Photo By Adam Holguin | Warrant Officer Hiromori Kawahata, left, sergeant major, Japan Ground Self Defense...... read more read more
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Warrant Officer Hiromori Kawahata, sergeant major, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, visited the post June 15 through 18. The primary purpose was to attend the U.S.Army Sergeants Major Academy graduation ceremony, meet with post personnel and visit sections of the installation’s unique training grounds.
Sgt. Maj. Motoyuki Nakada and Sgt. Maj. Kazuya Kodani, JGSDF personnel were two of the 47 international students and 476 total students who graduated the Sergeants Major Course Class 66 June 17 at the Abundant Living Faith Center in El Paso.
“Only two students are selected by the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force to attend USASMA,” Kawahata said. “(Nakada and Kodani) have studied for the better part of a year and they learned a lot with international partners and American noncommissioned officers. They know how the Americans operate and can now work with not only the Americans but with forces all over the world.”
The USASMA graduation ceremony was one of the final events in a two-day tour that kept Kawahata and the Unit Training and Certification staff busy. UT&C and JGSDF work closely during the Annual Service Practice every fall and the UT&C served as the escort to all of the stops on Kawahata’s visit.
June 16, Kawahata attended the International Student Hall of Fame induction ceremony and reception at USASMA. Kawahata also had office calls with Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis Defreese, commandant, USASMA, and Command Sgt. Maj. Danny Day, 1st Armored Division’s command sergeant major.
“The relationships that we’ve made on this visit, meeting the senior noncommissioned officers directly, face-to-face, I believe these interactions will improve our partnership and make our relationships stronger,” Kawahata said.
Kawahata then visited the Iron Warrior Training Complex Simulation Center and viewed high mobility multipurpose vehicle rollover training, virtual battle space 3 and other simulated advanced integrated training systems.
“We have a similar simulation systems in Japan, but the difference is that our systems are separate – the driving and firing systems are separated,” Kawahata said. “However the simulation system systems here are synchronized and that is impressive.”
Kawahata finished the day by visiting the Hawk and Chu-SAM firing ranges at McGregor Range, New Mexico. During the ASP, rotations of JGSDF soldiers come here to train and conduct live-fire exercises on the two missile systems, something they cannot execute in Japan.
“The firing ranges here are quite large, we do not have such firing sites in Japan,” Kawahata said. “Our Japanese soldiers conduct quality training here that improves the skills of our forces.”
The highlight of the visit for Kawahata was attending the USASMA graduation and meeting noncommissioned officers from around the world.
“I was very impressed by the graduation. It was noble and beautiful with so many students from all over the world,” Kawahata said
| Date Taken: | 06.30.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.30.2016 16:55 |
| Story ID: | 202927 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 219 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, JGSDF’s sergeant major visits Fort Bliss, by Adam Holguin, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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