U.S., Japan service members come together for Keen Edge 2012

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katrina R. Menchaca
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  U.S. service members stationed in Japan and other locations around the world joined their Japanese counterparts to take part in the first bilateral exercise for 2012, here on Jan. 23.

The command post exercise known as Keen Edge 2012 ran until Jan. 27 and was designed to increase combat readiness and interoperability of U.S. forces and Japan Self-Defense Forces. Command post exercises are a cost-effective way of providing military participants with realistic and unobtrusive training in a simulated crisis.

"The overall training objective is the interoperability between the two forces," said U.S. Navy Cmdr. Tim Curry, U.S. Forces, Japan, deputy director of operations. "For both staffs, we know what our operating shortfalls are, and we exercise so that we can detect and fix them."

Keen Edge is part of an annual exercise series that alternates between field training exercises, called Keen Sword, and command post exercises.

"The U.S.-Japan cooperation is not just a slogan or an image," said a Japan Self-Defense Force service member participating in the exercise. "Each participant understands the importance of the exercise. Although there are more challenges to overcome, as true tomodachi (friends), this type of exercise allows us to work on [the challenges] together with the U.S. military."

Hundreds of U.S. personnel participated at locations throughout Japan and Hawaii, but the primary operating locations were at USFJ headquarters, here, and the headquarters of 13th Air Force at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

A computer-based system called the Joint-Theater-Level Simulation system is used by participants to direct and respond to exercise events. This system helps provide a realistic environment from which commanders and staffs improve their skills by anticipating and reacting in real time to events generated by computer simulation.

While preparing for Keen Edge, Curry reflected on the importance of the exercises to the continued success of the U.S. and Japanese forces, particularly during emergencies like the 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan last spring.

"I would say an important thing we got out of Operation Tomodachi is that it validated our prior coordination and commitment," said Curry. "I think it's important for folks to understand that exercises like Keen Edge are exactly what are needed by both militaries for the future of contingency in crisis."