Marines watch as CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters fly over following insertion-and-extraction training July 30 at Landing Zone Falcon at the Central Training Area. The Marines were tasked with gathering enemy intelligence before calling for emergency evacuation from the area. - Marines watch as CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters fly over following insertion-and-extraction training July 30 at Landing Zone Falcon at the Central Training Area. The Marines were tasked with gathering enemy intelligence before calling for emergency evacuation from the area.
Ayano Murakami, left, and Miki Sugawara swim with Marine families Aug. 4 at the 50-meter pool on Camp Foster during the luau pool party. The party was part of the 3rd annual Oshima youth cultural exchange program. The exchange program was established as part of the Marine Corps Community Services Okinawa Child, Youth and Teen program to promote the needs of American children and the children of Oshima. The participants are students between the ages of 13 and 18. Photo by Lance Cpl. Natalie M. Rostran - Ayano Murakami, left, and Miki Sugawara swim with Marine families Aug. 4 at the 50-meter pool on Camp Foster during the luau pool party. The party was part of the 3rd annual Oshima youth cultural exchange program. The exchange program was established as part of the Marine Corps Community Services Okinawa Child, Youth and Teen program to promote the needs of American children and the children of Oshima. The participants are students between the ages of 13 and 18. Photo by Lance Cpl. Natalie M. Rostran
Okinawa musicians give a taiko performance July 27 at the 36th annual Urasoe Tedako Matsuri Festival. The tedako festival pays homage to a powerful king of the ancient Ryukyu kingdom. - Okinawa musicians give a taiko performance July 27 at the 36th annual Urasoe Tedako Matsuri Festival. The tedako festival pays homage to a powerful king of the ancient Ryukyu kingdom.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Nico DaSilva, right, checks the heartbeat of a mock casualty Aug. 1 during a forward resuscitative care course at the Simulated Trauma Advanced Training Center, Camp Foster. The course familiarized corpsman in the areas of collecting, clearing, treating, holding and evacuating casualties in the Navy’s forward-deployed echelon, while in support of Marine Air-Ground Task Force operations, according to Petty Officer 2nd Class Jerricson B. Peralta, an instructor with the center and a hospital corpsman with the battalion. DaSilva is also a corpsman with the battalion. - Petty Officer 2nd Class Nico DaSilva, right, checks the heartbeat of a mock casualty Aug. 1 during a forward resuscitative care course at the Simulated Trauma Advanced Training Center, Camp Foster. The course familiarized corpsman in the areas of collecting, clearing, treating, holding and evacuating casualties in the Navy’s forward-deployed echelon, while in support of Marine Air-Ground Task Force operations, according to Petty Officer 2nd Class Jerricson B. Peralta, an instructor with the center and a hospital corpsman with the battalion. DaSilva is also a corpsman with the battalion.
Sgt. Jordan M. Davis, right, assembles a satellite communications antenna during a communication exercise July 26 at Camp Foster. “For this specific exercise, we are working out all the kinks as we sharpen our craft for the group’s commitment to (the Asia-Pacific region),” said Staff Sgt. Brandon M. Sheffield, a radio chief with Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Davis is a field radio operator with CLR 3, 3rd MLG, III MEF. Photo by Lance Cpl. Jose D. Lujano - Sgt. Jordan M. Davis, right, assembles a satellite communications antenna during a communication exercise July 26 at Camp Foster. “For this specific exercise, we are working out all the kinks as we sharpen our craft for the group’s commitment to (the Asia-Pacific region),” said Staff Sgt. Brandon M. Sheffield, a radio chief with Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Davis is a field radio operator with CLR 3, 3rd MLG, III MEF. Photo by Lance Cpl. Jose D. Lujano
An MV-22B Osprey taxis behind a CH-46E Sea Knight Helicopter after its arrival at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma Aug. 3. Two Osprey aircraft, part of the second Osprey squadron to Japan, flew from MCAS Iwakuni. The arrival of the second Osprey squadron will complete the one-for-one replacement of the older CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters on Okinawa. The Osprey can fly twice as fast, carry three times the payload, and fly four times the distance of the older CH-46E. Its capabilities significantly benefit the U.S.-Japan alliance and strengthen III Marine Expeditionary Force’s ability to provide for the defense of Japan and perform humanitarian assistance and disaster response missions. The aircraft are part of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III MEF. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Matthew J. Manning/Released) - An MV-22B Osprey taxis behind a CH-46E Sea Knight Helicopter after its arrival at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma Aug. 3. Two Osprey aircraft, part of the second Osprey squadron to Japan, flew from MCAS Iwakuni. The arrival of the second Osprey squadron will complete the one-for-one replacement of the older CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters on Okinawa. The Osprey can fly twice as fast, carry three times the payload, and fly four times the distance of the older CH-46E. Its capabilities significantly benefit the U.S.-Japan alliance and strengthen III Marine Expeditionary Force’s ability to provide for the defense of Japan and perform humanitarian assistance and disaster response missions. The aircraft are part of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III MEF. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Matthew J. Manning/Released)
A sign attached to a bicycle reminds riders that helmets are required when riding on military installations. While participating in summer activities, safety must be implemented by using personal protective equipment such as helmets. PPE provides an invaluable source of protection to minimize injury, according to Aaron M. Davis, the supervisory occupational safety and health specialist with the Installation Safety Office, Marine Corps Installations Pacific and Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Nicholas S. Ranum/Released) - A sign attached to a bicycle reminds riders that helmets are required when riding on military installations. While participating in summer activities, safety must be implemented by using personal protective equipment such as helmets. PPE provides an invaluable source of protection to minimize injury, according to Aaron M. Davis, the supervisory occupational safety and health specialist with the Installation Safety Office, Marine Corps Installations Pacific and Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Nicholas S. Ranum/Released)
Itsuki Otani plays pool as part of the 3rd annual Oshima youth cultural exchange program July 31 at the Kishaba Youth Center on Camp Foster. The program brings teens affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami from Oshima Island to Camp Foster to experience American culture. The participants are students between the ages of 13 and 18 years old. For some, this year’s exchange marks their second or third year participating in the exchange. Otani is a 17-year-old participant in the program. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Natalie M. Rostran/Released) - Itsuki Otani plays pool as part of the 3rd annual Oshima youth cultural exchange program July 31 at the Kishaba Youth Center on Camp Foster. The program brings teens affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami from Oshima Island to Camp Foster to experience American culture. The participants are students between the ages of 13 and 18 years old. For some, this year’s exchange marks their second or third year participating in the exchange. Otani is a 17-year-old participant in the program. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Natalie M. Rostran/Released)
Cpl. Angie Pazmino, right, practices approaching a bayonet-armed assailant July 24 at Camp Foster during a martial arts instructor course. The course, facilitated by the Marine Corps martial arts program's Martial Arts Center for Excellence, helped Marines attain the next level of MCMAP training, as well as added to their repertoire of leadership techniques, according to Pazmino, a student of the MACE’s mobile training team. second-degree black belt course and ground-training noncommissioned officer with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Photo by Lance Cpl. Pete Sanders - Cpl. Angie Pazmino, right, practices approaching a bayonet-armed assailant July 24 at Camp Foster during a martial arts instructor course. The course, facilitated by the Marine Corps martial arts program's Martial Arts Center for Excellence, helped Marines attain the next level of MCMAP training, as well as added to their repertoire of leadership techniques, according to Pazmino, a student of the MACE’s mobile training team. second-degree black belt course and ground-training noncommissioned officer with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Photo by Lance Cpl. Pete Sanders
Lance Cpl. Shawn M. Goulding, a rifleman for Company E., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a native of Fontana, Calif., provides security with his squad during an aerial assault as a part of Talisman Saber 2013, here, July 21. The Marines and Sailors of the 31st MEU and Amphibious Squadron 11 are part of an integrated force of approximately 18,000 U.S. service members training alongside approximately 9,000 Australian service members in the fifth iteration of Talisman Saber 2013, a month-long biennial exercise designed to enhance multilateral collaboration in support of future combined operations, natural disaster, humanitarian and emergency response. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness for the Asia Pacific region and the only continuously forward-deployed MEU. - Lance Cpl. Shawn M. Goulding, a rifleman for Company E., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a native of Fontana, Calif., provides security with his squad during an aerial assault as a part of Talisman Saber 2013, here, July 21. The Marines and Sailors of the 31st MEU and Amphibious Squadron 11 are part of an integrated force of approximately 18,000 U.S. service members training alongside approximately 9,000 Australian service members in the fifth iteration of Talisman Saber 2013, a month-long biennial exercise designed to enhance multilateral collaboration in support of future combined operations, natural disaster, humanitarian and emergency response. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness for the Asia Pacific region and the only continuously forward-deployed MEU.