- continued -

"The Marines’ ability to fire and maneuver at the same time is impressive," noted Sgt. Ruben Ortiz, squad leader. "At first, trying to execute fire-team rushes on skis and snowshoes slowed us down. We had to decide which would be more efficient in certain cases — to maneuver by foot or by skis. By the time we finished, we had perfected our schemes of maneuver and shared our abilities with the Japanese forces."

U.S, Marines ride aboard a Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) UH-1N helicopter during exercise FOREST LIGHT 2001 in Hokkaido, Japan.

The Marines shared their knowledge on different tactics on engaging enemies. They demonstrated squad rushes and the use of small arms to the JGSDF soldiers.

The final challenge was overcome by combining JGSDF and Marine tactics. While on skis, it was still important to use weapons, but if they used the wrong techniques, the Marines would quickly find themselves sinking into 1.82 meters of snow.

The JGSDF elaborated on the Marines traditional shooting positions of standing, kneeling, sitting and prone by adding ski gear into the equation. By using the skis and snowshoes in the right positions, the Marines would not sink into the snow. Also, using the ski poles as a bi-pod, the Marines could effectively fire their weapons while in the snow. The Marines were able to combine their own and the JGSDF firing techniques.

"The Japanese taught us four different shooting positions, in addition to the four the Marines use," said Cpl. Newell. "The new positions worked great in the snow and supported our shooting positions by giving us stability while firing. We also used our traditional positions in some cases when we closed in on the objective. Sometimes it’s just easier and quicker to take a knee."

"Overall, the training was difficult, but it was fun and interesting at the same time," observed Cpl. Christopher M. Murphy, team leader. "We had never done this type of training before, and it was a good learning experience in case we ever had to do this in a real-life situation. Plus, I learned how to ski both down hill and cross country."

The tactical portion of FOREST LIGHT in Chitose wrapped up during a three-day field exercise that had both forces working hand-in-hand to make it through the demanding operation. Both forces crossed the terrain by foot, on skis and in mechanized vehicles while achieving their goals. According to most of the participants, no one would have accomplished his mission without being able to count on each other.

"The terrain and weather were unforgiving," observed Cpl. Todd J. Rogers, a squad leader. "No one individual, whether a JGSDF soldier or a Marine, could have survived this evolution if we didn’t all value the meaning of teamwork."

The Japanese soldiers and the Marines were just as comfortable spending time with each other in their off time as working with each other in the field. At the end of the training day, both forces shared evening meals at the camp’s mess hall.

Both units often returned to their barracks to maintain their gear or hold the day’s final formation before heading out to find their new friends. Service members from both forces shared some laughs, traded a few items and learned about each other’s culture.

"One of the things was how much alike we were, even though we’re two different cultures," noted Cpl. Mark E. Foster. "From a military standpoint, we have a lot in common, and that made it easy for us to befriend each other. Also, it was a good opportunity for us to learn new things about each other’s cultures because we do come from such different backgrounds."

One of the greatest opportunities to learn about the other force’s culture came during the home visit portion of the exercise. The Marines were invited to dinner at the homes of their JGSDF counterparts. Not only did it make for an interesting evening of conversation, but also offered the Marines a chance to experience the Japanese lifestyle.