HARAMURA, Japan -- Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 arrived at Japan Self-Defense Force’s Haramura Maneuver Area in Hiroshima, Japan, to conduct exercise Kamoshika Wrath 17-1, Jan. 22, 2017.
The exercise is part of a biannual, unit-level training primarily focusing on establishing a forward operating base and providing airfield operation services.
The squadron plans to establish and maintain an aviation ground support center, forward operating base, unit movement control center and tactical motor pool. The Marines with MWSS-171 will also construct a landing zone, conduct day and night security patrols and a live-fire range.
“We’ll do a little bit of live fire,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Jason Berg, commanding officer of MWSS-171. “We’ll also be able to build a 96-foot by 96-foot pad for aviation operations company. We will be able to do horizontal construction, and we have already done some road grading in the short time we have been out here.”
Berg also said the exercise provides the opportunity to train with equipment in conditions that are not normally available to them at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni while reinforcing skills the Marines learned throughout their military occupational specialty schooling.
“I’m glad that I can actually do my job.” said U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Sarah Kelly, a small arms technician with MWSS-171. “This is the first time I get be the armorer when we go on the range, which is where the real combat part of my job comes in because if something goes wrong with a weapon on the range they have to bring it to me so I can fix it.”
MWSS-171 trains throughout the year completing exercises like Kamoshika Wrath 17-1 to enhance their technical skills, field experience and military occupational specialty capability.
“Being in these conditions is how we see what we need to improve on,” said 1st Lt. Kevin Ayres, officer in charge of motor pool operations. “We take every minute, every second, every day as a learning experience, and we try to make the best of it. We look at those lessons learned, and we get better from there.”