News Stories

U.S. Marines with Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 311 board a C-130 Hercules during an exercise to Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 12, 2017. VMA 311 is participating in Exercise MAX THUNDER 17, an operational readiness exercise built to promote interoperability between U.S. and ROK forces. This annual exercise helps to promote stability in the Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Carlos Jimenez) - U.S. Marines with Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 311 board a C-130 Hercules during an exercise to Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 12, 2017. VMA 311 is participating in Exercise MAX THUNDER 17, an operational readiness exercise built to promote interoperability between U.S. and ROK forces. This annual exercise helps to promote stability in the Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Carlos Jimenez)

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Rebecca Messex, a food service specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, poses for a photo with a meal she prepared during a Food Service Specialist of the Quarter competition at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 13, 2017. Messex placed first in the competition and was selected for an opportunity to compete in the Marine Corps Installations Pacific Food Service Specialist of the Quarter Board to be held on April 19, 2017, in Okinawa. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Joseph Abrego) - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Rebecca Messex, a food service specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, poses for a photo with a meal she prepared during a Food Service Specialist of the Quarter competition at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 13, 2017. Messex placed first in the competition and was selected for an opportunity to compete in the Marine Corps Installations Pacific Food Service Specialist of the Quarter Board to be held on April 19, 2017, in Okinawa. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Joseph Abrego)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Keon Willingham, a powerline mechanic with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121, detaches a hose from the squadron’s F-35B Lightning II aircraft during aviation delivered ground refueling training with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152 at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 11, 2017. The ADGR marked the first evolution of this form of refueling for VMFA-121’s F-35B Lightning II aircraft, and it increases the squadron’s ability to refuel by C-130 aircraft in austere locations when other resources may not be available. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Joseph Abrego) - U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Keon Willingham, a powerline mechanic with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121, detaches a hose from the squadron’s F-35B Lightning II aircraft during aviation delivered ground refueling training with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152 at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 11, 2017. The ADGR marked the first evolution of this form of refueling for VMFA-121’s F-35B Lightning II aircraft, and it increases the squadron’s ability to refuel by C-130 aircraft in austere locations when other resources may not be available. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Joseph Abrego)

U.S. Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 load ordnance on an F-35B Lightning II aircraft during hot-reload training at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 6, 2017. This signified the first time the squadron loaded ordnance onto a running F-35B Lightning II aircraft at the air station in order to prepare for real-world scenarios. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Joseph Abrego) - U.S. Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 load ordnance on an F-35B Lightning II aircraft during hot-reload training at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 6, 2017. This signified the first time the squadron loaded ordnance onto a running F-35B Lightning II aircraft at the air station in order to prepare for real-world scenarios. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Joseph Abrego)

Veronica Kerrigan, American Red Cross field Coordinator, holds Emi Vazquez as she sits on her dog at the Active-Duty Fund Drive Dog Parade at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 1, 2017. The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society held the event to bring the community together and increased awareness of its fund drive. Eleven dog owners registered for the event and walked from Penny Lake to the harbor gate and back. They also participated in a dog-costume contest. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gabriela Garcia-Herrera) - Veronica Kerrigan, American Red Cross field Coordinator, holds Emi Vazquez as she sits on her dog at the Active-Duty Fund Drive Dog Parade at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 1, 2017. The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society held the event to bring the community together and increased awareness of its fund drive. Eleven dog owners registered for the event and walked from Penny Lake to the harbor gate and back. They also participated in a dog-costume contest. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gabriela Garcia-Herrera)

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Stephen Wellman, air traffic controller with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, guides Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter pilots onto a designated landing site during a cross-training exercise at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, March 30, 2017. The Marines took part in a simulated forward arming and refueling points operation, where they communicated with JMSDF helicopter pilots to perform austere landings on a heliport that acted as an expeditionary runway. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Carlos Jimenez) - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Stephen Wellman, air traffic controller with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, guides Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter pilots onto a designated landing site during a cross-training exercise at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, March 30, 2017. The Marines took part in a simulated forward arming and refueling points operation, where they communicated with JMSDF helicopter pilots to perform austere landings on a heliport that acted as an expeditionary runway. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Carlos Jimenez)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpls. Jackson Stumb, left, and Benjamin Irish, right, Special Reaction Team (SRT) members for Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, conduct breaching techniques during cross training exercises with the Hiroshima and Yamaguchi Prefectural Police Headquarters at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, March 28, 2017. Members with the Hiroshima and Yamaguchi Prefectural Police Headquarters traveled to the air station to observe SRT conduct high-risk training scenarios. The training ranged from room-clearing, breaching, communication and non-lethal take-down techniques. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Joseph Abrego) - U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpls. Jackson Stumb, left, and Benjamin Irish, right, Special Reaction Team (SRT) members for Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, conduct breaching techniques during cross training exercises with the Hiroshima and Yamaguchi Prefectural Police Headquarters at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, March 28, 2017. Members with the Hiroshima and Yamaguchi Prefectural Police Headquarters traveled to the air station to observe SRT conduct high-risk training scenarios. The training ranged from room-clearing, breaching, communication and non-lethal take-down techniques. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Joseph Abrego)

U.S Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Charles London, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan’s first official Force Fitness Instructor, gives U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Wesley Thompson, a supply administration specialist with Marine Air Group (MAG) 12, a certificate for completing an eight-week physical training course, March 17, 2017. Wesley was part of the first group of Marines to go through the course at MCAS Iwakuni. The recently implemented Force Fitness Instructors are capable of designing individual and unit-level holistic fitness programs, and they serve as subject matter experts on physical fitness and sports-related injury prevention. - U.S Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Charles London, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan’s first official Force Fitness Instructor, gives U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Wesley Thompson, a supply administration specialist with Marine Air Group (MAG) 12, a certificate for completing an eight-week physical training course, March 17, 2017. Wesley was part of the first group of Marines to go through the course at MCAS Iwakuni. The recently implemented Force Fitness Instructors are capable of designing individual and unit-level holistic fitness programs, and they serve as subject matter experts on physical fitness and sports-related injury prevention.

The entrance of a former poison gas storehouse used by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II at Okunoshima, Japan, March 25, 2017. The island is home to hundreds of wild rabbits that visitors are allowed to feed and pet, and has the standing remains of other buildings used by the army to create chemical weapons during World War II. Service members from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni took a free bus ride to the island courtesy of the Single Marine Program. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Carlos Jimenez) - The entrance of a former poison gas storehouse used by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II at Okunoshima, Japan, March 25, 2017. The island is home to hundreds of wild rabbits that visitors are allowed to feed and pet, and has the standing remains of other buildings used by the army to create chemical weapons during World War II. Service members from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni took a free bus ride to the island courtesy of the Single Marine Program. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Carlos Jimenez)