U.S. Forces and Allied Partners Strengthen Cooperation During CDDAR Exercise

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U.S. Forces and Allied Partners Strengthen Cooperation During CDDAR Exercise

IWAKUNI, JAPAN

07.14.2026

Story by Lance Cpl. David Getz 

1st Marine Aircraft Wing    

U.S. Forces and Allied Partners Strengthen Cooperation During CDDAR Exercise
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan — For Marine Corps reservists, balancing civilian careers with military service can be challenging. From July 1 to July 5, one Marine from Marine Wing Support Squadron 472 participated in a Crash Damaged or Disabled Aircraft Recovery (CDDAR) exercise in Japan while augmenting MWSS-171. They had the opportunity to train alongside the active-duty service members and international partners to sharpen lifesaving skills while contributing to a larger mission. Across 11 separate rotations of Marines, MWSS-472 will train and learn from their active-duty counterparts while in Japan to increase air ground support capacity and overall mission readiness.

“Being able to come out here and train with active-duty U.S. Marines and partner nations has been a great experience,” said Cpl. Addison Calsetta, an operations chief with MWSS-472, Marine Aircraft Group 49, 4th Marine Air Wing, and a native of Connecticut

Throughout the exercise, reservists worked side-by-side with active-duty Marines in simulated disaster response scenarios designed to test communication, coordination, and interoperability. The training focused on how military units can rapidly respond to aircraft crashes that may be life threatening

For Calsetta, the experience offered insight into how the Marine Corps operates across the Indo-Pacific and highlighted the importance of maintaining strong partnerships with our allies

“The most valuable lesson has definitely been learning how to integrate with active duty and other countries,” said Calsetta. “Throughout the exercise, I learned from them, saw what they know, saw what I know, and we came back to each other to come up with a game plan.”

The integration of reserve and active-duty forces is a key component of the Marine Corps’ total force concept, ensuring Marines can seamlessly work together when called upon, regardless of if they’re full time or part time.
As the exercise progressed, service members from multiple nations worked together to overcome language barriers, share best practices, and build professional relationships that could prove critical during a real-world crisis

“Being able to come out here and train with active-duty Marines and partner nations has been a great experience,” said Calsetta. “We all come from different backgrounds and units, but once we’re working together, everyone has the same goal.”

This rotation is the first time MWSS-472 has integrated with MWSS-171. Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. MAG-12’s counterpart in Okinawa, Japan, MAG-36, has provided the framework on how to support their active-duty counterpart. MWSS-471 has augmented MWSS-172 for several years before MWSS-472 has had the opportunity to train overseas. These rotations showcase 4th MAW’s capability to generate and integrate combat-credible aviation forces with the active-duty component, joint and allied partners, while communicating our role, outcomes, and successful contributions to build service level trust and capabilities.

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