Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan

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.

Marine Corps Community Services hosted the 2014 Summer Music Festival at Penny Lake fields aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sept. 6. Attractions ranged from free food, live performances, a kid’s play land, and a feature performance from country music song writers Annie Bosko and Danny Myrick. - Marine Corps Community Services hosted the 2014 Summer Music Festival at Penny Lake fields aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sept. 6. Attractions ranged from free food, live performances, a kid’s play land, and a feature performance from country music song writers Annie Bosko and Danny Myrick.

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.

An F/A-18C Hornet with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 takes off from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Sept. 3, 2014. The Hornet was loaded with ordnance for a bombing mission as part of the squadron’s unit level training, named Distant Frontier. - An F/A-18C Hornet with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 takes off from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Sept. 3, 2014. The Hornet was loaded with ordnance for a bombing mission as part of the squadron’s unit level training, named Distant Frontier.