Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason McNeely, center, engineer with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, and Lance Cpl. Billy McNair, aviation ordnance technician with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12, play racquetball during a Single Marine Program volunteer event at Kaihoku-En Children’s Home in Houfu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, Nov. 14, 2015. The children and 18 volunteers played ping pong, racquetball, monkey in the middle, arm wrestled, colored books, played house and played the piano. The children interacted and built relationships with the 18 service members during the visit. - Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason McNeely, center, engineer with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, and Lance Cpl. Billy McNair, aviation ordnance technician with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12, play racquetball during a Single Marine Program volunteer event at Kaihoku-En Children’s Home in Houfu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, Nov. 14, 2015. The children and 18 volunteers played ping pong, racquetball, monkey in the middle, arm wrestled, colored books, played house and played the piano. The children interacted and built relationships with the 18 service members during the visit.

Makaiya Harris, first place winner of the advanced group, receives a gold medal at the 54th Annual Japanese and English Speech Contest at the Sinfonia Iwakuni in Iwakuni, Japan, Nov. 8, 2015. Japanese contestants wrote their own speeches in English and American students delivered theirs in Japanese. The ultimate goal of the speech contest is to promote understanding and friendship between Americans and Japanese. - Makaiya Harris, first place winner of the advanced group, receives a gold medal at the 54th Annual Japanese and English Speech Contest at the Sinfonia Iwakuni in Iwakuni, Japan, Nov. 8, 2015. Japanese contestants wrote their own speeches in English and American students delivered theirs in Japanese. The ultimate goal of the speech contest is to promote understanding and friendship between Americans and Japanese.

Swimmers dive in for their second lap at the harbor during the 28th Annual Triathlon at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 25, 2015. Approximately 100 station residents and Japanese athletes endured the demanding course, finishing with a rowdy crowd cheering them across the finish line. - Swimmers dive in for their second lap at the harbor during the 28th Annual Triathlon at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 25, 2015. Approximately 100 station residents and Japanese athletes endured the demanding course, finishing with a rowdy crowd cheering them across the finish line.

Japanese and American children, coaches and government officials pose for a picture the Japan-U.S. Friendship Kid's Soccer Event coordinated by the Chugoku-Shikoku Defense Bureau at the Suo-Oshima Town Athletics Track and Field in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, Sept. 27, 2015. Twenty-five children from the station, ages 7-10, integrated with 20 Japanese children from schools in the local area to learn about each other’s culture, do warm up drills and compete in a tournament. This soccer meet gave the opportunity for the children to interact, which helps strengthen the friendship between the Japanese and Americans. - Japanese and American children, coaches and government officials pose for a picture the Japan-U.S. Friendship Kid's Soccer Event coordinated by the Chugoku-Shikoku Defense Bureau at the Suo-Oshima Town Athletics Track and Field in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, Sept. 27, 2015. Twenty-five children from the station, ages 7-10, integrated with 20 Japanese children from schools in the local area to learn about each other’s culture, do warm up drills and compete in a tournament. This soccer meet gave the opportunity for the children to interact, which helps strengthen the friendship between the Japanese and Americans.

Mikie Watanabe, cultural adaption specialist with the cultural adaption program, speaks to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, residents during a trip to the annual Japanese Calligraphy Brush Festival, in Kumano, Hiroshima Prefecture, Sept. 23, 2015. Guests wandered through the brush decorated city, where they interacted with Japanese locals, practiced their calligraphy skills and enjoyed local cuisine. The cultural adaption program aboard station coordinated this event to provide service members and their families a chance to travel beyond the installations gates and experience the Japanese culture. - Mikie Watanabe, cultural adaption specialist with the cultural adaption program, speaks to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, residents during a trip to the annual Japanese Calligraphy Brush Festival, in Kumano, Hiroshima Prefecture, Sept. 23, 2015. Guests wandered through the brush decorated city, where they interacted with Japanese locals, practiced their calligraphy skills and enjoyed local cuisine. The cultural adaption program aboard station coordinated this event to provide service members and their families a chance to travel beyond the installations gates and experience the Japanese culture.

Bands, dance crews and more showed up to put on a show for the service members at Club Iwakuni aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan August 29, 2015. Many different types of music were played such as country, Americana and rock. - Bands, dance crews and more showed up to put on a show for the service members at Club Iwakuni aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan August 29, 2015. Many different types of music were played such as country, Americana and rock.