Airmen, Marines promote friendship in Komatsu

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Phillip Butterfield
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
KOMATSU AIR BASE, Japan --  During the 2009 Komatsu Alternate Training Relocation Exercise, Misawa Air Base Airmen and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni Marines paid a social visit to a community welfare facility Nov. 19 near Komatsu Air Base.

Service members from the 13th Fighter Squadron, 13th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 35th Operations Support Squadron and Marine Corps All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533 visited the Umenoki Gakuen social welfare facility. The school was established to give intellectually handicapped job training.

After arriving at the school, the service members had the opportunity to try their hand at making candy boxes, which is the primary task of the students while at the school.

"I enjoyed getting to work with the Japanese nationals and getting to fold the boxes with them; it was interesting," said Airman 1st Class Caitlyn Burnside, 35th OSS aircrew flight equipment specialist, a native of Miami, Okla.

After the box-making session, the service members joined the students in another room for a talent show. But, before the show began, the school president made a brief speech welcoming the service members.

Airman 1st Class Dominic Santos, 13th AMU specialist flight engine mechanic, started the festivities by playing his ukulele and singing. Next, the audience was entertained by a student playing a harmonica, who also helped recite a poem and sing a song with his fellow students.

The visit to Umenoki Gakuen was an opportunity for American Forces and Japanese nationals to bond and share cultures, said Marine Sgt. Matthew Carroll, Marine Corps Attack Fighter Squadron 533 ordinance technician.

"I like events like this," said Sgt. Carroll, a Tampa, Fla., native. "It shows our Japanese friends that we care, and we're friendly, and that we appreciate the things that they do for us."