Photo By Capt. Kara Siepmann | Two Soldiers from the 184th Infantry Regiment out of Modesto, Calif., take a look...... read more read more
"Doomo arigato," Sgt. Bryce Trauger of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment said aloud surrounded by five other members of his company before Operation Rising Warrior's opening ceremony began.
The exercise is in its fifth year, but it's the first year the 5th Brigade, 27th Infantry Regiment Japanese Ground Self Defense Force will be training at California's Fort Hunter Liggett.
Hosted by their combat arm's counterparts, the184 Inf. Reg. of Modesto, the soldiers will practice individual movement tactics and techniques based off of lesson's learned during recent deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III. It's also the first year the JGSDF's 27th Inf. Reg. has left Japan to train with another nation's army.
Trauger's junior enlisted troops laugh at his pronunciation and shouted out other simple Japanese words they knew on the parade field in preparation of meeting their brothers in arms from the Land of the Rising Sun. Two of the non-commissioned officers standing in the group had served in Japan during their time in the Marine Corps. The junior enlisted of the group listened intently to the NCO's impromptu language class.
The California National Guard soldiers admittedly do not know that much Japanese. However, language is anything but a barrier to them.
"Hand and arm signals are effective in combat situations," said Pfc.Rudy Marez of 3rd platoon, as he made the motions for basic infantry directions of movement with his hands.
And that's how they feel they will be able to communicate best during the next three weeks of training.
Trauger, who conducted convoy operations in Iraq every day for a year, feels this will give him confidence to teach the Japanese what he knows.
"This training is our bread and butter," said Trauger. Alpha Co. practices infantry techniques each month at drill. But this is an opportunity for improvement as more than 100 California National Guard Soldiers will train with the 200 JGSDF soldiers during this exercise, an annual event for the Japanese.
The Japanese soldiers here have the mission of spreading what they learn to their comrades at home, said Col. Yoshimasa Yamaguchi, brigade commander. Rising Warrior, he said, assists in the development of trust between the United States and Japan.
"In the 1960's, we became a self defense force, not an army," explained Japanese Sgt. Maj. Kaname Koike. "We are bound by the Constitution not to act on the offensive." JGSDF soldiers have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan to support the humanitarian mission and rebuilding efforts.
Koike hopes to learn from the CNG Soldiers. He would like to learn the most from those men who deployed to Iraq.
"As we train, we'll discover our differences—our strengths and our weaknesses, and grow from there," said Koike.
Beyond the field training, Soldiers from both sides of the Pacific hope to learn more about each other's culture. Lt. Col. Hideki Onizuka, JGSDF, would like to compare experiences and cultural differences with the CNG Soldiers. It's his first time in the United States, but said he felt welcomed as soon as he arrived.
After the ceremony, soldiers left from their two separate platoons and melted into a large group to casually greet each other. CNG Soldiers pointed out patches and pins on Japanese soldiers' uniforms. Each side answered questions about their boots, their pants, and their headgear with the assistance of translators or a quick game of charades. They snapped photos and practiced each other's language.
A Japanese humvee and a fighting vehicle quickly were overtaken by curious CNG troops. They kicked the tires and crawled through turret openings, asking questions about the vehicle's capabilities.
The Japanese and American soldiers left the ceremony grounds together toward the dining facility sharing stories and jokes, the ice broken and friendships blossoming.
| Date Taken: | 11.05.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 11.05.2007 12:46 |
| Story ID: | 13644 |
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| Web Views: | 897 |
| Downloads: | 776 |
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