U.S. Marines with 3d Littoral Combat Team, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, conduct Range 400, a company-level combined arms training event, during Marine Littoral Regiment Training Exercise (MLR-TE) at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 9, 2023. MLR-TE is a large-scale, service-level exercise designed to train, develop, and experiment with the 3d MLR as part of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force, led by 3d Marine Division, operating as a Stand-in Force across a contested and distributed maritime environment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Patrick King) - U.S. Marines with 3d Littoral Combat Team, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, conduct Range 400, a company-level combined arms training event, during Marine Littoral Regiment Training Exercise (MLR-TE) at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 9, 2023. MLR-TE is a large-scale, service-level exercise designed to train, develop, and experiment with the 3d MLR as part of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force, led by 3d Marine Division, operating as a Stand-in Force across a contested and distributed maritime environment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Patrick King)

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen James W. Bierman, commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force, center-left, and Republic of Korea Marine Corps Commandant Lt. Gen. Kim Kye-Hwan, center-right, stand with their combined staff at the ROK Marine Corps Headquarters, Baran, Republic of Korea, March 9, 2023. The two Marine Corps leaders met to discuss the expansion of combined-joint training on the Korean peninsula and promote mutual commitment between the two forces. The ROK-U.S. alliance is vital to the collective defense and security of the Korean Peninsula and the region, and the lynchpin of U.S. joint force posture in Northeast Asia. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler Andrews) - U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen James W. Bierman, commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force, center-left, and Republic of Korea Marine Corps Commandant Lt. Gen. Kim Kye-Hwan, center-right, stand with their combined staff at the ROK Marine Corps Headquarters, Baran, Republic of Korea, March 9, 2023. The two Marine Corps leaders met to discuss the expansion of combined-joint training on the Korean peninsula and promote mutual commitment between the two forces. The ROK-U.S. alliance is vital to the collective defense and security of the Korean Peninsula and the region, and the lynchpin of U.S. joint force posture in Northeast Asia. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler Andrews)

The high-speed transport vessel USNS Guam (T-HST 1) departs Naha Military Port, Okinawa, Japan, March 3, 2023. The USNS Guam will transport the Marines to the Republic of Korea for exercise Freedom Shield 23. Freedom Shield is a defense-oriented exercise designed to strengthen the ROK-U.S. Alliance, enhance our combined defense posture, and strengthen security and stability on the Korean peninsula. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler Andrews) - The high-speed transport vessel USNS Guam (T-HST 1) departs Naha Military Port, Okinawa, Japan, March 3, 2023. The USNS Guam will transport the Marines to the Republic of Korea for exercise Freedom Shield 23. Freedom Shield is a defense-oriented exercise designed to strengthen the ROK-U.S. Alliance, enhance our combined defense posture, and strengthen security and stability on the Korean peninsula. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler Andrews)

U.S. Marines conduct a pass and review during a relief and appointment ceremony on Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, March 7, 2023. Sgt. Maj. Eric D. Cook relinquished his duties as sergeant major of III Marine Expeditionary Force, and sergeant major of Marine Forces Japan to Sgt. Maj. Joy M. Kitashima. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Diana Jimenez) - U.S. Marines conduct a pass and review during a relief and appointment ceremony on Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, March 7, 2023. Sgt. Maj. Eric D. Cook relinquished his duties as sergeant major of III Marine Expeditionary Force, and sergeant major of Marine Forces Japan to Sgt. Maj. Joy M. Kitashima. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Diana Jimenez)

U.S. Marines with III Marine Expeditionary Force embark the high-speed transport vessel USNS Guam (T-HST 1) at Naha Military Port, Okinawa, Japan, March 3, 2023. The USNS Guam will transport Marines to the Republic of Korea for exercise Freedom Shield 23. Freedom Shield is a defense-oriented exercise designed to strengthen the ROK-U.S. Alliance, enhance our combined defense posture, and strengthen security and stability on the Korean peninsula. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler Andrews) - U.S. Marines with III Marine Expeditionary Force embark the high-speed transport vessel USNS Guam (T-HST 1) at Naha Military Port, Okinawa, Japan, March 3, 2023. The USNS Guam will transport Marines to the Republic of Korea for exercise Freedom Shield 23. Freedom Shield is a defense-oriented exercise designed to strengthen the ROK-U.S. Alliance, enhance our combined defense posture, and strengthen security and stability on the Korean peninsula. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler Andrews)

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Ethan Jara, a native of East Bethel, Minnesota and an ammunition technician with III Marine Expeditionary Force Support Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, maneuvers his fire team on an Infantry Battle Platoon Course during a live fire range on U.S. Army Garrison Casey, Gyeonggi, South Korea, Feb. 10, 2023. III MSB is conducting Bushido Strike 23, which comprises training events including a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation in South Korea to validate its mission essential tasks of providing combat service, security and administrative services to III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Manuel A. Serrano) - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Ethan Jara, a native of East Bethel, Minnesota and an ammunition technician with III Marine Expeditionary Force Support Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, maneuvers his fire team on an Infantry Battle Platoon Course during a live fire range on U.S. Army Garrison Casey, Gyeonggi, South Korea, Feb. 10, 2023. III MSB is conducting Bushido Strike 23, which comprises training events including a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation in South Korea to validate its mission essential tasks of providing combat service, security and administrative services to III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Manuel A. Serrano)

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Deven Schools, a fire support Marine with 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, tests batteries during Innovation Boot Camp on Sea Glass Beach, Okinawa, Japan, Feb. 8, 2023. - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Deven Schools, a fire support Marine with 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, tests batteries during Innovation Boot Camp on Sea Glass Beach, Okinawa, Japan, Feb. 8, 2023. IBC was designed to teach Marines skills such as soldering, 3D printing, coding, and programming to create innovative products for the Marine Corps and to test Marines’ critical thinking skills. Schools is a native of Kent Island, Maryland. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler Andrews)

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Amed Issa, a rifleman with 3d Battalion, 3d Marines, poses for a photo at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Jan. 20, 2023. On Jan. 6, 2023, Sgt Issa was in Honolulu Hawaii, where he heard gunshots, ran toward the gunfire, and provided lifesaving aid to a wounded man. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Sgt. Patrick King) - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Amed Issa, a rifleman with 3d Battalion, 3d Marines, poses for a photo at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Jan. 20, 2023. On Jan. 6, 2023, Sgt Issa was in Honolulu Hawaii, where he heard gunshots, ran toward the gunfire, and provided lifesaving aid to a wounded man. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Sgt. Patrick King)

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Timothy S. Brady Jr and Sgt. Maj. Rodney E. Nevinger, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment commanding officer and sergeant major, unveil the 3d MLR unit colors during the redesignation ceremony of 3d Marines to 3d MLR aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, March 3, 2022. The 3d MLR will serve as a key enabler for joint, allied, and partnered forces, will integrate with naval forces, and will enable multi-domain maneuver and fires within contested spaces. The transition of 3d Marines to 3d MLR is in accordance with Force Design 2030 and one of the first major steps to facilitating a shift as the Marine Corps divests in legacy capabilities and builds a force that is optimized for operations envisioned within the Commandant’s Planning Guidance. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Patrick King) - U.S. Marine Corps Col. Timothy S. Brady Jr and Sgt. Maj. Rodney E. Nevinger, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment commanding officer and sergeant major, unveil the 3d MLR unit colors during the redesignation ceremony of 3d Marines to 3d MLR aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, March 3, 2022. The 3d MLR will serve as a key enabler for joint, allied, and partnered forces, will integrate with naval forces, and will enable multi-domain maneuver and fires within contested spaces. The transition of 3d Marines to 3d MLR is in accordance with Force Design 2030 and one of the first major steps to facilitating a shift as the Marine Corps divests in legacy capabilities and builds a force that is optimized for operations envisioned within the Commandant’s Planning Guidance. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Patrick King)

Kondo was presented the U.S. Armed Forces Meritorious Service Medal for his outstanding initiative to build relationships between the U.S. and JGSDF forces. His efforts resulted in the creation of exercise SHINKA, a reoccurring multi-domain force-on-force exercise that enhances bilateral warfighting tactics, techniques, and procedures. - Retired Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Col. Rikiya Kondo, former commanding officer of Fuji Training Center, JGSDF, poses for a photograph with his wife during an award ceremony on Camp Courtney, Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 6, 2023.