U.S. Army Lt. Col. Douglas Walter, commander, 5th Battalion,

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Douglas Walter, commander, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, awards members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force certificates of training for completing sniper training at Yakima Training Center, Wash., Sept. 18. The training was part of Operation Rising Thunder, a Joint U.S. and Japanese exercise that aims to strengthen combat readiness of the two allies in the Pacific region. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. James J. Bunn, 17th Public Affairs Detachment/Released)