Tsutara, Japan. (November 16, 2022): In this photo by Corporal Scott Aubuchon, U.S. Marines with the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines and members of the Japan Self Defense Forces Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade offload a CH-47 Chinook helicopter during Keen Sword exercises at Tsutara, Japan. Keen Sword exercises are a biannual affair that tests the combined lethality of the U.S. 3rd Marine Division’s 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force and Japan’s Self Defense Forces. The goal is to ensure interoperability among forces while increasing readiness of the U.S./Japanese Alliance.

Tsutara, Japan. (November 16, 2022): Sadly, most Americans avoid carpooling for a variety of reasons; too cramped, it’s no fun riding with strangers, and the dreaded inconvenience of waiting for others. How about a commute with 48 comrades while loaded down with 100 plus pounds of equipment and your first task of the day is to close with and destroy the enemy?

That is the reality for the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines as they train with Japan’s Self Defense Forces at Tsutara Island, Japan (see above). One of America’s most storied units, the 2nd Marines were activated in 1933 and participated in the bloodiest island fighting in the Pacific War. The 2nd Marines fought at the battle for Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa suffering 25,000 killed and over 68,000 wounded. They have earned three Presidential Unit Citations for valor in World War II, Battle for Guadalcanal, and Iraq).

Here the Marines are taking part in the biannual Keen Sword exercises with Japan’s 210,000-member Self Defense Force. After World War II, Article 9 of Japan's postwar constitution renounced war and the Japanese pledged never to maintain land, sea, or air forces in the future. Political and military reality, however, have caused the Japanese to bolster its forces even to the point of deploying troops alongside allies around the world. Should Japan be attacked, America is sworn to come to her defense. Today, Japan’s Self Defense includes its Ground and Air Self-Defense Forces, and a Navy that is the envy of the world.

These joint ground forces arrive to work aboard the reliable CH-47 Chinook helicopter, one of America’s largest heavy lift birds that has been in service for over 60 years. Named after the Native American Chinookan People, the CH-47 has a crew of three and can carry palletized cargo internally, including the U.S. Army Hummer, and it also has sling loads to transport heavier vehicles hundreds of miles. One of worlds fastest large duty helicopters, the Chinook roars along at up to 200 mile per hour ferrying troops and equipment directly into combat zones.

Now, that is one wild way to get to work.

The next time you find yourself struck in traffic, please think about our active duty servicemembers on their way to work protecting our nation. We hope you will contribute to Support Our Troops' Patriot Brigade^® to help us ship Yellow Ribbon Care Packages to the troops this holiday season. At Support Our Troops, our mission is to give these troops “what they need, where they need it” with donations from patriotic Americans, like you. Won’t you take a moment, right now, to help us send the troops a piece of home this holiday season. Please visit our secure website https://supportourtroops.org/donate to donate to America’s finest today!