Posted on 10/23/2007 7:52:16 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — The Okinawa City Council lodged a protest resolution Monday against parachute training held last week on Kadena Air Base.
On Friday, nine members of the 31st Rescue Squadron, a pararescue group, jumped from an MC-130 over the Kadena air field. Seven of the nine landed on target, with two landing close to the field, one of them in a small tree.
The Okinawa City officials said such training on Kadena Air Base was “unacceptable.”
“According to the military, although parachute jump training is basically to be held at Ie-Shima, in exceptional cases such as inclement weather, it will be held on Kadena Air Base,” the resolution said. “(However,) following the training, the deputy commander of the 31st Rescue Squadron said training on Kadena was more effective than it is at the Ie-Shima Auxiliary Airfield and that the use of the air base was important.
“From his comment, it is obvious that training on Kadena Air Base will become routine, which is unacceptable.”
The resolution was sent to the U.S. Ambassador to Japan, the Commander of U.S. Forces Japan, the American Consulate General in Naha, the area coordinator of the U.S. military on Okinawa and the commander of the 18th Wing. A spokesman at the 18th Wing public affairs office said they wouldn’t be able to immediately comment on the specifics of the resolution.
On Friday, before the jump training occurred, Air Force Capt. Charles Bris-Bois, the director of operations for the 31st Rescue Squadron, was asked by a local Japanese reporter if jump training on Kadena was “more effective.” Bris-Bois said that conducting jumps at Kadena, although rare, is more convenient to plan and execute. He immediately clarified that his unit would rather jump at Ie-Shima because they can do a wider variety of training there.
I imagine they would’ve been very receptive to us redeploying there.
Would they prefer Chinese parachutes? I hear they are still itching for pay-back.
Hey Nips! You lost the war. We’re friends now, anyway. So, get to work on your moon launch. I’ll be ready to congratulate you when you get there before the Chinese. Banzai!
In the meantime, what problem is a few parachutists? How do I tell you to “chill out” in Japanese?
You do not have the permissions!
It would have be nice if this article had shed just a bit more light on what is unacceptable about parachuting at Kadena.
Just guessing; it is probably that the Okinawa natives do not want the Americans on Okinawa. The parachutes is just the latest vehicle for venting their anger.
Sometimes I think we should just bring all of the troops home from England, Germany and Japan. Let them supply their own defense.
I wonder how much they will complain when those same pararescue jumpers defy the weather to save Okinawan lives in the aftermath of some cataclismic future event?
As Judge Judy says, “Beauty fades, dumb is forever”!
Instead of parachutists, you prefer they drop an H-bomb, I suppose.
Just leave Japan and set up bases on some of the pacific islands.
IIRC, I went thru both parachute trng and Low Pressure school on Okinawa. That was many cerveza’s ago, 1968.
Would they be more receptive to “bombing run” training? We could find out.
great photo man . Who are these folks?
United States Air Force Pararescue Jumpers. Different unit, but the guys the article is complaining about jumped on the base. :)
Is there a word for “blow it out your ass” in Hirigana or Katakana?
Dear City Council:
Thank you for your input. Now, is the next stick ready to go?
Bulldawg (Aiborne) Fan
All OUR bases are belong to us.
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