3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment Marines from Okinawa invite locals to Yausubetsu maneuver area

Photo By Cpl. Thomas Provost | Local media members and Japanese citizens look at an M777 155mm Lightweight Howitzer here during a 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division friendship day event Dec. 2. 3rd Bn., 12th Marines created the event to provide more information about the training and its benefits to the attendees to allow better understanding of the regularly scheduled training that takes place each year.  

HOKKAIDO, JAPAN

12.02.2008

Story by Lance Cpl. Thomas Provost 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

By Thomas Provost
III Marine Expeditionary Force Public Affairs

HOKKAIDO, Japan -- 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, conducted a friendship day event here Dec. 2, inviting local citizens and Japanese media to the weapons training area.

3rd Bn., 12th Marines, created the event to provide more information about the training and its benefits to the Japanese community.

The event provided a better understanding of the regularly scheduled training that takes place each year.

Maj. Walker Field, the commanding officer of 3rd Bn., 12th Marines, began the day with a speech about the training, and some other opportunities the Marines have had during their time in northern Japan.

"Yesterday, the Marines and sailors of this battalion received a fantastic opportunity to interact with the local community when a number of them visited the Kashi no Migakuen Rehabilitation Center for the intellectually challenged," said Field. "My sergeant major attended, as did I, and we were extremely pleased to see these young men so eager to work and help out around the school."

The speech was followed by a question and answer session, after which Field led the citizens and media to individual static displays where Marines described specific pieces of equipment used in the training and answered questions from the audience.

Some of the equipment on display included M777 155mm Lightweight Howitzers, 7-ton trucks, an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, M240B medium machine gun, and MK19 40mm machine gun.

Lunch concluded the friendship day event. Each guest received a Meal Ready to Eat military ration and a class on how to properly consume it.

"We clarified everything with what we did here," said Lance Cpl. Adanis A. Vasquez, a generator mechanic with Headquarters Battery, 3rd Bn., 12th Marines. "We gave out great information on the vehicles and weapons and answered questions with expertise ... which made the friendship day go very smooth."

• Date Taken: 12.02.2008
• Date Posted: 12.12.2008 01:43
• Story ID: 27561
• Location: HOKKAIDO, JP