Marines, Japanese Forces Together in Arms for Exercise Iron Fist

A major military exercise known as Exercise Iron Fist is taking place off the coast of southern California, Camp Pendleton, and San Clemente Island.Exercise Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise that joins the U.S. Marine Corps and Japanese Soldiers with the Western Army Infantry Regiment and Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF). Garage Squatters Send Escondido Woman’s Power Bill Soaring New technology and strategy have helped the exercise evolve over its 13-year existence.“We continue to get better and build on the things we did last year,” 1st Lt. Tori Semenec said. RB Woman Among Mothers Suing Pop Warner Over Sons’ CTE There are more than 350 JGSDF personnel participating in Iron Fist 2018. The month-long exercise is designed to improve USMC and JGSDF’s ability to plan, communicate and conduct combined amphibious operations at the platoon, company and battalion levels.Training focuses on advanced marksmanship; amphibious reconnaissance; fire and maneuver assaults, logistical support and medical knowledge sharing, fire support operations, including mortars, artillery, and close air support; and amphibious landing operations. 44 Percent of Calif. in Drought: Report “We have a strong relationship between U.S. and Japan,” Lt. Col. Jumpei Kubo with the Japanese Ministry said. “So we have to conduct bilateral exercises with the US Marine Corp.”And to keep peace in East Asia, he said these trainings are essential.NBC 7 flew out to one of the training areas on San Clemente Island, which is military property and ideal for replicating island-raid scenarios.The exercise not only keeps the U.S. and Japan prepared to work together for defense purposes, but also for humanitarian assistance operations, noncombatant emergency evacuations, flood and earthquake responses, tactical recoveries of aircraft and personnel, counter-piracy and strike operations, and support to our partner nations.The bilateral exercises will culminate on Monday with a large scale raid on a Camp Pendleton Beach from both the air and the sea.Photo Credit: Cpl Brittany A. James
Source: NBC San Diego