Camp Fuji, Japan- The grey cinder block room was cold and void of all things except two metal chairs. In one sat an insurgent IED maker, in the other an Army interrogator. Slowly the interrogator began to pry fact by fact from the detainee. After a few hours of this intellectual battle, the interrogator sat back in his chair and smiled- the detainee had broken and another piece of the insurgent network puzzle fell in place.
The 441st Military Intelligence Battalion at Camp Zama, Japan, held its semi-annual Field Training Exercise September 9 through September 17 at the Marine Combined Arms Training Center, Camp Fuji Japan. Eighty Battalion personnel from around the Pacific descended on Camp Fuji to participate in the FTX and sharpen their essential tasks for military intelligence Soldiers and civilians.
The Shuriken Battalion established a Tactical Operations Center, secure and unsecure communication systems, and a company Command Post for intelligence operations. Cooks and mechanics came from the 500th Military Intelligence Brigade to support the exercise. Marines from Camp Fuji played the role of insurgents in the mock village established at the Camp Fuji MOUT site. 88th Military Police Battalion Soldiers added to the realism as they played a key role in securing and running a Detainee Holding Facility to interrogate and house detainees. The Unit Ministry Team held a field service during the exercise at the Village.
"This is a good training opportunity for us. We executed intelligence missions and enjoyed some field time with tactical training," said Sgt.Nasr Davis of the 441st MI Bn. "We also met battalion personnel from our outer offices that we don't normally see every day," he said.
The exercise included briefings about the capabilities from each of the Battalion's field and resident offices thought the Pacific. The Battalion also war-gamed an intelligence response to various contingency operations that may occur in the Pacific.
"The exercise gives me a great understanding of what the 441st Military Intelligence Battalion does during wartime operations in the Pacific" said 1st Sgt. Dajuan Groves from the Battalion's 403rd MI Detachment in Misawa.
Along with the training, the unit participated in Camp Fuji's 9/11 remembrance ceremony, enjoyed a barbeque, participated in two Chapel services, held an awards ceremony, and enjoyed great views from the base of Mount Fuji.
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