Nearly 1,100 U.S., Japanese troops train together in the waist-deep Sapporo snow

[unhappycamper]

Sgt. Jeff Hubbs, left, and Pfc. Chris Sons plant themselves in the snow during sniper training at North Wind 2009 on Camp Makomanai in Sapporo, Japan. Both soldiers are with the Kentucky Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment.


Nearly 1,100 U.S., Japanese troops train together in the waist-deep Sapporo snow
By Vince Little, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Saturday, March 7, 2009

SAPPORO, Japan — When it comes to defending Japan, the U.S. Army doesn’t have massive infantry and tactical units sitting idly around the country, waiting to act if hostilities broke out.

But U.S. Army Japan leaders can certainly bring them over right away for the fight.

That process played out on a smaller scale this week at North Wind, a field exercise under way in waist-deep snow on training ranges near Camp Makomanai in Hokkaido. About 400 U.S. soldiers and 700 troops from Japan’s northern army are taking part — including those in support roles.

"For us, it’s not the tactical piece as much as site-scene management," said Lt. Col. Paul Horlacher, USARJ’s chief of exercises. "We can actually glean the command-and-control element and logistical tasks we’d have in theater if we had to go to war. We have to bring forces in and sustain them as part of our RSOI (receive, stage, onward integration) mission."

The unit toting the arsenal for USARJ during North Wind is the Kentucky Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment — a combat-seasoned unit that served a year in Iraq in 2006-07. About 300 soldiers came to Japan for the exercise.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=61155



uhc comment: I found this pic and title interesting:



Pfc. Chris Sons plants himself in the snow during sniper training.


We're using M4s for snipers these days?