Spanier participates in Japanese/U.S. exercise Lt. Cmdr. Denise (Becker) Spanier has returned to Minnesota from participation in Exercise AnnualEx 15G. AnnualEx is a combined exercise of joint Japanese and U.S. Naval forces conducted in the Sea of Japan. The focus of AnnualEx is to improve the military-to-military relationships between the United States and Japan. Lt. Cmdr. Spanier was stationed at the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) headquarters in Funakoshi, Japan. During the exercise, Spanier was a staff liaison officer in the Maritime Fleet Coordination Center (MFCC). The MFCC provides a vital link between the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Japan (CNFJ), the JMSDF, and Commander of the Seventh Fleet. Spanier was part of a joint military staff that included 15 U.S. Navy personnel and 15 JMSDF personnel. More than 7,500 U.S. sailors participated in AnnualEx 15G from USS Kittyhawk and Battle Force 7th Fleet. Approximately 80 Japanese ships, 170 aircraft, and 25,000 Japanese Self-Defense Force troops participated as well. Lt. Cmdr. Spanier is a member of the Naval Reserve, Commander U.S. Naval Force Japan Headquarters Unit, stationed at Naval Marine Corps Reserve Center in Minneapolis. She is the daughter of Dennis Becker and a 1988 graduate of Kimball Area High School.
