as they prepare for their turn in the simulator as part of the Humvee Egress Awareness Training. They were tasked with evacuating an injured Marine. Olguin served as the injured. - Gunnery Sgt. Shawn Lawson, Combat Logistics Company 36 maintenance chief, center, gives direction to Cpl. Andrea M. Olguin, a station combat photographer, near left, as Master Sgt. Joseph Pham, right, Combat Logistics Company 36 supply chief, looks on here Feb.16 as they prepare for their turn in the simulator as part of the Humvee Egress Awareness Training. They were tasked with evacuating an injured Marine. Olguin served as the injured.

Gunnery Sgt. Shane Smoger, station Airfield Operations chief, fires a 12-gauge shotgun at a bird during a Bird/Animal Aircraft Strike Hazard depredation exercise near the airfield here Feb. 4. While always used as a last resort, lethal force is sometimes necessary to curb bird populations around the airfield. Depredating over water causes another set of concerns because the bird must be collected if at all possible. Leaving dead animals of any kind has the potential to attract more winged predators, which is counter-intuitive to the BASH program’s goals. - Gunnery Sgt. Shane Smoger, station Airfield Operations chief, fires a 12-gauge shotgun at a bird during a Bird/Animal Aircraft Strike Hazard depredation exercise near the airfield here Feb. 4. While always used as a last resort, lethal force is sometimes necessary to curb bird populations around the airfield. Depredating over water causes another set of concerns because the bird must be collected if at all possible. Leaving dead animals of any kind has the potential to attract more winged predators, which is counter-intuitive to the BASH program’s goals.

Lt. Edward Wikle, a 3rd Dental Battalion, 11th Dental Company Detachment BHC dentist, uses a puppet dinosaur to teach Matthew C. Perry kindergarten students the imporantace of brushing while Markis Burchett, an M.C. Perry kindergartener, brushes his teeth during a dental staff visit to M.C. Perry elementary school, Feb. 9, to raise awareness for National Children’s Dental health month. - Lt. Edward Wikle, a 3rd Dental Battalion, 11th Dental Company Detachment BHC dentist, uses a puppet dinosaur to teach Matthew C. Perry kindergarten students the imporantace of brushing while Markis Burchett, an M.C. Perry kindergartener, brushes his teeth during a dental staff visit to M.C. Perry elementary school, Feb. 9, to raise awareness for National Children’s Dental health month.

Lance Cpl. Skylar Harris, an air control electronics operator for Marine Air Control Squadron 4, dances with an elderly man at the Thamrapakorn Home for the Aged Feb. 12 during a community relations project for Cobra Gold 2011. - Lance Cpl. Skylar Harris, an air control electronics operator for Marine Air Control Squadron 4, dances with an elderly man at the Thamrapakorn Home for the Aged Feb. 12 during a community relations project for Cobra Gold 2011.