JGSDF and U.S. snipers find something common to aim at

YAKIMA TRAINING CENTER, Wash.- Snipers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 2-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team and 12th Regiment, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force brought the long-ranged thunder to Yakima Training Center, Wash., Sep. 8.

The service members started by zeroing their rifles on top of a building at an urban assault course during Rising Thunder 2016.

Rising Thunder is a part of Pacific Pathways, which is designed to increase interoperability between partner nations.

"The goal for the joint training was so the Japanese can see how U. S Soldiers operate their rifle by shooting from a distance," said Staff Sgt. Brett Smith, sniper platoon leader, 2-1 Inf.

The Japanese snipers observed as U.S. sniper leaders coached Soldiers to hit targets over 900 meters away.

"We have been preparing for this bilateral training for a month, and we are excited to show the Japanese a different way to use a rifle," Smith said.

With weeks of training still to come, the U.S. Soldiers and their Japanese partners will continue to work together and share their skill sets.

"I'm learning everything for the first time, including working with the U. S Soldiers," said Sgt. Yuichi Yuasa a sniper from 12th Regt., JGSDF.

JGSDF and U.S. Soldiers continued to build cohesion with their counterparts throughout the training. Both nation's snipers and observers were able to learn how the other is able to work most effectively as a team.

"This was a great opportunity. I've never shot my rifle off of a building from a distance," Yuasa said.

Yuasa said the new experience has given him a different perspective on what it means to shoot at different distances

Rising Thunder is an annual bilateral exercise between the U. S Army and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. Training between the two nations will continue at the Yama Sakura exercise in Japan this winter.