Photo By Cpl. Monty Burton | A Marine with a Camp Hansen softball team beats the throw to first base during a...... read more read more
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OKINAWA, Japan - Camp Hansen-based Marines and locals from surrounding communities built friendships through competition with a softball tournament on Hansen's diamonds Sept. 26.
During the tournament, several Marine teams competed with local teams from Ginoza Village, Kin Town and Onna Village, Okinawa, Japan.
"I think Hansen has a strong friendship with the local community, but there is always something new we can do," said Col. Guy Jordan, Camp Hansen's commander.
This was the camp's first tournament with local teams, and it was an overall success, he added.
"It seems like everybody enjoyed it," Jordan said. "Hopefully this is something we can keep doing in the future."
Jordan said the tournament was a way for Marines to interact and give back to the community.
"The tournament was set up so that every team played each other," Jordan said. "At the end of the tournament, the team with the best record [was] awarded a trophy."
"It was very fun," said Shishin Tamaki, a Ginoza Chamber of Commerce board member, who played alongside members of his community during the tournament.
Events like this are vital to maintaining a good relationship with local villages, said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Thomas W. Freeman, Camp Hansen's operations officer.
"We are in their country," he said. "We have a unique situation being in a host country; events like this help strengthen those relationships.
"They said they enjoyed the food and enjoyed the ballparks," he added.
"Two of the three mayors showed up and the families had a good time. It went so well the leaders of Onna Village said they will host the next tournament at one of their facilities," Freeman said.
"It's always good when we can get together as people and see that we are not that much different from each other," he said.
A Camp Hansen team won the tournament, closing out the day with an undefeated record.
| Date Taken: | 09.26.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 10.06.2009 02:22 |
| Story ID: | 39722 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 195 |
| Downloads: | 134 |
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