6月11日、海兵隊普天間航空基地に、地元宜野湾市にある沖縄カトリック高校の2年生4人が訪れました。生徒たちは平和について学ぶゼミ活動の一環として基地を訪れ、普段触れる機会の少ない基地の役割や、そこで働く人々について直接学びました。

5月28日、海兵隊キャンプ・フォスターにおいて、第2回沖縄コミュニティ・パートナーシップ・フォーラムが開催されました

Tucked away aboard Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni deep inside an unobtrusive building, lies a compact, barely lit room, just big enough for five or six people. Computers, phones and radios line the desks, while monitors brighten the dim room. Initially, one might see this as just another office. However, this room, and the people who work inside are a crucial component in keeping service members, their dependents, and Status of Forces U.S. Agreement (SOFA) personnel at MCAS Iwakuni safe.“We’re a communication center, so our job is to make sure everyone is in the loop,” said Ricardo Reyes, an emergency dispatch telecommunicator (EDT) with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron (H&HS).The H&HS Dispatch team answers all emergency

Empty plastic bottles hide between blades of grass, while crushed soda cans and crinkled wrappers sit forgotten on the grainy pavement. With gloved hands, service members reach for the foreign objects tainting nature, helping preserve the environment of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan.Every month, on the first Tuesday, MCAS Iwakuni’s Single Marine Program organizes a volunteer event allowing service members to demonstrate their want of making a difference for the environment. During the event, volunteers search for trash, ensuring any accumulated debris is properly disposed of, allowing for a cleaner area.“To give your personal time and day to volunteer to help someone other than yourself, is the main part of volunteering,” said

In many communities, it is common to find someone dedicated to their occupation or passionate about helping the youth follow their dreams. For one man aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, it's both. Jerron “JJ” Johnson is the airfield manager at MCAS Iwakuni, but outside of work, he volunteers as the track and field director, planning out and working with Matthew C. Perry High School and Iwakuni Middle School track teams in both their on and off seasons.By day, Johnson serves as an airfield manager, overseeing operations where timing and coordination are critical. As a retired Air Force veteran, he spent 20 years developing the skills required to operate in high-pressure environments. Now, more than four years into his civilian role,