Red Bulls participate in Japan’s high profile Yama Sakura exercise
The 30th Annual Yama Sakura Command Post Exercise was officially kicked off Jan. 30 at Camp Itami Osaka, Japan. The event highlighted the continued partnership between the U.S. and Japanese militaries. Lt. Gen. Francis Wiercinski, commander of United States Army Pacific, and Lt. Gen. Ryuichiro Arakawa, Middle Army Commander of the Japan Ground Self Defense Force, spoke to a formation of nearly a thousand U.S. and Japanese service members. The commander of the 34th Red Bull Infantry Division, Maj. Gen. David Elicerio, held a prominent position in the ceremony, as did Brig. Gen. Kevin Gerdes, deputy commander, 34th Infantry Division. A large contingent of the 100 Red Bulls serving at Yama Sakura stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Soldiers from across the U.S. Army and were flanked by their Japanese counterparts.
Yama Sakura is an annual, bilateral exercise with the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) and the U.S. military. Yama Sakura 61 is a U.S. Army simulation-driven joint-bilateral command post exercise. This year’s iteration, at Camp Itami, Japan, takes place from Jan. 23 to Feb. 5, 2011 and is the 30th iteration of the Japan-based exercise series. The exercise is designed to enhance American and Japanese combat readiness and interoperability while strengthening bilateral relationships and demonstrates U.S. resolve to support the security interests of friends and allies in the region. U.S. military members and JGSDF members exchange ideas, tactics, techniques and military experiences during Yama Sakura.
