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Giant cargo plane delivers KC-130J flight simulator to MCAS Futenma
getting them out
U.S. joins four countries for
massive noncombatant evacuation
operation exercise in Thailand
Pg. 9
from Bars to stars
He traded a commission for the enlisted
ranks years ago. As retirement approaches,
Camp Butlers sergeant major looks back.
Pg. 6
relief PreP
31st MEU prepares for
possible humanitarian
ops in Burma
Pg. 3
is at Marine Corps Air Station
Cherry Point, N.C., and the second
is at MCAS Miramar, Calif.
Lance Cpl. Daniel A. Flynn
okinawa

marine

staff
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION
FUTENMA The Russian-built
Antonov An-124, a colossal cargo
aircraft, landed at Marine Corps
Air Station Futenma May 19, de-
livering a KC-130J simulator for
Marine Aerial Refueler Transport
Squadron 152.
With the addition of the simu-
lator, Marine Corps KC-130J pilots
on Okinawa will no longer have to
travel to the states for simulator
training.
This simulator will increase
the units overall readiness, said
Capt. Damian Duhon, aircrew
training officer for VMGR-152.
The training simulator signifi-
cantly reduces the man hours
required on the airplane.
Duhon said that the simula-
tor can be adjusted to enhance
training for pilots by preparing
them for a wide variety of flight
conditions and environmental
factors such as weather, lighting
and geography.
Once pilots become proficient
in the simulator, they will log any-
where between 20 and 30 hours of
simulator time per month.
Duhon said he anticipates the
simulator will be assembled and
ready for use by August.
Transportation of the simula-
tor, built by the Tampa, Fla.-based
CAE USA Inc., to Futenma was
handled by Atlantic Relocations
Systems.
The A n-124 was chosen to
transport the massive simulator
because the 226-foot plane is
equipped with a crane inside the
cargo hold to move heavy loads.
The simulator is the third of
its kind the Marine Corps has
purchased and one of only nine
in the world. The first simulator
purchased by the Marine Corps
Giant cargo plane delivers KC-130J
flight simulator to MCAS Futenma
Civilian contractors with Atlantic Relocations Systems prepare to unload a KC-130J flight simulator from a Russian-built
Antonov An-124 cargo plane at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma May 19. The addition of the simulator means pilots with
Marine Aerial Refueler Squadron 152 wont have to travel to the states for simulator training.
Photos by Lance Cpl. Daniel A. Flynn
The 226-foot An-124, equipped with
a crane in its cargo hold, is one of
the only cargo planes capable of
transporting the simulator.
Lance Cpl. Tyler J. Hlavac
okinawa

marine

staff
CAMP HANSEN In honor of
Capt. Robert Secher, who was
killed in October 2006 dur-
ing Operation Iraqi Freedom,
the Marines of 12th Marine
Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
dedicated Secher Hall, their
fire-support training facility on
Camp Hansen May 16.
The Marines here han-
dled the ceremony in an ex-
cellent and dignified manner,
which really helps, said Elke
Morris, Sechers mother, who
attended the ceremony with
his father, Dr. Herbert Secher.
The Marines have been re-
ally supportive and friendly,
which makes me still feel
like Im part of the Marine
Corps family. Im proud that
this building has his name
on it, but it represents more
than just him. It also repre-
sents the thousands of service
members who have made the
ultimate sacrifice for this
country.
Sechers story of sacrifice
began when he reported to 3rd
Battalion, 12th Marine Regi-
ment, in February 2005 as the
battalions assistant operations
officer. He deployed to Iraq as
a member of Military Transi-
tion Team 11, attached to 1st
Marine Expeditionary Force,
see
SECHER
pg


12th Marine
Regiment
building
named for
captain who
died in iraq
iii marine expeditionary force and marine corps bases japan
may

23, 2008
www
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okinawa marine

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OPInIOn & edITORIAL

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may 23, 200
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fact check

gROOMINg REgULATIONS
Are female Marines allowed to wear nail polish or lipstick
in uniform?
Yes. If worn, nail polish and non-eccentric lipstick, in
shades of red, may be worn with all uniforms. Colored
nail polish will not be worn with the utility uniform.
Fingernails with multiple colors and decorative ornamentation
are prohibited. Nail length will be no longer than 1/4 inch from
the tip of the finger. More information may be found in paragraph
1004.7 of Marine Corps Order P1020.34G, Marine Corps Uniform
Regulations.
Q:
a:
sempertoons
Created by Gunnery Sgt. Charles Wolf
Master Gunnery Sgt. Donald Cherry
I
ride a bike.
I ride a Kawasaki ZX-
12R (a.k.a. 12), and its
an incredible machine!
This bike was my gradua-
tion bike from the Kawasaki ZX-
7R. Its an extremely fast bike,
and I knew that before I decided
to purchase it and even more
so after my first ride during the
break-in period.
Ah, the break-in period this
is the time when you must
restrain yourself from revving
the engine beyond 4,000-rpms
for the first
500 miles and
not exceed
5,000-rpms for the first 1,000
miles. As many riders know,
after this initial period, its all
she wrote, and we often let the
horses run free.
Unfortunately, sometimes its
also all she wrote for many
of our fellow service mem-
bers. Most riders will obey the
manufacturers break-in period
requirements to the letter.
But strangely, these same
riders will not ride to live and
live to ride beyond that initial
break-in period.
For the record, I have been
riding a sport-bike since the
summer of 1999.
Ive witnessed many things in
the motorcycle community, and
Ive heard many unfortunate
stories.
Ive seen a rider on a brand
new bike run off the road and
profess that the bikes brakes
didnt work after the bike blast-
ed through an intersection and
slammed into a tree. This guy
was lucky; he walked away with
a bruised knee and broken ego.
Its my strong opinion that
the main reason most riders get
into trouble is because of one
factor: RIDERS TURN OFF THE
SAFETY!
As most Marines know, it
doesnt matter what you are
doing. When you turn off the
safety, anything can and will
happen. Yes you, the rider, are
the reason why you went down
in most cases.
Every weapon in the Ma-
rine Corps entire arsenal has a
safety switch, and since Marines
are the main factor in operating
our arsenal, we almost always
maintain our own safety switch
in combat.
Why then do we not apply the
same standards to our bikes?
Ive said this before: there is no
reason why you cannot be blessed
with many years of riding.
I once bet a young motorcycle
rider that if he could find the
safety switch on his bike, Id give
him $20. He looked and looked
and could not find the switch.
He tried his best saying, Brakes,
clutch lever, engine kill switch,
etc. But he was incorrect.
Bikes dont come with a safety
switch, and, for what its worth,
cars dont have safety switches
either. Sure, both bikes and cars
have tons of electronic gadgets
such as airbags, anti-lock brak-
ing systems and dynamic stabil-
ity control systems to help keep
us safe, but rest assured there
are many junk yards full of cars
that have all of these safety fea-
tures, and theyre all just heaps
of metal now.
It took me more than eight
years to decide to purchase a
riding jacket. Why? Its because
I observed many riders going
down wearing those leather clad
riding jackets, and I was afraid
that I would put too much artifi-
cial confidence in my riding if I
wore a similar jacket.
I dont know if those who
have crashed, burned and man-
aged to get back up feel like they
are invincible just because they
had on a riding jacket. A riding
jacket will not stop legs, necks
and backs from breaking.
Youll be just as busted up
coming off your bike after hit-
ting a fire hydrant with or with-
out a riding jacket. This is not to
say dont wear a riding jacket.
What I am saying is put your
faith in riding safe and not in
the gear you have on. If you go
down, you wont be fine because
you have on a $200 leather rid-
ing jacket.
These are the facts. If you ride
a bike, someone will cut you off
in traffic, sooner or later.
It has happened to me and
it will happen to me again, Im
expecting it.
Gravel and rocks are silently
waiting for riders to make a
right or left turn, and well be
slammed to the pavement after
losing tire grip and our knees
will be smashed like grapes.
Tree leaves on the pavement
in the fall are more slippery
than a wet street, and they too
will take so