200430-N-MY922-1082 ARABIAN GULF (April 30, 2020) A reconnaissance Marine, assigned to the Maritime Raid Force, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), participates in a live-fire exercise aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), April 30, 2020. Bataan is the flagship for the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and, with the embarked 26th MEU, is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kaitlin Rowell)