MCAS Iwakuni Receives Schram Community Relations Award

LAS VEGAS - The International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) at its 49th annual convention presented its Dick Schram Memorial Community Relations Award Thursday night to an overseas U.S. Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) in front of nearly 1,000 air show industry professionals attending the event’s closing banquet at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel.

MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, gained recognition for its Friendship Day Air Show, which the U.S. Marine Corps largest annual community relations event in Japan. The event is an important opportunity for the U.S. military to demonstrate its desire to remain good neighbors and facilitate a positive relationship with its host country, its people and government. This year, participation by the Japanese Girl Scouts and Japanese Red Cross elevated the perception of the event and provided attendees a direct opportunity to donate to the Kumamoto earthquake relief efforts.

During the one-day event, over 165,000 people visit the base allowing them to have a look at the facility that is closed to the public 364 days a year. It also provides insight into the strong cooperative relationship between the Marines and the tenant unit of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. Key to the event’s success is the interaction and collaboration with the local Japanese government, the Yamaguchi Prefectural office, the Iwakuni mayor’s office and the local police and fire departments. Local disaster relief and emergency management agencies now work with the base several times throughout the year to improve interoperability.  

The result of the collaboration and planning between the air station and the community is an event viewed as a celebration of cooperation between two countries. 2017 will mark the 41^st Annual MCAS Iwakuni Friendship Day Air Show.

About the Dick Schram Memorial Community Relations Award

The Dick Schram Memorial Community Relations Award is presented each year to the military base which in planning and implementing its air show or air event, not only exhibits traditional community relations as it considers the needs of its civilian neighbors, but sets new standards of excellence in this area by including its community in the planning, execution and rewards of the event.

About the International Council of Air Shows

Headquartered in Leesburg, Va., ICAS was founded in 1968 as a trade and professional association by industry professionals to protect and promote their interests in the growing North American air show marketplace.