Marines, Japan Ground Self Defense Force Train in Forest Light 16-2

The following is a release from Cpl. Tyler Giguere, III Marine Expeditionary Force:

Marines and Japanese Ground Self Defense Force Soldiers waded through frozen creeks and seemingly unending fields of snow together during Forest Light 16-2. Day and night, whistling mortars, the crack of sniper fire and howling sub-zero winds created a chorus of cold as they braved the elements together.

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Forest Light, ending Feb. 6, took place in the remote winter environment of Hokkaido, Japan. The exercise, which involved elements of III Marine Expeditionary Force and the Japan Ground Self Defense Force, is intended to strengthen military partnership, solidifies regional security agreements and improves individual and unit-level skills between the U.S. Marine Air-Ground Task Force and the JGSDF.

Forest Light builds upon the Marine Corps’ ground combat capabilities while maintaining the Corps’ strategic presence in the Pacific. Forest Light includes force-on-force training at the platoon and company level, helo-borne operations and unit-level training events that test expeditionary warfighting capabilities within III MEF and refines the homeland defense capabilities of the JGSDF.

“A strong Japan means a strong America,” said Capt. John J. Dick, the company commander of Kilo Company, …Read the Rest

Source:: Tactical Life