Col. Marcus Hunter, left, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Japan, shakes hands with a member of the Japan-America Society of Central Kanagawa during a “State Day” event at Camp Zama, Japan, June 20, 2024. Hunter and Command Sgt. Maj. David A. Rio, garrison senior enlisted leader, shared details and food items from their respective home states of Virginia and Indiana as part of the cultural exchange. (Sean Kimmons, U.S. Army Garrison Japan Public Affairs)
CAMP ZAMA, Japan – U.S. Army Garrison Japan leadership shared where they grew up with a cultural exchange group Thursday as part of a “State Day” event at the Camp Zama Community Club.
Several members from the Japan-America Society of Central Kanagawa heard presentations from Col. Marcus Hunter, garrison commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. David A. Rio, garrison senior enlisted leader, about their respective home states of Virginia and Indiana.
Hunter welcomed the visitors to the community club for the event, which included a special dinner, after they toured the installation and had briefings on the U.S. Army Japan and garrison missions.
“I’m so much looking forward to this wonderful food, but most importantly, to be able to share in our wonderful friendship,” he told the group.
The buffet dinner had various dishes and fixings from both states, including Virginia country ham, southern Indiana barbecue pork shoulder, Brunswick stew and sugar cream pie.
Before the food was served, Rio introduced some history and highlights of Indiana to the Japanese audience.
The sergeant major said the state is not only known for its abundant fields of corn, but also for its rich history in basketball and car racing.
He showed photos of famous basketball players raised in Indiana like Larry Bird and Oscar Robertson, and boasted about his alma mater, Indiana University, having five national championships in men’s basketball.
He also had a photo of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and explained its nickname is the “Brickyard” since the track was originally paved with bricks in 1909.
Rio then touched on the mysterious nickname of “Hoosier,” which Indiana residents are often called.
He ran through some theories, including one that posits that Hoosier was originally a regional dialect word for hill people, and another that hill people would yell “who’s yere?” to see if their neighbors over a hill were at their home.
“The truth is nobody really knows what a Hoosier is,” he said, jokingly. “Pick which one you like the best.”
Rio also mentioned the area in southern Indiana, where he and his wife are from, is well known for its limestone quarries.
The quarries produced high-quality rocks that built many iconic buildings, such as the Pentagon, the Lincoln Memorial, the Empire State Building, and the National Cathedral.
And the deep pits that the mining of the rocks left behind have become favorite swimming holes.
“That’s a lot of great rocks,” Rio said. “For people who don’t find basketball, racing or limestone exciting, you can even jump into the limestone quarries once they’re full of water. It’s very exciting.”
In his presentation, Hunter spoke of the friendly rivalry that his home state of Virginia has with Maryland.
While his state’s official slogan is “Virginia is for lovers,” he teased that the one for its northern neighbor is “Maryland is for crabs,” referring to crabby people.
“There’s a healthy competition between Maryland and Virginia, just like two siblings that fight,” he said.
The colonel then noted that Virginia is home to many historical sites. One of them is Jamestown, which became America’s first permanent English settlement in 1607, and which he learned about and visited as a youth.
He said he returned to the site as an adult with his family and also to Yorktown and Colonial Williamsburg, the nation’s largest outdoor educational living museum.
“All throughout your life you have to go back and make pilgrimages to these sites,” he said. “It’s a great tradition.”
Hunter said two of America’s most significant wars also concluded in Virginia.
While the Revolutionary War started in New England, the final battle was won in Yorktown in 1781.
“[This] was amazing because the British had the largest naval fleet at the time, but it was the French and American forces that were able to [set up] a blockade at the mouth of the Chesapeake near Norfolk and successfully lay siege to Yorktown and the British,” he said. “And now today, Norfolk is the largest military port area in the world.”
Then, in 1865, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Court House, signaling the end of the American Civil War.
Hunter also revealed the state was recently named the most patriotic state in a survey by Wallethub, a personal finance website.
The website analyzed data from each state, including its veteran and active-duty military populations and civic engagement.
“Maybe it’s that part of the [state’s] culture that led me to be drawn to military service,” Hunter said.
Following the presentations, the society members and some garrison personnel enjoyed the state-themed feast.
Yasuhiro Kojima, president of the society, which was established in 1978, said the event was one of the best he has ever experienced.
“I have been with this organization for about 44 years,” he said, “and I really feel that today was the most meaningful day.”
Yoko Kizaki, also a longtime member, said she has attended many State Day events and finds them entertaining.
“We are very appreciative for them supporting us,” she said of the U.S. Army community at Camp Zama.
Kizaki said she enjoys learning about American culture and sometimes joins other members at the community club to interact with Americans and show off her country line dancing skills.
“Americans are open-minded, and they are very kind to us and friendly,” she said. “We feel very loved. They accept us and always welcome us.”
Rio said the society provides the Camp Zama community an enduring link to the off-post community.
“We’re continuing that relationship,” he said of Thursday’s event, “and really, it’s an exchange of culture and an exchange of ideas, but most importantly, an exchange of friendship.”
Hunter closed the event by sharing a similar sentiment. He said it provided everyone an opportunity to understand the differences and similarities between both countries.
While growing up in Virginia, for instance, Hunter said he and his family would visit Washington, D.C., to view the cherry blossom trees. He later learned that those trees were gifted by Japan, and the U.S. gave dogwood trees to Japan.
“And so, in that spirit, I truly … thank you all for being able to share in our gifts, to exchange as such and to draw closer together as friends, as nations and as people,” he said. “Thank you so much for being with us.”
