CAMP COURTNEY, OKINAWA, Japan — The III Marine Expeditionary Pressure (MEF) Commanding General, Lt. Gen. James W. Bierman, provided the U.S. Army Meritorious Solution Medal to retired Col. Rikiya Kondo with the Japan Ground Protection Pressure (JGSDF), Jan. 6, 2023.
The Meritorious Solution Medal is an individual honor provided to solution participants that execute their tasks in a differentiated, impressive fashion, which Kondo achieved while functioning as the commander of Fuji Training Facility, JGSDF, from September 2020 till June 2022.
“Under Colonel Kondo’s management, numerous Militaries and also JGSDF soldiers have actually taken part in practical training, reciprocal Specialist Armed forces Education and learning, and also shared social occasions,” specified U.S. Marine Corps Col. Robert Bodisch, that functioned as the CATC Camp Fuji regulating policeman from June 2020 to Might 2022.
Quickly after being appointed to the Fuji Training Facility, Kondo observed that although the facility was developed twenty years previously, the soldiers had actually never ever performed training with the U.S. Marine Corps. Kondo took the campaign of speaking to Marine management at Consolidated Arms Educating Facility (CATC ) Camp Fuji and also asked for a conference in between the JGSDF and also U.S. pressures. By developing this conference, Kondo enabled workers from CATC Camp Fuji and also organizers from III MEF to start reciprocal training assimilation for the very first time in the 69 years of Camp Fuji’s presence.
After the preliminary conference, Kondo had the passion of the Marine Corps management and also started dealing with the very first version of a force-on-force workout in between a Marine Corps infantry squadron and also the JGSDF’s Resistance Pressure Squadron. The objective of the workout was to totally incorporate III MEF, Marine Corps Installations Pacific, and also CATC Camp Fuji’s goal objectives.
Assimilation in between the pressures was formally authorized and also approved in 2021, when Kondo invested 5 months functioning straight with III MEF and also fourth Marine Routine Planners at Camp Fuji, Fuji Training Facility, and also Camp Schwab, Okinawa. Kondo was the very first FTC regulating policeman to ever before check out a Marine Corps base upon the island of Okinawa, showing the U.S.-Japan partnership was enhancing substantially.
“Col. Kondo predicted a character of self-confidence and also resolution in satisfying all III MEF preferred training goals for advertising the partnership and also improving reciprocal warfighting strategies, strategies, and also treatments,” stated Bodisch.
Once the preparation stage was total, Kondo revealed that the force-on-force workout would certainly be called “SHINKA,” which equates to “considerably boosting.” A logo design was produced by Militaries and also consisted of the USMC eagle, Mount Fuji, and also Takeda Shingen, one of the most well-known Japanese samurai of the Kanto Level where Camp Fuji lies. These aspects were utilized to reveal items of both the Marine Corps and also Japanese pressures’ importance in the workout, along with Kondo’s dedication to improving reciprocal connections and also skillsets of both pressures.
The workout was slated for June 2021 with Militaries from second Squadron, second Marine Routine, and also JGSDF Resistance Pressure Squadron soldiers. Throughout the workout, regulating generals from 3d Marine Department and also MCIPAC, the Commander of Fuji College, the Commander of Intel College, and also the previous Principal of Personnel of the JGSDF and also existing National Safety and security Consultant to the Head of state, observed the training performed from both pressures. By having elderly management existing at the workout, Kondo had the ability to display just how Camp Fuji can be utilized effectively as a reciprocal training location.
Throughout the after-action part of SHINKA 21, U.S. Marine Corps Col. Matthew Tracy, previous commander of fourth Marine Routine, 3d Marine Department, mentioned the performance of the workout. “This has actually been one of the most considerable and also efficient training that any one of my squadrons have actually obtained throughout my time in command in Japan,” stated Tracy.
SHINKA 21 was so effective that it has actually come to be a persisting multi-domain force-on-force Workout with systems that revolve under 3d Marine Department, developing a training connection in between Marine Corps management and also the JGSDF.
“Col. Kondo is a warrior with vision that showed ruthless resolution to develop and also grow reciprocal training that rapidly and also continually adjusted to today’s tactical landscape,” stated Bodisch. “His consistent and also determined commitment to Japanese Soldiers and also USA Militaries have actually made sustaining influences to the partnership’s lethality and also battle preparedness. He was genuinely among one of the most impactful JGSDF leaders over the previous number of years and also it was my utmost advantage to collaborate with such a warrior.”
