Palm trees and tall grasses bend and sway in the near-constant breeze, which offers a welcome respite from the balmy temperatures and humidity inherent to the Northern Mariana Islands. The scene is tropical, beautiful, and could be described as peaceful were it not for the sporadic sound of simulated gunfire echoing through the nearby jungle.
Approximately 60 U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, Koku Jieitai (Japan Air Self-Defense Force), and Royal Australian Air Force security forces personnel participated in Pacific Defender 20-1 at the Pacific Regional Training Center near Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Feb. 9-14.
