Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan

Renee Thomason, first place winner for her age group, races to the finish line at the 28th Annual Triathlon at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 25, 2015. Open to station residents and the Japanese community, the triathlon consisted of a two lap swim in the harbor, 20k bicycle race and an 8k run. - Renee Thomason, first place winner for her age group, races to the finish line at the 28th Annual Triathlon at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 25, 2015. Open to station residents and the Japanese community, the triathlon consisted of a two lap swim in the harbor, 20k bicycle race and an 8k run.

Marines congregate after receiving their issued rifles during Strategic Mobility Exercise 16 at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 19-23, 2015. STRATMOBEX tests the ability of the Marines and their units to deploy to an area in need of assistance in a timely manner. - Marines congregate after receiving their issued rifles during Strategic Mobility Exercise 16 at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 19-23, 2015. STRATMOBEX tests the ability of the Marines and their units to deploy to an area in need of assistance in a timely manner.

Matthew C. Perry Elementary teachers and adult volunteers took part in an official attempt to break a Guinness World Record aimed to raise awareness about literacy by reading to M.C. Perry’s 1st, 4th and 5th graders at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 19, 2015. By working across time zones and continents, Points of Light, the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, Deloitte and hundreds of other organizations hope to read to the most children ever in a 24 hour period. Read Across the Globe is an event during this literacy-awareness week that brings the power of volunteers together to impact literacy in local communities. To help enhance student’s literacy, the official book selection for Read Across the Globe is “Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table” by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, a story of how a former basketball star transformed an empty lot into a way to feed his community. - Matthew C. Perry Elementary teachers and adult volunteers took part in an official attempt to break a Guinness World Record aimed to raise awareness about literacy by reading to M.C. Perry’s 1st, 4th and 5th graders at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 19, 2015. By working across time zones and continents, Points of Light, the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, Deloitte and hundreds of other organizations hope to read to the most children ever in a 24 hour period. Read Across the Globe is an event during this literacy-awareness week that brings the power of volunteers together to impact literacy in local communities. To help enhance student’s literacy, the official book selection for Read Across the Globe is “Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table” by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, a story of how a former basketball star transformed an empty lot into a way to feed his community.

Station residents and instructors pose for a group photo during a tea ceremony with the Omotesenke Tea Ceremony Club hosted by the Cultural Adaptation Program at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 17, 2015. Programs like these help familiarize Americans with the culture of Japan, which they are now a part of. - Station residents and instructors pose for a group photo during a tea ceremony with the Omotesenke Tea Ceremony Club hosted by the Cultural Adaptation Program at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 17, 2015. Programs like these help familiarize Americans with the culture of Japan, which they are now a part of.

A preschooler from Kawashimo Preschool in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, scurries around the playground during a relay race at Kawashimo Preschool Sept. 29, 2015. Service members from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni visited the preschool to show their support and give back to the community. - A preschooler from Kawashimo Preschool in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, scurries around the playground during a relay race at Kawashimo Preschool Sept. 29, 2015. Service members from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni visited the preschool to show their support and give back to the community.

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members joined Marines for lunch at the R.G. Robinson Mess Hall at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sept. 15, 2015. Members of the JGSDF visited MCAS Iwakuni for an English seminar helping them to better communicate with American military members and build a greater positive relationship between the Japanese and Americans. - Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members joined Marines for lunch at the R.G. Robinson Mess Hall at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sept. 15, 2015. Members of the JGSDF visited MCAS Iwakuni for an English seminar helping them to better communicate with American military members and build a greater positive relationship between the Japanese and Americans.

Students with Matthew C. Perry Elementary School gather around to greet Eiji Aridome, a fire fighter aboard station, and, Sparky, the air station’s fire safety dog, during M.C. Perry Elementary and High School’s 9/11 Remembrance Walk aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sept. 11, 2015. Beginning at 9:11 a.m., this is the third annual walk hosted by the schools and an event that helps students understand the significance of never forgetting, according to Devin Johnston-Lee, fire chief for the air station. - Students with Matthew C. Perry Elementary School gather around to greet Eiji Aridome, a fire fighter aboard station, and, Sparky, the air station’s fire safety dog, during M.C. Perry Elementary and High School’s 9/11 Remembrance Walk aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sept. 11, 2015. Beginning at 9:11 a.m., this is the third annual walk hosted by the schools and an event that helps students understand the significance of never forgetting, according to Devin Johnston-Lee, fire chief for the air station.

Marines and firefighters climbed the training tower during a 9/11 remembrance climb aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sep. 9, 2015, to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11. Participants included Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting, the Provost Marshal's Office and the Special Reaction Team Marines with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Fuel Division Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, and Japanese firefighters. Each participant carried with them a photo of a fallen firefighter as they climbed the training towers 18 times for a total of 110 floors, the same amount of floors as the twin towers. - Marines and firefighters climbed the training tower during a 9/11 remembrance climb aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sep. 9, 2015, to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11. Participants included Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting, the Provost Marshal's Office and the Special Reaction Team Marines with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Fuel Division Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, and Japanese firefighters. Each participant carried with them a photo of a fallen firefighter as they climbed the training towers 18 times for a total of 110 floors, the same amount of floors as the twin towers.

Sgt. Ryan Cipkar, left, and Lance Cpl. Miguel Avelar, center, dispose of trash as Lance Cpl. Miguel Moto holds the garbage bag open during a community relations event host by the Single Marine Program aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sep. 4, 2015. Various organizations and tenant units aboard the air station foster the friendship between the U.S. and Japan by conducting these community relations events each year. Cipkar, from Steger, Ill., is a telephone person computer technician with Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 3. Avelar, San Bernardino, Calif., and Moto, from Taipei, Taiwan, are expeditionary airfield system technician with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron. - Sgt. Ryan Cipkar, left, and Lance Cpl. Miguel Avelar, center, dispose of trash as Lance Cpl. Miguel Moto holds the garbage bag open during a community relations event host by the Single Marine Program aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sep. 4, 2015. Various organizations and tenant units aboard the air station foster the friendship between the U.S. and Japan by conducting these community relations events each year. Cipkar, from Steger, Ill., is a telephone person computer technician with Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 3. Avelar, San Bernardino, Calif., and Moto, from Taipei, Taiwan, are expeditionary airfield system technician with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron.

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, residents pick green tea leaves during a Cultural Adaption Program tea harvesting event in Iwakuni City, May 7, 2015. During the visit to Hirose-Iwakuni High School, students, guests and even elders from a local nursing home picked 37 pounds of green tea leaves that will be fanned, steamed cooled, pressed, rolled and dried for everyone’s enjoyment. - Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, residents pick green tea leaves during a Cultural Adaption Program tea harvesting event in Iwakuni City, May 7, 2015. During the visit to Hirose-Iwakuni High School, students, guests and even elders from a local nursing home picked 37 pounds of green tea leaves that will be fanned, steamed cooled, pressed, rolled and dried for everyone’s enjoyment.