Hanging out with the JGSDF
This picture was taken the day after we
got there. We all gathered out in an open area to meet and show our weapons off
to each other. I am holding a standard Japanese assault rifle. The older guy
next to me is a First Sergeant (much higher than I was), but he was talking to
me in English like we were old buddies. We were surprised at how friendly their
high level NCOs and Officers were to even our Lance Corporals. Japan is a very
rank conscious society, and we were expecting that to carry over, but obviously
it did not.
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