News Stories

Samurai kick off first football game under Friday Night Lights - Ryutu Elmoulkatel, a kicker with the Kinnick High School “Red Devils” football team, runs the ball against the Matthew C. Perry “Samurai” during a football game at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sept. 1, 2017. Hosting their season opener at their new sports stadium, the Samurai, a Division II team, faced off against their Division I opponent, the Red Devils, from Fleet Activities Yokosuka. At the end of the fourth quarter, the Red Devils beat the Samurai 33-0. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Aaron Henson)

Students welcome new school year with new facilities - Dwayne Jefferson, principal of Iwakuni Elementary School, gives a speech to the students during the first day of school at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 30, 2017. The day marked the first time the school facility was going to be used since its construction finished this year, along with Matthew C. Perry Elementary School and Iwakuni Middle School. The new school facilities have been setup to benefit the students, faculty and staff. They are also capable of taking in more students as the MCAS Iwakuni population increases. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Donato Maffin)

. - A U.S. Army Soldier with 1-1st Special Forces Group (SFG), watches for the drop zone from a KC-130J Hercules with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152, during air delivery training for a static line jumpmaster course at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, Aug. 22, 2017. The air delivery was part of unit-level training Evergreen. Air delivery offers the ability to maximize the number of personnel and equipment rapidly delivered to a forward location, with little or no ground support in the objective area. Evergreen will serve as VMGR-152’s 2017 Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation through tri-lateral training with the U.S. Army 160th Special operations Aviation Regiment and the 1st SFG to gain valuable insight on the most recent Operation Inherent Resolve assault-support tactics. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joseph Abrego)

Japan Air Self-Defense Force Conducts Patriot Advanced Capability-3 training at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni - Service members with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) 2nd Air Defense Missile Group, set up the MIM-104 Patriot missile system during Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) deployment training at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 29, 2017. PAC-3 is a surface-to-air missile defense system, which provides a highly reactive hit-to-kill capability in both range and altitude while operating in all environments. This training displays the strength of the U.S.-Japan alliance and demonstrates the JASDF’s ability to rapidly deploy multiple defense assets to U.S. military installations across Japan. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Aaron Henson)

Single Marine Program volunteers cleanup Yuu Beach - U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kaysom Montgomery, a heavy-equipment operator with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 171, holds a trash bag for other volunteers during a Single Marine Program Yuu Beach cleanup at Iwakuni City, Japan, Aug. 25, 2017. The event was an opportunity to demonstrate the willingness of service members to be respectful ambassadors and contribute to making Japan a better, cleaner place to live in. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Carlos Jimenez)

Friendly Baseball Tournament unites American, Japanese families - Ethan Kowalski, pitcher for the Iwakuni All Stars, begins to pitch during the Youth Sports’ Friendly Baseball Tournament at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 19, 2017. The Marine Corps Community Service’s Semper Fit Program held the Youth Sports tournament to encourage a positive and healthy relationship with the Japanese locals through sports. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Carlos Jimenez)

Americans dance with Japanese locals to honor ancestors - U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Milton Bridges, a Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni resident, gets dressed in a summertime kimono, called a Yukata, during the Bon-Odori festival at Kinjuen nursing home in Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 14, 2017, as part of a Cultural Adaptation trip. This was the second time Bridges and his family attended the festival with Cultural Adaptation. He said the event was a good opportunity to dress-up, go dancing, enjoy good food and mingle with the locals. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Carlos Jimenez)

VMGR-152 arrives at Whidbey Island for unit-level training - A U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152, conducts formation flights while in transit to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, Aug. 13, 2017. VMGR-152 is participating in unit-level training Evergreen. The training consists of division formation flights with stateside-based VMGR squadrons and tri-lateral training with the U.S. Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and U.S. Army 1st Special Forces Group to gain valuable insight on the most recent Operation Inherent Resolve assault support tactics. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joseph Abrego)

Orville Burrell, better known as “Shaggy,” a musical artist and Marine Corps veteran, dances on stage while performing a live concert at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, July 26, 2017. Shaggy sang a variety of his hit songs including “Boombastic,” “It Wasn’t Me” and “Oh Carolina.” The concert was part of an Armed Forces Entertainment tour that included three military installations across Japan. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Justin Fisher) - Orville Burrell, better known as “Shaggy,” a musical artist and Marine Corps veteran, dances on stage while performing a live concert at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, July 26, 2017. Shaggy sang a variety of his hit songs including “Boombastic,” “It Wasn’t Me” and “Oh Carolina.” The concert was part of an Armed Forces Entertainment tour that included three military installations across Japan. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Justin Fisher)

U.S. Marines with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS) 12 perform pull ups at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, July 21, 2017. The USO hosted a field meet and cookout for MALS-12, which included several competitions such as grappling, pull-ups and a Humvee pull. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jacob A. Farbo) - U.S. Marines with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS) 12 perform pull ups at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, July 21, 2017. The USO hosted a field meet and cookout for MALS-12, which included several competitions such as grappling, pull-ups and a Humvee pull. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jacob A. Farbo)