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Ryuta Arashiro runs toward the finish line during a friendly competition between firefighters from Ginowan City Fire Department and Marine aircraft rescue and firefighting specialists with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron and Marine Wing Support Squadron 172 Jan. 31 at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. The firefighters spent the day competing against each other in a series of timed events based around daily firefighting skills. Arashiro is a firefighter with the Ginowan City Fire Department. H&HS is with MCAS Futenma, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, Marine Corps Installations Pacific. MWSS-172 is with, Marine Wing Support Group 17, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Photo by Lance Cpl. Stephen D. Himes - Ryuta Arashiro runs toward the finish line during a friendly competition between firefighters from Ginowan City Fire Department and Marine aircraft rescue and firefighting specialists with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron and Marine Wing Support Squadron 172 Jan. 31 at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. The firefighters spent the day competing against each other in a series of timed events based around daily firefighting skills. Arashiro is a firefighter with the Ginowan City Fire Department. H&HS is with MCAS Futenma, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, Marine Corps Installations Pacific. MWSS-172 is with, Marine Wing Support Group 17, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Photo by Lance Cpl. Stephen D. Himes

Col. Eric M. Mellinger presents Master Gunnery Sgt. Rodney W. Lowe with his course completion certificate Jan. 31 at the conclusion of the III Marine Expeditionary Force Senior Leaders Workshop. Lowe is the staff noncommissioned officer in charge of the supply management unit storage with 3rd Supply Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Mellinger is the III MEF chief of staff . Photo by Lance Cpl. Diamond N. Peden - Col. Eric M. Mellinger presents Master Gunnery Sgt. Rodney W. Lowe with his course completion certificate Jan. 31 at the conclusion of the III Marine Expeditionary Force Senior Leaders Workshop. Lowe is the staff noncommissioned officer in charge of the supply management unit storage with 3rd Supply Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Mellinger is the III MEF chief of staff . Photo by Lance Cpl. Diamond N. Peden

Maj. John P. Arnold (left) teaches Toshihiko Matsumoto how the controls of an MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft work in a flight simulator Jan. 28 during a visit by Japan defense officials to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. The simulator allowed the visiting officials to see the importance of the aircraft and the level of training the pilots undergo. Matsumoto is the deputy director general with the Okinawa Defense Bureau, and Arnold is the current operations officer with Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Photo by Cpl. Anne K. Henry - Maj. John P. Arnold (left) teaches Toshihiko Matsumoto how the controls of an MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft work in a flight simulator Jan. 28 during a visit by Japan defense officials to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. The simulator allowed the visiting officials to see the importance of the aircraft and the level of training the pilots undergo. Matsumoto is the deputy director general with the Okinawa Defense Bureau, and Arnold is the current operations officer with Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Photo by Cpl. Anne K. Henry

A CH-53E Super Stallion touches down at Landing Zone Falcon Jan. 3 during confined area landing training in the Central Training Area. The helicopter and crew are with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463, currently assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. David N. Hersey/Released) - A CH-53E Super Stallion touches down at Landing Zone Falcon Jan. 3 during confined area landing training in the Central Training Area. The helicopter and crew are with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463, currently assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. David N. Hersey/Released)

Vehicles pass through a toll collection point. The electronic collection lanes (center) have recently been made available to status of forces agreement personnel stationed in Japan. The ETC program provides a measure of convenience and savings. (Courtesy photo) - Vehicles pass through a toll collection point. The electronic collection lanes (center) have recently been made available to status of forces agreement personnel stationed in Japan. The ETC program provides a measure of convenience and savings. (Courtesy photo)