Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Harley Damarputra, an aviation life-support equipment technician and collateral duty inspector with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314, stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, forward deployed to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, checks the communication system in a pilot’s helmet during exercise Red Flag-Alaska 16-2 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, June 16, 2016. Damarputra supports the squadron as a life-support equipment technician and collateral duty inspector by ensuring the pilots’ safety gear is working properly. (U.S. Marine Corps photo Lance Cpl. Donato Maffin/Released) - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Harley Damarputra, an aviation life-support equipment technician and collateral duty inspector with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314, stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, forward deployed to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, checks the communication system in a pilot’s helmet during exercise Red Flag-Alaska 16-2 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, June 16, 2016. Damarputra supports the squadron as a life-support equipment technician and collateral duty inspector by ensuring the pilots’ safety gear is working properly. (U.S. Marine Corps photo Lance Cpl. Donato Maffin/Released)

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Malcolm Cappelle, a quality assurance safety observer with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314, stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, and forward deployed to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, inspects a CATM 9X training missile during exercise Red Flag-Alaska 16-2 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, June 16, 2016. Cappelle is inspecting the ordnance to make sure it’s secured properly on the squadron’s F/A-18C Hornet fighter jet in support of exercise Red Flag-Alaska 16-2. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Donato Maffin/Released) - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Malcolm Cappelle, a quality assurance safety observer with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314, stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, and forward deployed to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, inspects a CATM 9X training missile during exercise Red Flag-Alaska 16-2 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, June 16, 2016. Cappelle is inspecting the ordnance to make sure it’s secured properly on the squadron’s F/A-18C Hornet fighter jet in support of exercise Red Flag-Alaska 16-2. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Donato Maffin/Released)

Maintainers from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314 perform after-flight inspections and repairs to the squadron’s F/A-18A++ aircraft in preparation for exercise Red Flag-Alaska 16-2 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, June 4, 2016. Exercise Red Flag-Alaska 16-2 provides VMFA-314 and Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 242, based out of Marine Corps Station Iwakuni, Japan, the opportunity to train with joint and international units, increasing their combat skills by participating simulated combat situations in a realistic threat environment. (U.S. Marine photo by Lance Cpl. Donato Maffin/Released) - Maintainers from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314 perform after-flight inspections and repairs to the squadron’s F/A-18A++ aircraft in preparation for exercise Red Flag-Alaska 16-2 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, June 4, 2016. Exercise Red Flag-Alaska 16-2 provides VMFA-314 and Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 242, based out of Marine Corps Station Iwakuni, Japan, the opportunity to train with joint and international units, increasing their combat skills by participating simulated combat situations in a realistic threat environment. (U.S. Marine photo by Lance Cpl. Donato Maffin/Released)

Members of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314, forward based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan; Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12; Marine Aircraft Group 12 and Japan Air Self-Defense Force pile all the trash gathered during Operation Kibagata at Kibagata Park, Komatsu, Japan, March 12, 2016. Operation Kibagata brought participants of the Komatsu Aviation Training Relocation exercise at Komatsu Air Base together to clean the local community. Community relations events not only lend a hand to the local community, they are an important aspect of strengthening one of the world’s strongest alliances in order to maintain peace and stability in the region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Nicole Zurbrugg/Released) - Members of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314, forward based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan; Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12; Marine Aircraft Group 12 and Japan Air Self-Defense Force pile all the trash gathered during Operation Kibagata at Kibagata Park, Komatsu, Japan, March 12, 2016. Operation Kibagata brought participants of the Komatsu Aviation Training Relocation exercise at Komatsu Air Base together to clean the local community. Community relations events not only lend a hand to the local community, they are an important aspect of strengthening one of the world’s strongest alliances in order to maintain peace and stability in the region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Nicole Zurbrugg/Released)

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 pilots pose for a picture with Sucrogen Townsville 400 V-8 Supercars race drivers July 9. This year’s Townsville 400 had 29 V-8 supercars racing through a 400-kilometer circuit course south of the Townsville Central Business District and ran from July 8-10. Four VMFA-314 F/A-18 Hornets flew over the crowd in attendance after the last note of the Australian anthem played before the final race of the Townsville 400 kicked-off. - Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 pilots pose for a picture with Sucrogen Townsville 400 V-8 Supercars race drivers July 9. This year’s Townsville 400 had 29 V-8 supercars racing through a 400-kilometer circuit course south of the Townsville Central Business District and ran from July 8-10. Four VMFA-314 F/A-18 Hornets flew over the crowd in attendance after the last note of the Australian anthem played before the final race of the Townsville 400 kicked-off.