Study Tours(domestic)

It is important for students to understand the characteristics, equipment, operational environment and circumstances of each service.
The course student officers visit the places shown on this screen and have opportunities to see the real situation of each unit, and to discuss with unit’s commanders and staff officers of major commands.

On April 6th, the students of the 18th Joint Advanced Course visited Camp Zama. This field study’s purpose is to understand the current situations and issues of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s Central Readiness Force (CRF) and the U.S. Army Japan (USARJ).
   In the morning, they first visited the Yokohama North Dock at Yokohama Port to observe Army Field Support Battalion - Northeast Asia and the U.S. Army’s 836th Transportation Battalion. Then, they received command briefings on the unit deployment support and terminal services, and had a tour of LCU-2000 class landing craft.
   After moving to Camp Zama, they received command briefings on the USARJ Command, and were given detailed answers to their many questions by Major General Boozer, Commander of USARJ. Thanks to that, the students could understand the role of USARJ, and make sure the U.S.'s strong will to strengthen the U.S. - Japan alliance through exercises more than ever.
   At the Central Readiness Force (CRF) HQs, my students newly recognized various issues by listening to direct explanation by Director of Plans and Operations department and to the address on problems involved in CRF by Lieutenant General Hiromichi Kawamata , Commanding General.

Army Field Support Battalion - Northeast Asia tour	Landing craft tour
U.S. Army’s 836th Transportation Battalion tour	Address by Commanding    General of Central Readiness Force

The 17th class of Joint Advanced Course (#17 JAC) visited Western Japan for a filed study from January 19th to 22nd with the purpose to understand the current situation and characteristics of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) units present in the Kyushu area and also the vital area of strategy.
   The #17 JAC students visited the JGSDF Western Army on Day 1, the JMSDF Sasebo District and the U.S. Seventh Fleet Amphibious Force on Day 2, the JGSDF Kyushu Logistics Depot and the JGSDF 3rd Anti-Tank Helicopter Unit after flying over the JSDF units present in the Tsushima Island by helicopter on Day 3, and the JASDF Western Air Defense Force and other major units of the JASDF 1st Tactical Airlift Group on Day 4.
   The students studiously listened to many leadership addresses given in each site by LTG Bansho, Commanding General of the Western Army, VADM Ikeda, Commandant of the Sasebo District, and Lt Gen Marumo, Commander of the Western Air Defense Force, on the topics such as the current situation of joint service operation among the JSDF units in Kyushu, and the senior officers’ mental attitude, in addition to each command brief and explanation about the latest equipment.

Address by the JGSDF Western Army Commanding General	Static display of a SSM
Address by the JMSDF Sasebo District Commandant	Tour of the JS Akizuki
Briefing by the Amphibious Force Commander	Flight over the Tsushima Island
Static display of an anti-tank helicopter	Address by the JASDF Western Air Defense Force Commander

The 17th class of Joint Advanced Course (#17 JAC) visited Okinawa and the neighbor vital area of defense for a field study from 8th to 12th of December with the purpose to understand the current situations and characteristics of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) and the U.S. Forces in Okinawa.
   The field study included visits to the 5th Air Defense Missile Group of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) on December 8th, to the JASDF Southwestern Composite Air Division (SCAD) Headquarters, the Fleet Air Wing 5 (FAW 5) of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the 15th Brigade of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) on the 9th, and to the U.S. III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) and the JASDF 83rd Air Wing on the 10th, at all of which the students received briefings and equipment tours.
   Lt Gen Sugiyama, the then Commander of JASDF SCAD, RADM Hatano, the Commander of JMSDF FAW 5, and MG Agario, the Commander of JGSDF 15th Brigade talked about the current situation in Okinawa and local characteristics, including having Q&A sessions. Lt Gen Wissler, the III MEF Commanding General, explained about the joint operation of the U.S. Forces for our students.
   On the 10th and 11th, the group flew above the Okinawa island and Sakishima islands to check the situation. On the 12th, they transferred at Hamamatsu Air Base on the way back and visited the JASDF Airborne Early Warning Group, where they received a command brief and equipment tour.

Address by Lt Gen Sugiyama	Group photo with LTG Wissler
JASDF 83rd Air Wing	JASDF Airborne Early Warning Group

The 17th class of Joint Advanced Course (#17 JAC) visited Atsugi for a filed study on 3rd of December with the purpose to understand the current situation and characteristic of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Fleet Air Force.
   The field study included the address by Commander of Fleet Air Force, the command brief by a senior staff officer of the headquarters, and the tour to a new type of JMSDF patrol aircraft P-1.
   The students also visited the U.S. Navy Carrier Air Wing Five based at Atsugi, were briefed about the unit by CAG, Captain William S. Koyama and had the apron tour.
   Questions and answers were so actively exchanged at every site, that the students could understand the role of JMSDF Fleet Air Force headquarters as a force-provider in supporting the operations of Self Defense Fleet headquarters, as well as the current situation of JMSDF Fleet Air Forces. They could also develop their insights on the U.S. Navy’s organizational formation and operation of the CVW, which remains the core of U.S. Navy’s striking strength.

Address by Commander of Fleet Air Force	Tour to the JMSDF patrol aircraft P-1
Command brief about U.S. Navy Carrier Air Wing Five	Tour to the U.S. Navy carrier-based aircraft

The 17th class of Joint Advanced Course (#17 JAC) visited Yokosuka for a field study on 27th and 28th of November with the purpose to understand the current situations and characteristics of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and U.S. Naval Forces Japan in Yokosuka.
   The filed study included the addresses by Commander in Chief of Self Defense Fleet and Commandant of Yokosuka District, the command briefs by senior staff officers of such headquarters as Self Defense Fleet, Fleet Escort Force, Fleet Submarine Force and Yokosuka District, and ship tours to the JS “Kirishima” and a submarine.
   During their visit to U.S. Naval Forces Japan in Yokosuka, the students had the opportunity to tour the USS George Washington, and the CTF70 Chief of Staff, Captain Nelson P. Hildreth, briefed them about a Carrier Strike Group.
   Questions and answers were so actively exchanged at every site, that the students could deepen their understanding on maritime operations from the joint operational perspective, which is quite hard to understand in classroom lectures, and they could also develop their views on the reality of interoperability between the U.S. and Japan, throughout the whole tour to Yokosuka, where both countries’ maritime major commands and key units are concentrated.

Address by Commander in Chief of JMSDF Self Defense Fleet	Courtesy call on Commandant of JMSDF Yokosuka District
Tour to the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier	Visit to the U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Group FIVE