Hundreds of people gather to watch the performance “The Picture Scrolls of the Three Great Urasoe Kings” during the 40th Annual Tedako Matsuri Festival July 22 in Urasoe City, Okinawa, Japan. This festival is a way for the community to pay respects to King Eiso, a powerful king of the Ryukyu Kingdom. The festival featured many food venders, games, haunted houses, bounce houses and live music. - Hundreds of people gather to watch the performance “The Picture Scrolls of the Three Great Urasoe Kings” during the 40th Annual Tedako Matsuri Festival July 22 in Urasoe City, Okinawa, Japan. This festival is a way for the community to pay respects to King Eiso, a powerful king of the Ryukyu Kingdom. The festival featured many food venders, games, haunted houses, bounce houses and live music.

Firefighters with the Naha City Fire Department practice their rowing technique before competing in a dragon boat race May 5 during the 41st annual Naha City Dragon Boat Races, also known as Harii, at Tomari Port in Naha City, Okinawa. More than 60 teams competed in the races, making a total of approximately 2,300 participants. Three teams, consisting of 32 people per boat, competed against each other in every race. A dragon boat is a human-powered watercraft originating from China, according to Satsuki Fraling, the SMP coordinator with Marine Corps Community Services. It became a tradition where fishermen took boats out to sea to pray for safe travels and health for the upcoming year. Later the tradition evolved into a festival taking place on Okinawa. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Brittany A. James/Released) - Firefighters with the Naha City Fire Department practice their rowing technique before competing in a dragon boat race May 5 during the 41st annual Naha City Dragon Boat Races, also known as Harii, at Tomari Port in Naha City, Okinawa. More than 60 teams competed in the races, making a total of approximately 2,300 participants. Three teams, consisting of 32 people per boat, competed against each other in every race. A dragon boat is a human-powered watercraft originating from China, according to Satsuki Fraling, the SMP coordinator with Marine Corps Community Services. It became a tradition where fishermen took boats out to sea to pray for safe travels and health for the upcoming year. Later the tradition evolved into a festival taking place on Okinawa. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Brittany A. James/Released)

Maj. Matthew A. Thompson, right, speaks with the Marines of Battery B after a Marine Corps birthday cake-cutting ceremony Nov. 10 at the North Fuji Maneuver Area during Artillery Relocation Training Program 14-3. ARTP is a regularly scheduled training event that increases and maintains combat readiness of U.S. Marine forces and supports the U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security. Thompson is from Presho, South Dakota, and is the commanding officers for Battery B, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, based out of Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, currently assigned to 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program. - Maj. Matthew A. Thompson, right, speaks with the Marines of Battery B after a Marine Corps birthday cake-cutting ceremony Nov. 10 at the North Fuji Maneuver Area during Artillery Relocation Training Program 14-3. ARTP is a regularly scheduled training event that increases and maintains combat readiness of U.S. Marine forces and supports the U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security. Thompson is from Presho, South Dakota, and is the commanding officers for Battery B, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, based out of Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, currently assigned to 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program.

Sgt. Jacob J. Baumann pulls a Humvee May 16 during the Highland Games at the parade deck on Camp Hansen. The final event of the games tested the limits of the Marines’ strength as they pulled the vehicle, which was harnessed to them, 20 feet with only a rope secured to a 7-ton truck as assistance. Baumann is a Junction City, Kan., native and fire support man with 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. - Sgt. Jacob J. Baumann pulls a Humvee May 16 during the Highland Games at the parade deck on Camp Hansen. The final event of the games tested the limits of the Marines’ strength as they pulled the vehicle, which was harnessed to them, 20 feet with only a rope secured to a 7-ton truck as assistance. Baumann is a Junction City, Kan., native and fire support man with 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force.