Kadena Airmen visit school

Airman 1st Class Edward Rand, 18th Security Forces Squadron, towers over students from Runbini Kindergarten near Hyakuri Air Base Feb. 1. A dozen Kadena Airmen visited the school while operating from the Japanese air base. (U.S. Air Force photo / 1st Lt. Bryan Bouchard)

ATR kicks off

Lt. Col. James Sukenik, 67th Fighter Squadron director of operations, addresses members of the Japanese media Feb. 1 at Hyakuri Air Base, about 70 miles north of Tokyo. Lt. Col. Sukenik is leading a team of almost 100 Kadena Airmen at the Japanese air base as part of an aviation training relocation. The ATR is designedto enhance the interoperability of the U.S. and Japanese air forces while reducing aircraft noise at Kadena in Okinawa. (U.S. Air Force photo / 1st Lt. Bryan Bouchard)

ATR kicks off

Senior Airman Dennis Crocker (left) and Staff Sgt. Chad Smith dicsuss pre-launch procedures with their counterparts from the Japan Air Self Defense Force Feb. 1. Two Airmen from the JASDF are working alongside American Airmen during the aviation training relocation at Hyakuri Air Base, about 70 miles north of Tokyo. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Bryan Bouchard)

Mochitsuki

Gentlemen from neighboring towns in Iberaki Prefecture, north of Tokyo, take the first step of stirring and kneading the rice into a more maleable consistency at the Mochitsuki celebration Jan. 30. Mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year and is commonly sold and eaten during that time. Airmen from Hyakuri Air Base and members of the local community invited the U.S. Air Force Airmen to participate in the event. (U.S. Air Force / 1st Lt. Bryan Bouchard)

Sports day at ATR

Staff Sgt. Albert Rhone from the 67th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, outstretches some 12-year-old basketball players from Iberaki Prefecture during a basketball game Jan. 30. Basketball and soccer were on the agenda during a sports day held in honor of the visiting Airmen from Kadena Air Base. About 100 Airmen and 6 F-15Cs are currently operating from Hyakuri Air Base about 70 miles north of Tokyo as part of an aviation training relocation. The Kadena Airmen will be there for one week. (U.S. Air Force photo / 1st Lt. Bryan Bouchard)

Base exercises NEO

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- As Staff Sgt. Larry Banks, 35th Force Support Squadron NCO in charge of formal training, escorts personnel, Staff Sgt. Shantelle Evans, 35th Aerospace Medical Squadron health care management technician, checks passports during the noncombatant evacuation operations portion of an operational readiness exercise Jan. 28 outside of Hangar 949. The exercise trained the NEO team on what to expect in the event that Misawa is called upon as a safe haven. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jamal D. Sutter)