Soldiers from the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force and American Soldiers from Able Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, hold an opening ceremony for their 15-day exercise, "Rising Thunder 18" at the Yakima Training Center, Washington, Au...

American Soldiers from Able Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, along with Soldiers from the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force, stand together in formation during the opening ceremony for Exercise Rising Thunder 18 at the Yakima Training...

Col. Yoshinori Machinaka, Commander of the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force, addresses Soldiers and special guests during the opening ceremony for Exercise Rising Thunder 18 at the Yakima Training Center, Washington, Aug. 31, 2018. Machinaka shared...

Lt. Col. Donald R. Neal Jr., Battalion Commander of 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, addresses Soldiers and special guests during the opening ceremony for Exercise Rising Thunder 18 at the Yakima Training Center, Washington, Aug. 31, 2018. Neal...

Soldiers from the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force and American Soldiers from Able Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, present a salute during the opening ceremony of Exercise Rising Thunder 18 at the Yakima Training Center, Washington,...

American Soldiers from Able Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, along with Soldiers from the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force, stand together in formation during the opening ceremony for Exercise Rising Thunder 18 at the Yakima Training...

Soldiers from the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force and American Soldiers from Able Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, hold an opening ceremony for their 15-day exercise, "Rising Thunder 18" at the Yakima Training Center, Washington, Aug. 31, 2018. This exercise gives both forces an opportunity to help strengthen allied partnerships, develop readiness and train together as a unified team. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Frances Ariele Tejada.)