Day 12- INDEX (End-exercise)

Today we ended our exercise at around 8am.  We had a running pool on when the exercise would end and as it happens, I won.  In fact I guessed the date and time to the minute.  I'm a bit bummed because this means that we need to pick up leave.  Tomorrow we all load up on buses and go to our home stations.  The experience here is one that I will look back favorably and remember all of the soldiers that I worked with.
The only thing that hasn't changed is the stupid stuff we need to do to clear an installation.  Once we picked up our equipment and cleaned up our tent we were allowed to go off post.  I quickly made it back to my tent and changed into my civilian clothes.  I was looking forward to see more of Japan, at least in a 100 KM radius.  Leaving by 10am today would allow me to really get a quick tour of the area.  But, it always gets messed up when it comes to army "tours."  One bad apple spoils the lot.  I met up with my buddies and we headed out to the CQ to sign out of post.  Unfortunately, we waited and waited and waited with no word on when we could leave base.  BUMMER!!!!
It's 17:49 hours right now and we still are locked down.Which means I've been waiting for 7 plus hours with no indication of when we can have some small liberty.  I'm suspicious that we are locked down because the active duty bubbas don't want to risk having 4,000 plus guardsmen go into town and cause an international issue.  Unfortunately, we've had a couple of "incidents" already but I'm not sure if they were guard soldiers or if they were active soldiers.  In any case, I'm pissed that we can't leave this post.
Earlier today, I was able to exchange gifts with some of the Japanese Defense Army soldiers and tonight there is a bilateral social/dinner. I'm taking more gifts just in case.
Tomorrow we load up and I won't be able to blog for at least a couple of days.
This has been an awesome, once in a lifetime experience for a national guard soldier from Kansas.  I'm proud to have represented The Kansas National Guard and The US Army in this exercise.  I will take back many memories of a country I only read about.

This is Major Bob Arteaga, signing off from Yama Sakura 59.

Day 11 - Cruise Control

Our exercise is coming to an end and the friendships we have made will definitely last for quite awhile.  I've updated earlier posts with some photos that I've been wanting to upload.  I have more and I will try to make another page with more pictures.
Continuing on for today... Both Armies have adjusted well and are integrated professionally.  These guys really know their stuff. I've noticed that the Japanese Army pays attention to every detail.  You can see it everywhere you go, starting with the environment.  I've already talked about how the Japanese as a whole are into recycling because its a necessity. The culture here has a "low impact" to nature concept.  Take a look at the pictures below.

The above picture shows me in front of a WWII hanger.  Notice the bonsai sculptured plants.  These things are everywhere.

I complimented one of the soldiers I work with about the beautiful gardens that are here on post.  He then tells me that there is an MOS (military occupational specialty) in the Japanese Army for horticulture.  Well, that makes sense.  It would take an army to keep all of this up! 

Another level of detail is how the tents that we live and work in are set up.  First of all, there are colored guide wires that line up each tent row and column.  Then there are wooden planks (more like path ways or side walks) that wind in 90 degree turns and are perfectly matched. I'm assuming that these are constructed to keep the dust and dirt from entering the tent.  Yes, Duane, tents.  Oh, and did I mention earlier that its COLD here! 

See ya'll soon!

Day 10 - All The Cylinders Are Pumping

Wow, it's hard to believe that I'm just about done with this exercise.  The division staff is well established and I'm clicking along with the rest of the staff.  My briefing skills have caught up with my translator now and I've learned how to stop in logical steps.  I've also learned a new TTP (technique, tactics, and procedure) on briefing with an interpretor. You write out what you are going to say and then give it to your interpretor.  Works like a charm!  I'm now in a rhythm with the briefs.  The section that I'm a part of has gotten in a groove and we are moving along nicely.  If I didn't know it, I'd say we look like we do this all of the time.  

The Japanese Army counterparts have also gotten use to some of our habits.  We had a real good brainstorming session with the Japanese Army and got through our meeting on time.

I have learned so much from the Japanese Army that it's hard to put in words.  These guys make a plan and stick to it.  They also get really hung up if our slides don't match exactly.  Also, we, the US Army, put up a slide and then brief items that are not necessarily on the slide.  The Japanese Soldiers read every bullet of the slide and get upset with us when we deviate from our slide.  Our cultural norms are such that we have short attention spans and need quick sound bites.  The Japanese Army works on chains of thought and reason.  So, they don't necessarily like to spin off topic.  At least this is how I perceive them.