Kin Town residents leave the bases exchange Jan. 17 during Camp Hansen’s Friendship Saturday. Friendship Saturday is an event where community members are allowed on the base, unescorted but with passes, and enjoy some of the facilities on the camp. They visited various facilities including the Exchange, The Palms and bowling alley. Free balloons were handed out for children to enjoy during the event. - Kin Town residents leave the bases exchange Jan. 17 during Camp Hansen’s Friendship Saturday. Friendship Saturday is an event where community members are allowed on the base, unescorted but with passes, and enjoy some of the facilities on the camp. They visited various facilities including the Exchange, The Palms and bowling alley. Free balloons were handed out for children to enjoy during the event.

U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Ryan T. Watson, right, receives a bouquet of flowers from a student Dec. 5 at Chinzei High School in Kumamoto prefecture, Japan. Marines participating in Forest Light 15-1 took a day off from training to visit local high schools to exchange culture lessons with the student. Forest Light is a routine, semi-annual exercise designed to enhance the U.S. and Japan military partnership, solidify regional security agreements, and improve individual and unit-level skills in a bilateral training environment. Watson, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, is an infantry unit leader with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program. - U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Ryan T. Watson, right, receives a bouquet of flowers from a student Dec. 5 at Chinzei High School in Kumamoto prefecture, Japan. Marines participating in Forest Light 15-1 took a day off from training to visit local high schools to exchange culture lessons with the student. Forest Light is a routine, semi-annual exercise designed to enhance the U.S. and Japan military partnership, solidify regional security agreements, and improve individual and unit-level skills in a bilateral training environment. Watson, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, is an infantry unit leader with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program.

Volunteers remove plastic bags and streamers from a fence during a Fence Clean Project on Okinawa, Japan. The Fence Clean Project is an effort initiated by local residents to remove the vandalism of Futenma’s fences that started abruptly to occur in the fall of 2012. - Volunteers remove plastic bags and streamers from a fence during a Fence Clean Project on Okinawa, Japan. The Fence Clean Project is an effort initiated by local residents to remove the vandalism of Futenma’s fences that started abruptly to occur in the fall of 2012.

A ball flies across a baseball field after being hit by an Okinawan during a Camp Hansen friendly softball tournament Nov. 1 on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan. The tournament allows local Okinawans the chance to visit Camp Hansen, and for all the participants to enjoy friendly competition with one another. Eight teams participated in total, with the Marine team from 3rd Intelligence Battalion, III Marine headquarters Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force winning the championship game. - A ball flies across a baseball field after being hit by an Okinawan during a Camp Hansen friendly softball tournament Nov. 1 on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan. The tournament allows local Okinawans the chance to visit Camp Hansen, and for all the participants to enjoy friendly competition with one another. Eight teams participated in total, with the Marine team from 3rd Intelligence Battalion, III Marine headquarters Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force winning the championship game.

Maj. Andrew Merz, from Lansing, Michigan, talks to a Kin Town resident after the tsunami evacuation drill Nov. 5 at Camp Hansen. This was the first exercise since the local disaster response agreement was signed by Marine Corps and Kin Town officials in September. The drills improved the communication between Camp Hansen, Kin Town Officers, Ishi Kawa police and the local community leaders responsible for disaster response, according to Masaru Nago, from Kin Town. Merz is the operations officer for Camp Hansen. - Maj. Andrew Merz, from Lansing, Michigan, talks to a Kin Town resident after the tsunami evacuation drill Nov. 5 at Camp Hansen. This was the first exercise since the local disaster response agreement was signed by Marine Corps and Kin Town officials in September. The drills improved the communication between Camp Hansen, Kin Town Officers, Ishi Kawa police and the local community leaders responsible for disaster response, according to Masaru Nago, from Kin Town. Merz is the operations officer for Camp Hansen.

Donald W. Christensen, right, learns to disarm a weapon from Cpl. Ryan T. Starr Oct. 25 during Junglefest 2014 at the Jungle Warfare Training Center on Okinawa, Japan. The festival allowed Okinawa community members and U.S. service members to see and experience some of the military training techniques that the instructors at the JWTC teach during the jungle survival training course. Christensen is a student and child of an active duty service member on Okinawa. Starr, from Waldron, Arkansas, is an instructor at the Jungle Warfare Training Center. - Donald W. Christensen, right, learns to disarm a weapon from Cpl. Ryan T. Starr Oct. 25 during Junglefest 2014 at the Jungle Warfare Training Center on Okinawa, Japan. The festival allowed Okinawa community members and U.S. service members to see and experience some of the military training techniques that the instructors at the JWTC teach during the jungle survival training course. Christensen is a student and child of an active duty service member on Okinawa. Starr, from Waldron, Arkansas, is an instructor at the Jungle Warfare Training Center.

U.S. Marines purchase food and drinks from a local vendor Sept. 20 during exercise Valiant Shield 2014 at a compound near Tinian’s North Field, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. “It really boosts our sales,” said Lot Bunao, manager of J.C. Café on Tinian. “It’s really a chain reaction and boosts our entire economy. For example, the food we sell to them is made from stuff we buy locally at the stores here.” The Marines are with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler Ngiraswei) - U.S. Marines purchase food and drinks from a local vendor Sept. 20 during exercise Valiant Shield 2014 at a compound near Tinian’s North Field, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. “It really boosts our sales,” said Lot Bunao, manager of J.C. Café on Tinian. “It’s really a chain reaction and boosts our entire economy. For example, the food we sell to them is made from stuff we buy locally at the stores here.” The Marines are with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler Ngiraswei)

Okinawa residents and U.S Marines stationed at Camp Schwab pose for a group photo following the completion of a fence cleaning project July 2 near Camp Schwab. During the event, participants removed ribbons and litter from the fence line. The Marines are volunteers with various units stationed at Camp Schwab. The event showcased local support for U.S. military forces stationed on the island and demonstrated the good relationship between the Okinawa community and the U.S. Marines on Camp Schwab. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Matt Myers/Released) - Okinawa residents and U.S Marines stationed at Camp Schwab pose for a group photo following the completion of a fence cleaning project July 2 near Camp Schwab. During the event, participants removed ribbons and litter from the fence line. The Marines are volunteers with various units stationed at Camp Schwab. The event showcased local support for U.S. military forces stationed on the island and demonstrated the good relationship between the Okinawa community and the U.S. Marines on Camp Schwab. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Matt Myers/Released)

Lance Cpl. Amelia Williams, left, enjoys a cookout with the children of the Nagomi Nursing Home for Children June 22 in Nago. The children experienced American culture through interaction with the Marines. Williams is a Bremerton, Washington, native and a radio operator with 3rd Marine Logistics Group currently assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Brittany A. James/Released) - Lance Cpl. Amelia Williams, left, enjoys a cookout with the children of the Nagomi Nursing Home for Children June 22 in Nago. The children experienced American culture through interaction with the Marines. Williams is a Bremerton, Washington, native and a radio operator with 3rd Marine Logistics Group currently assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Brittany A. James/Released)