Fuji Friendship Festival provides common ground for Marines, Japan citizens

Photo By Cpl. Jennifer Calaway | Marine Cpl. Jonathan Gillespie introduces himself to a Japanese festivalgoer on July 27, 2008. Japanese guests experienced a wide array of weapons, food and Marine Corps culture at Camp Fuji's Friendship Festival 2008.  

08.08.2008

Courtesy Story

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

III Marine Expeditionary Force Public Affairs

Almost everyday, neighbors of Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji hear motivated shouts from Marines calling cadence, feel the ground shake from Marines training with explosives or hear the crisp sound of helicopter blades chopping the air. All of this adds to the mysterious allure of what takes place on the other side of the camp's gate.

However, Camp Fuji opened its gates to the surrounding community on July 27, 2008, giving them a full demonstration of exactly what being a Marine is all about. Nearly 6,000 festival attendees showed up to get hands-on time with everything from the camp's explosive ordinance disposal's improvised explosive device handler to the Marine Corps' new mine-resistant ambush-protected armored vehicle as part of the camp's Friendship Festival 2008.

"It was crazy how the kids were so excited to handle the gear," said Pfc. Daniel Witts, a motor transportation operator with Camp Fuji's motor equipment platoon.

"At first, the kids were a little intimidated climbing on the Humvee, but, after a few minutes, they were smiling and laughing and swinging the machine gun all over the place," Witts said. "It was great to see them get comfortable with what we do as Marines. I wish I had gotten to do this when I was a kid."

"What does this button do?" asked Yuriko Yuji, a 4-year-old festival visitor, pointing at the trigger on the M1014 joint service combat shotgun.

"That makes it go boom!" answered Sgt. Delbino Durano, an armorer with Ordnance Maintenance Company, 3rd Maintenance Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group.

"It was so fun to interact with them, when they pulled the trigger [all the Marines] would yell 'Boom,' and the kids would jump and giggle and scream," said Durano. "They were so curious and polite. They'd say 'thank you' after we answered every question. The youngest ones spoke great English."

The next time someone asks what goes on behind the gates of Camp Fuji, guests of Friendship Festival 2008 can tell them what the Marines do.

"I want to be a Marine, too!" Yuji said.

And at this year's friendship festival, she was.

• Date Taken: 08.08.2008
• Date Posted: 08.10.2008 21:15
• Story ID: 22336