SOUTH CHINA SEA (June 7, 2016) – U.S. Marines, assigned to Company Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, conduct an amphibious exercise with service members of the Philippine Marine Corps.The service members participated in a number of classes and exercises with the Marines and Sailors aboard the USS Ashland (LSD 48) in support of exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training. CARAT is a series of annual, bilateral maritime exercises between the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the armed forces of nine partner nations to include Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand and Timor-Leste. The Ashland is assigned to the U.S. 7th Fleet.(U.S. Navy photo by Lance Cpl. Carl King Jr/. Released)