U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Bill Wischmeyer, third from right, the executive officer of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, speaks with Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Maj. Gen. Hiroaki Kawamoto, the deputy chief of staff of operations for the Western Army, at San Clemente Island, Calif., Feb. 13, 2014, during exercise Iron Fist 2014. Iron Fist is a three-week bilateral training event held annually between the U.S. Marine Corps and the JGSDF designed to increase interoperability between the two services while aiding the Japanese in their continued development of amphibious capabilities.