Division Marines, Japanese soldiers share infantry tactics

Photo By Spc. Leigh Campbell | Lance Cpl. Travis S. Adams patrols the Oyanohara Maneuver Area, Kyushu, Japan, Jan. 31 while soldiers with the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force look on during a tactics demonstration that was part of Exercise Forest Light 2007. The JGSDF soldiers, based in Camp Naha, later demonstrated their tactics for the Marines.  

OYANOHARA MANEUVER AREA, JAPAN

02.09.2007

Story by Cpl. Juan D. Alfonso 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

By Lance Cpl. Juan D. Alfonso
III Marine Expeditionary Force PAO

OYANOHARA MANEUVER AREA, KYUSHU, Japan -- Marines with Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, and Japanese Ground Self Defense Force soldiers with 1st Combined Brigade, Western Army, from Camp Naha, conducted infantry tactics training Jan. 29-Feb. 1 at the Oyanohara Maneuver Area, Kyushu, Japan, during Exercise Forest Light 2007.

Forest Light is an annual bilateral field training exercise between III MEF and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The goal is to improve the knowledge of one another's weapons and tactics and the ability to work together.

The initial three-day training package was part of a week of familiarizing each military organization with the other's infantry tactics in preparation for an integrated training exercise later, according to 1st Lt. Travis C. Rape, the commanding officer for CAB's Combat Engineer Company.

During the training, Japanese soldiers demonstrated how they conduct their tactics, training and procedures in the mornings while the Marines presented their skills in the afternoon.

"We decided to perform the training in this manner to give each other the opportunity to observe the other's TTPs and to provide a mutual learning experience," Rape said.

JGSDF conducted live-fire exercises Jan. 30 with Type-89 5.56mm rifles, 5.56mm MINIMI medium machine guns and mortars. The Marines followed their allies by firing M-249 Squad Automatic Weapons and M-240G medium machine guns.

"It was pretty interesting watching the (JGSDF) fire their weapons," said Lance Cpl. Matthew L. Reynolds, a combat engineer with the company. "It wasn't what I expected. They brought two weapons instead of one and switched back and fourth between them instead of having two men operate one machine gun."

But for all the similarities and differences of the two organizations, interoperability remained the focus, Rape said.

"Their (tactics and procedures) are very similar to our own," Rape said. "In some ways our structures are different, such as the number of people we put per (crew-served) weapon, and we function with fewer officers, but there is a lot we can learn from one another."

The integrated exercise, where the two units will conduct simulated attacks and patrols side-by-side, was scheduled to begin Feb. 7

• Date Taken: 02.09.2007
• Date Posted: 02.09.2007 08:52
• Story ID: 9098
• Location: OYANOHARA MANEUVER AREA, JP