News Stories

Dads, daughters saddle up to dance night away - Service members and their daughters attend the Boots ‘n Belles Daddy-Daughter Dance at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Jan. 13, 2018. Fathers and daughters danced, took photos, played games and won raffle contests as they shared a night and created memories together. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Carlos Jimenez)

MCAS Iwakuni residents, Japanese locals bond through calligraphy event - U.S. Marine Corps Col. Richard Fuerst, commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japanese government officials and participants pose for a photo as part of the U.S.-Japan joint calligraphy event, “Kakizome,” at Waki Town, Japan, Jan. 6, 2018. The purpose of the event was to bring the Japanese and American community together by sharing cultural values through art. “Kakizome” is a tradition the Japanese people participate in at the beginning of each year, and it resembles what is known in the Western Hemisphere as a New Year’s resolution. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Mason Roy)

Air transportation division conducts ribbon cutting for air freight facility - U.S. Marine Corps Col. Richard F. Fuerst, commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, senior-ranking leadership and guests pose for a picture during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, Jan. 8, 2018. The ceremony was held by the air transportation division (ATD) to celebrate the full operability of a nearly 50,000-square-foot air freight facility that opened October 2017 but wasn’t fully functional until recently. The new facility increases ATD’s capability to conduct cargo and sustainment operations in support of the growing air station. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andrew Jones)

Coordinating together guarantees mission success - U.S. Marines with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS) 12 go through their processes and procedures before conducting a hot loading of MK-82 High Explosive General Purpose bombs on a U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18D Hornet with Marine All-Weather Attack Squadron (VMFA) 242, during hot-pit refuel and hot-load training at Naval Air Station Pohang, Republic of Korea, Dec. 12, 2017. The purpose of the exercise was to show that the Marines could effectively establish a forward arming and refueling point with supporting entities and conduct the training evolutions on foreign soil. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Stephen Campbell)

VMM-262 departs MCAS Iwakuni - U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262, stationed out of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Futenma, board a U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J Hercules with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152 at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 20, 2017. VMM-262 supported exercise Forest Light as the aviation combat element. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andrew Jones)

Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 171 hosted a Christmas party for a local orphanage at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 17, 2017. - Children from Yahata Gakuen Orphanage climb into a heavy equipment vehicle during a Christmas party at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 17, 2017. U.S. Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 171 welcomed the children to open gifts, play sports, eat lunch and explore U.S. military vehicles such as a Humvee, a heavy equipment vehicle and a tractor, rubber-tired, articulated steering and multi-purpose vehicle. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Muriah King)

MCAS Iwakuni welcomes US Navy squadrons - U.S. Navy Lt. Nathan Goodall, an EA-18G Growler pilot with Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 141, greets his family at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 4-5, 2017. Friends and family waited for their service member to fly in and welcome them home to the air station. The relocation of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 from Naval Air Facility Atsugi to MCAS Iwakuni fulfills the final Defense Policy Review Initiative objective. The relocation is in accordance with the United States’ strategic vision for the rebalance in the Indo-Asia Pacific Region and does much to further strengthen the U.S.-Japan security alliance. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Gabriela Garcia-Herrera)

US Ambassador to Japan makes first visit to MCAS Iwakuni - Ambassador William Hagerty, left , U.S. ambassador to Japan, a Boy Scout from Troop 77 , a Boy Scout from Troop 1 and Yoshihiko Fukuda, mayor of Iwakuni City, Japan, pose for a photo after symbolically planting a dogwood tree at Iwakuni City, Japan, Nov. 30, 2017. Ambassador Hagerty toured Kizuna Stadium during his first official Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni visit since arriving in Japan earlier this year. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Donato Maffin)

Japanese American Society celebrates 60th anniversary in holiday party - Rasetsu ninja performers from Hiroshima take a photo with kids during the Japanese American Society (JAS) Iwakuni Holiday and 60th Anniversary Party at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 2, 2017. The party was a way for Japanese locals and MCAS Iwakuni residents to spend some time getting to know one another by combining their cultures and sharing a night of celebrating the holidays and 60 years of JAS. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Marcus Campbell)

Sumos take off for El Centro Horizon - U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Eric Brown, left, and Capt. Brian Kursawe, KC130-J Hercules pilots with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152, conduct tactical navigation during unit-level training detachment El Centro Horizon at Naval Air Facility El Centro, Calif., Dec. 2, 2017. The purpose of VMGR-152’s El Centro Horizon ULT detachment is to increase squadron combat readiness through the diverse training ranges available at the Yuma training complex. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Carlos Jimenez)