Photo By Cpl. Joey Holeman | Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members and Marines prepare for a game of dodgeball...... read more read more
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CAMP TAKADA, Japan - Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force hosted Marines of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, during a culture day as part of Exercise Forest Light 14-2 March 3 at Camp Takada, Niigata prefecture, Japan.
Forest Light is a bilateral, cold-weather field training exercise that strengthens the camaraderie and interoperability between the two forces.
The JGSDF members are with 2nd Infantry Regiment, 12th Brigade, Eastern Army, and the “Thundering Third,” Marines of 3rd Bn., 1st Marines, are currently assigned to 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program.
During the combat training portion of the exercise, both forces focused on sharing tactics and techniques with each other, but the culture day allowed the two forces to get to know each other in a more personal way.
“The purpose is to give the Marines the opportunity to experience the culture in a much more intimate way,” said U.S. Marine 1st Lt. David A. Brown, a field artillery officer with the company. “I believe getting to know the people and the culture is a much better way to learn, as opposed to just getting to see the architecture.”
To further build on the camaraderie that was previously established during the field training exercise, the two units held a dodgeball tournament.
The tournament pitted 12 teams, each comprised of both Marines and JGSDF members, against each other, according to U.S. Marine Cpl. Joseph D. Priest, a rifleman with the company.
“It was interesting to see the Marines and (JGSDF) working together,” said Priest. “(In the end), they were cheering for each other, which was kind of cool to see.”
The JGSDF and Marine team captain from the winning team each received a Forest Light t-shirt and headband from JGSDF Sgt. Maj. Yoshio Hoshino, the command sergeant major of 2nd Infantry Regiment, 12th Brigade.
The JGSDF members then demonstrated jukendo, the traditional Japanese martial art of bayonet fighting, before providing the Marines with some hands-on training in the style.
“They had participants from the Marines come up and try out the techniques,” said Priest. “Afterwards, the (JGSDF members) gave them (headbands) to remember the day.”
“It was more than I expected,” said Brown. “They (surprised) us with how … easy it was to get to know them.”
Overall, the exercise brought the two forces together to train side by side in some of the coldest climate conditions the units have faced. The culture day, however, demonstrated the warmth of the personal and professional relationships established between the two allies.
“For me personally, (this) was the best day I had,” said Brown. “I believe most of the Marines would agree with that. It was the most valuable cultural experience I had over the past six months.”
| Date Taken: | 03.03.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 03.18.2014 19:39 |
| Story ID: | 122200 |
| Location: | CAMP TAKADA, NIIGATA, JP |
| Web Views: | 82 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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