1 00:00:00,300 --> 00:00:02,710 - Marines, sailors, and family members, 2 00:00:02,710 --> 00:00:06,040 welcome to Okinawa, I'm Lieutenant General Eric Smith, 3 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:08,740 the Commanding General of III Marine Expeditionary Force 4 00:00:08,740 --> 00:00:10,290 and I'm proud to be one of the first 5 00:00:10,290 --> 00:00:11,990 to welcome you to your new home. 6 00:00:11,990 --> 00:00:14,890 My wife Trish and I arrived here just like you 7 00:00:14,890 --> 00:00:18,100 with apprehensions about what things would cost, 8 00:00:18,100 --> 00:00:19,740 how we would communicate by cellphone 9 00:00:19,740 --> 00:00:20,987 back to our families in the States 10 00:00:20,987 --> 00:00:22,960 and what we would do with our free time. 11 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:24,980 We were a little bit unsure about the language 12 00:00:24,980 --> 00:00:26,830 and we were unsure about what to expect. 13 00:00:26,830 --> 00:00:29,090 After a very short time here on the island 14 00:00:29,090 --> 00:00:30,750 all those apprehensions passed 15 00:00:30,750 --> 00:00:33,310 and we have come to love this island, as you will too. 16 00:00:33,310 --> 00:00:35,440 There is more to do on Okinawa 17 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:39,020 than you can possibly do in one, two or three years. 18 00:00:39,020 --> 00:00:41,360 Whether you like to snorkel, dive, 19 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,640 just be outdoors, shop it is all here. 20 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:48,820 This is not a hardship tour I promise you're gonna see that. 21 00:00:48,820 --> 00:00:50,550 With all those good things that are in place 22 00:00:50,550 --> 00:00:54,030 here in Okinawa I want one thing to be very clear to you 23 00:00:54,030 --> 00:00:56,290 we are a war-fighting organization 24 00:00:56,290 --> 00:00:59,783 and our mission is to fight and win tonight. 25 00:01:01,090 --> 00:01:03,710 In order to do that and to protect our allies 26 00:01:03,710 --> 00:01:06,760 and our own country, here in the Indo-Pacific Theater, 27 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,403 we have to be disciplined and well-trained. 28 00:01:10,430 --> 00:01:11,910 I don't wanna give you a lecture 29 00:01:11,910 --> 00:01:13,913 about what to do and not to do. 30 00:01:14,940 --> 00:01:18,560 I'll simply say this we are guests here 31 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,040 in Okinawa and in Japan. 32 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:23,830 The prefecture of Okinawa is our home 33 00:01:23,830 --> 00:01:26,310 and we're expected to act like good guests. 34 00:01:26,310 --> 00:01:29,120 We have a campaign here called Not 1 Drop, 35 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:34,120 DUI here, is connoted by 0.03 blood alcohol content 36 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:36,710 that's less than one third 37 00:01:36,710 --> 00:01:38,550 of what it is in the United States. 38 00:01:38,550 --> 00:01:40,760 What that means is if you have one beer 39 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,600 you are likely gonna be driving under the influence. 40 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:46,220 Therefore, not one drop. 41 00:01:46,220 --> 00:01:48,850 If you drink, do not drive 42 00:01:48,850 --> 00:01:51,140 you can't afford the consequences, trust me. 43 00:01:51,140 --> 00:01:53,930 I also wanna remind you that as good guests 44 00:01:53,930 --> 00:01:57,130 we have to be part of our Okinawan culture 45 00:01:57,130 --> 00:02:00,250 when I say our, I mean our, we live here, 46 00:02:00,250 --> 00:02:03,550 this is also our home, immerse yourself in the culture, 47 00:02:03,550 --> 00:02:06,530 be polite, be respectful, just be good people, 48 00:02:06,530 --> 00:02:07,447 I know you're good people 49 00:02:07,447 --> 00:02:09,810 and I know the Okinawans will appreciate it. 50 00:02:09,810 --> 00:02:13,180 I have lived in many places in my 31 years in the Navy 51 00:02:13,180 --> 00:02:15,500 and I have never experienced another culture 52 00:02:15,500 --> 00:02:19,180 that is this gracious than that of Okinawa and Japan. 53 00:02:19,180 --> 00:02:20,420 You're gonna love it here 54 00:02:20,420 --> 00:02:23,290 everything about this place will grow on you, 55 00:02:23,290 --> 00:02:24,850 this is gonna be the greatest experience 56 00:02:24,850 --> 00:02:27,130 of your life I'm excited for you, 57 00:02:27,130 --> 00:02:30,120 I wish you all the best, Semper Fidelis. 58 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:31,863 Be ready to fight and win tonight. 59 00:02:32,750 --> 00:02:34,000 - I'm Master Chief Chris Moore, 60 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,240 the III MEF Command Master Chief. 61 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,470 From my family to yours, welcome to Okinawa. 62 00:02:39,470 --> 00:02:41,210 As General Smith said earlier 63 00:02:41,210 --> 00:02:43,760 Okinawa is a wonderful place to be assigned, 64 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:45,360 there is a lot of opportunity. 65 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:47,220 I would ask that each and every one of you, 66 00:02:47,220 --> 00:02:49,430 regardless of what you do, take the opportunity 67 00:02:49,430 --> 00:02:53,100 to go and explore the island but do so with safety. 68 00:02:53,100 --> 00:02:56,390 You are here and you are here for a reason, 69 00:02:56,390 --> 00:02:59,610 at the end of the day III Marine Expeditionary Force 70 00:02:59,610 --> 00:03:02,630 is the fight tonight force and we cannot fight and win 71 00:03:02,630 --> 00:03:04,337 without each and every one of you. 72 00:03:05,690 --> 00:03:07,730 Thank you, welcome to Okinawa 73 00:03:07,730 --> 00:03:10,080 and again, my hope is that you have a wonderful time 74 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:13,033 here on Okinawa and a safe time, enjoy. 75 00:03:14,540 --> 00:03:17,610 - Hello, my name is Sergeant Major Mario Marquez 76 00:03:17,610 --> 00:03:19,410 and I am the III MEF Sergeant Major. 77 00:03:20,420 --> 00:03:22,650 Welcome to what is probably gonna be 78 00:03:22,650 --> 00:03:26,150 the best duty station you've ever been assigned to. 79 00:03:26,150 --> 00:03:29,150 My wife Yasu and I have been here 14 years 80 00:03:29,150 --> 00:03:31,250 of our 29 years in the Marine Corps 81 00:03:31,250 --> 00:03:33,730 and I can tell you that it's gonna be an amazing tour. 82 00:03:33,730 --> 00:03:35,770 Take the time to learn the Japanese culture. 83 00:03:35,770 --> 00:03:38,660 Here in Okinawa I challenge you to try 84 00:03:38,660 --> 00:03:40,870 and learn the language, to do something different. 85 00:03:40,870 --> 00:03:43,820 III MEF truly is an amazing assignment 86 00:03:43,820 --> 00:03:45,490 you will definitely and absolutely 87 00:03:45,490 --> 00:03:47,140 have the time of your life. 88 00:03:47,140 --> 00:03:49,280 There is an old saying that when families 89 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,990 get orders to Okinawa they leave claw marks 90 00:03:51,990 --> 00:03:53,360 all the way across the Pacific 91 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:54,710 because they don't wanna come here. 92 00:03:54,710 --> 00:03:56,260 But on the backside of their tour 93 00:03:56,260 --> 00:03:57,800 they also leave claw marks 94 00:03:57,800 --> 00:03:59,210 because they don't wanna leave. 95 00:03:59,210 --> 00:04:02,270 Okinawa is currently the number four duty station 96 00:04:02,270 --> 00:04:03,840 in all of the Department of Defense 97 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:07,070 only fourth place to three European destinations. 98 00:04:07,070 --> 00:04:09,150 But that makes us number one in the Pacific, 99 00:04:09,150 --> 00:04:10,610 and the goal is to be number one 100 00:04:10,610 --> 00:04:12,600 in the entire Department of Defense. 101 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:14,500 You are a large contributor to that. 102 00:04:14,500 --> 00:04:16,230 I need you to message your families 103 00:04:16,230 --> 00:04:17,970 and tell them how Okinawa really is 104 00:04:17,970 --> 00:04:19,970 once you have settled in and you've began 105 00:04:19,970 --> 00:04:22,290 your life of fun and adventure. 106 00:04:22,290 --> 00:04:25,095 And as we say here in the culture of Okinawa, 107 00:04:25,095 --> 00:04:26,130 (speaking in foreign language) 108 00:04:26,130 --> 00:04:28,530 which means welcome in the local language. 109 00:04:28,530 --> 00:04:30,760 So on behalf of my wife, Yasu, 110 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:33,620 on behalf of Lieutenant General Smith and his wife, Trisha, 111 00:04:33,620 --> 00:04:35,750 we welcome you to the III MEF team 112 00:04:35,750 --> 00:04:37,530 and to the best tour that you will have 113 00:04:37,530 --> 00:04:39,983 in your entire career, Semper Fidelis.