Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan

Service members with MALS-12 arrive to begin cleaning up Tsuzu Beach during a community relations event conducted by the Marine Aircraft Group 12 Chaplain's Office aboadr Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni,Japan, March 13, 2015. Community relations events serve as an important tool in strengthening the bond between the U.S. and Japan. Major entities aboard station that conduct regular community relations events include the Marine Memorial Chapel, MAG-12 Chaplain's Office and the Single Marine Program. - Service members with MALS-12 arrive to begin cleaning up Tsuzu Beach during a community relations event conducted by the Marine Aircraft Group 12 Chaplain's Office aboadr Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni,Japan, March 13, 2015. Community relations events serve as an important tool in strengthening the bond between the U.S. and Japan. Major entities aboard station that conduct regular community relations events include the Marine Memorial Chapel, MAG-12 Chaplain's Office and the Single Marine Program.

Three food service specialists took part in the Chef of the Quarter competition, March 12, 2015, inside the R.G. Robinson Mess Hall aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. The quarterly event evaluates Marines on knowledge dealing with their Military Occupational Specialty, Mess Hall uniform regulations and ability to create a full course meal. Lance Cpl. Rebecca Messex won the competition after judges dubbed her meal presentation the best. - Three food service specialists took part in the Chef of the Quarter competition, March 12, 2015, inside the R.G. Robinson Mess Hall aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. The quarterly event evaluates Marines on knowledge dealing with their Military Occupational Specialty, Mess Hall uniform regulations and ability to create a full course meal. Lance Cpl. Rebecca Messex won the competition after judges dubbed her meal presentation the best.

Lance Cpl. Cameron Miller, a powerliner with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 225, services the variable exhaust nozzle on an F/A-18D Hornet aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, March 20, 2015. VMFA(AW)-225 is currently station aboard MCAS Iwakuni as part of the Unit Deployment Program. - Lance Cpl. Cameron Miller, a powerliner with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 225, services the variable exhaust nozzle on an F/A-18D Hornet aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, March 20, 2015. VMFA(AW)-225 is currently station aboard MCAS Iwakuni as part of the Unit Deployment Program.

Lance Cpl. Maria Earll, a food Service specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, prepares a portion of the meal slated to be served during the Maj. Gen. William Pendleton Thompson Hill Memorial Awards Program for Food Service Excellence, inside a temporary field mess aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, March 9, 2015. The III Marine Expeditionary Force selected food service specialists aboard station to represent them in the W.P.T. Hill Awards in order to earn the title of the best field mess in the Marine Corps. - Lance Cpl. Maria Earll, a food Service specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, prepares a portion of the meal slated to be served during the Maj. Gen. William Pendleton Thompson Hill Memorial Awards Program for Food Service Excellence, inside a temporary field mess aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, March 9, 2015. The III Marine Expeditionary Force selected food service specialists aboard station to represent them in the W.P.T. Hill Awards in order to earn the title of the best field mess in the Marine Corps.

Visitors, volunteers and staff pose for a picture after the closing ceremony at the Hina Doll Festival in Shunan City, Japan, March 7, 2015. Shunan International Children’s Club invited School Age Care aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, to celebrate the Hina Doll Festival at the Shinnanyo Fureai Center in Shunan City. The Hina Doll Festival, or Hinamatsuri, is a day in Japan when parents celebrate their daughters’ happiness, growth and good health and is usually held on March 3. - Visitors, volunteers and staff pose for a picture after the closing ceremony at the Hina Doll Festival in Shunan City, Japan, March 7, 2015. Shunan International Children’s Club invited School Age Care aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, to celebrate the Hina Doll Festival at the Shinnanyo Fureai Center in Shunan City. The Hina Doll Festival, or Hinamatsuri, is a day in Japan when parents celebrate their daughters’ happiness, growth and good health and is usually held on March 3.

A participant reassembles a M240 machine gun during the third event in the Frozen Chosin competition aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Feb. 27, 2015. The Frozen Chosin competition strengthens cohesion within the unit and resembles the austere endeavors of Marines during the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir in 1950. - A participant reassembles a M240 machine gun during the third event in the Frozen Chosin competition aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Feb. 27, 2015. The Frozen Chosin competition strengthens cohesion within the unit and resembles the austere endeavors of Marines during the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir in 1950.

The information fair at Crossroads Mall aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, provides a board for station residents to post their savings goals, Feb. 27, 2015. Since the launch of Military Saves Week in 2007, more than 180,000 individuals took the saver pledge or re-pledged. - The information fair at Crossroads Mall aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, provides a board for station residents to post their savings goals, Feb. 27, 2015. Since the launch of Military Saves Week in 2007, more than 180,000 individuals took the saver pledge or re-pledged.

Sgt. Maj. G. V. Tunnell, sergeant major of Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 and his daughter Valerie Tunnell, 10, a fourth Grader at Matthew C. Perry Elementary, pose for a photo during the Butterfly Kisses Daddy-Daughter Dance inside the Club Iwakuni Ballroom aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Feb. 21, 2015. The dance sponsored by the Matthew C. Perry High School’s Parent Teacher Organization presented fathers aboard station with the opportunity to spend an evening dancing and building lasting memories with their daughters. - Sgt. Maj. G. V. Tunnell, sergeant major of Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 and his daughter Valerie Tunnell, 10, a fourth Grader at Matthew C. Perry Elementary, pose for a photo during the Butterfly Kisses Daddy-Daughter Dance inside the Club Iwakuni Ballroom aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Feb. 21, 2015. The dance sponsored by the Matthew C. Perry High School’s Parent Teacher Organization presented fathers aboard station with the opportunity to spend an evening dancing and building lasting memories with their daughters.

Volunteers from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, teach the English alphabet to Midoro Hoikuen students during a community relations preschool event in Iwakuni City, Feb. 19, 2015. Coordinated by the Marine Memorial Chapel aboard station, volunteers spent the morning dancing, singing, learning and playing with the Japanese children. The chapel coordinates multiple COMREL events each month to give MCAS Iwakuni personnel a chance to be part of the growing relationship between the station and community. - Volunteers from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, teach the English alphabet to Midoro Hoikuen students during a community relations preschool event in Iwakuni City, Feb. 19, 2015. Coordinated by the Marine Memorial Chapel aboard station, volunteers spent the morning dancing, singing, learning and playing with the Japanese children. The chapel coordinates multiple COMREL events each month to give MCAS Iwakuni personnel a chance to be part of the growing relationship between the station and community.