Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan

Sgt. Benjamin Pryer, press chief with the station Public Affairs Office, rests during his attempt to complete the Marine Corps Birthday Swim in one day, Oct. 10, 2014, at the indoor pool inside IronWorks Gym aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. Pryer finished all 239 laps in about 11 hours and 30 minutes, becoming the first one to finish the challenge this year. - Sgt. Benjamin Pryer, press chief with the station Public Affairs Office, rests during his attempt to complete the Marine Corps Birthday Swim in one day, Oct. 10, 2014, at the indoor pool inside IronWorks Gym aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. Pryer finished all 239 laps in about 11 hours and 30 minutes, becoming the first one to finish the challenge this year.

Gunnery Sgt. Osvaldo Rincon, powerline division chief with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533, guides an F-18/A Hornet aboard Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, to participate in the Korean Marine Exchange Program 14-13, Oct. 9, 2014, to increase the combat readiness of Marine Aircraft Group 12, improve its operating skills as a Marine Air-Ground Task Force and enhance joint and combined integration with the U.S. Air Force and ROK Marine Corps. KMEP 14-13 is a multinational exercise that focuses on the integration of aviation and ground assets within the construct of a traditional Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise. Supporting units include, but are not limited to, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 and Marine Wing Support Squadron 171. - Gunnery Sgt. Osvaldo Rincon, powerline division chief with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533, guides an F-18/A Hornet aboard Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, to participate in the Korean Marine Exchange Program 14-13, Oct. 9, 2014, to increase the combat readiness of Marine Aircraft Group 12, improve its operating skills as a Marine Air-Ground Task Force and enhance joint and combined integration with the U.S. Air Force and ROK Marine Corps. KMEP 14-13 is a multinational exercise that focuses on the integration of aviation and ground assets within the construct of a traditional Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise. Supporting units include, but are not limited to, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 and Marine Wing Support Squadron 171.

Cpl. Taylor Walter, an ordnanceman with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12, conducts a maintenance check on a BBR-41 Multiple Ejector Rack during the Korean Marine Exchange Program 14-13, Oct. 6, 2014, on Osan Air Force Base, Korea. Walter is apart of the rack shop, which has special mounting systems that hold each kind of ordnance or equipment in place under the wings or fuselage of an aircraft. The squadron’s participation in KMEP 14-13 will help to increase Marine Aircraft Group 12’s combat readiness, operating skills as a Marine Air-Ground Task Force and enhance joint and combined integration with the United Sates Air Force and Republic of Korea Marine Corps. - Cpl. Taylor Walter, an ordnanceman with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12, conducts a maintenance check on a BBR-41 Multiple Ejector Rack during the Korean Marine Exchange Program 14-13, Oct. 6, 2014, on Osan Air Force Base, Korea. Walter is apart of the rack shop, which has special mounting systems that hold each kind of ordnance or equipment in place under the wings or fuselage of an aircraft. The squadron’s participation in KMEP 14-13 will help to increase Marine Aircraft Group 12’s combat readiness, operating skills as a Marine Air-Ground Task Force and enhance joint and combined integration with the United Sates Air Force and Republic of Korea Marine Corps.

A banner sits inside the front office of Matthew C. Perry Elementary School aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 7, 2014. Visitors can sign the banner to celebrate M. C. Perry Elementary winning the title of National Blue Ribbon School. Only two Department of Defense Education Activity schools received the honor this year; Aukamm Elementary School in Germany and M. C. Perry Elementary. - A banner sits inside the front office of Matthew C. Perry Elementary School aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 7, 2014. Visitors can sign the banner to celebrate M. C. Perry Elementary winning the title of National Blue Ribbon School. Only two Department of Defense Education Activity schools received the honor this year; Aukamm Elementary School in Germany and M. C. Perry Elementary.

Seaman Alyza Yambo, an oil response crew member with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, scrapes barnacles off the bottom of a Skimmer, Sept. 29, 2014, at the Iwkauni Harbor aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. Excessive barnacle buildup increases the boat’s weight, causing it to use more fuel, reduce response time and reduce overall productivity. - Seaman Alyza Yambo, an oil response crew member with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, scrapes barnacles off the bottom of a Skimmer, Sept. 29, 2014, at the Iwkauni Harbor aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. Excessive barnacle buildup increases the boat’s weight, causing it to use more fuel, reduce response time and reduce overall productivity.

Matthew C. Perry High School football players tackle a player from Sotuku High School during the Samurai’s first home game of the season, Sept. 27, 2014, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. M. C. Perry brought back high school football in 2012 and this is the Samurai’s first varsity season. - Matthew C. Perry High School football players tackle a player from Sotuku High School during the Samurai’s first home game of the season, Sept. 27, 2014, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. M. C. Perry brought back high school football in 2012 and this is the Samurai’s first varsity season.

Lance Cpl. Linnea Privette, a food service specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, sifts through green military trousers at the Marine Thrift Store during Customer Appreciation Day, Sept. 27, 2014, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. Noel Peppler, Marine Thrift Store manager, said the thrift store gives anything military related free to service members. - Lance Cpl. Linnea Privette, a food service specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, sifts through green military trousers at the Marine Thrift Store during Customer Appreciation Day, Sept. 27, 2014, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. Noel Peppler, Marine Thrift Store manager, said the thrift store gives anything military related free to service members.

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, residents participate in the 3rd annual Suicide Awareness 5K run/walk near Penny Lake fields aboard station, Sept. 27, 2014. The run was hosted by the Robert M. Casey Medical and Dental Health Clinic, the Marine Memorial Chapel and Behavioral Health. The event served as a way to help support and raise awareness of those who are, and who have been, affected by suicide. - Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, residents participate in the 3rd annual Suicide Awareness 5K run/walk near Penny Lake fields aboard station, Sept. 27, 2014. The run was hosted by the Robert M. Casey Medical and Dental Health Clinic, the Marine Memorial Chapel and Behavioral Health. The event served as a way to help support and raise awareness of those who are, and who have been, affected by suicide.

Service members with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 load on to a plane, Sept. 13, 2014, aboard Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The plane departed for Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S. C., where VMFA-122 is stationed. The Marines and sailors of VMFA-122 completed a six-month deployment throughout the Pacific, where they participated in many joint service exercises and unit level training. - Service members with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 load on to a plane, Sept. 13, 2014, aboard Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The plane departed for Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S. C., where VMFA-122 is stationed. The Marines and sailors of VMFA-122 completed a six-month deployment throughout the Pacific, where they participated in many joint service exercises and unit level training.

Sgt. Steven Johnson (wearing woodland gortex jacket), a quality assurance representative with Marine Fighter Attacks Squadron 122 and Fairbanks, Alaska native, assists a maintenance Marine with pre-flight turning of one of the squadron's F/A-18C Hornets, Sept. 11, 2014, aboard Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 is conducting unit level training in Alaska as part of Exercise Distant Frontier. - Sgt. Steven Johnson (wearing woodland gortex jacket), a quality assurance representative with Marine Fighter Attacks Squadron 122 and Fairbanks, Alaska native, assists a maintenance Marine with pre-flight turning of one of the squadron's F/A-18C Hornets, Sept. 11, 2014, aboard Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 is conducting unit level training in Alaska as part of Exercise Distant Frontier.