IWAKUNI, Japan - Brig. Gen. William D. Beydler, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing commanding general, toured the station here July 12-15.
While aboard the station, Beydler went to the F/A-18 Hornet simulator and had dinner with unit family readiness officers and command members at Club Iwakuni July 12.
He flew an F/A-18 with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 and visited Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 Marines and sailors July 13. Beydler flew again with VMFA(AW)-242, had meetings with the Marine Aircraft Group 12 command, greeted the new Unit Deployment Program squadron, Strike Fighter Attack Squadron 94, and had an evening social with commanding officers, sergeants major and their wives July 14 before heading to Tokyo July 15.
Beydler comes to the air station to meet with the units under his command more often than people would think.
Generally, it is for short visits, usually consisting of a day trip, and sometimes staying aboard the station for one night.
“Normally, when I come here, I just rush through,” said Beydler.
This trip was an exception to those short but sufficient trips.
With the busy schedule Beydler had here, he still managed to make time to meet with Marines and sailors under his command and ensure they are taken care of.
He also chose to fly aircraft during his time here, but not before practicing first.
The simulator Beydler went to simulated flying an F/A-18, the same jet he flew the following day.
The simulator contains a cockpit and switches as if it were a real aircraft, said Maj. Glenn D. Savage, VMFA(AW)-242 operations officer.
Simulators are often used when pilots want to refresh their knowledge of flying and during inclimate weather, he added.
It had been a while since Beydler actually flew an F/A-18.
“If we go for a while without flying, we need to do a simulator to refresh ourselves with the procedures,” said Savage. Beydler flew the F/A-18 the following day.
Beydler attended the simulator and flew with VMFA-242 to freshen up on his current flying techniques.
Beydler departed the station July 15 and headed to Tokyo where he represented Lt. Gen. Kenneth J. Glueck Jr., III Marine Expeditionary Force commanding officer, in an award presented to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael G. Mullen, by the Chief of Defense of the Japanese Self Defense Force.