190313-M-RP664-1211 GULF OF OMAN (March 13, 2019) Boatswain’s Mates converse after a landing craft, air cushion departs the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) with cargo from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit during a training exercise. Kearsarge is the flagship for the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and, with the embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, 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. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Aaron Henson/Released)