PHILIPPINE SEA (June 10, 2024) Lt. David Escalera, from Davidsonville, Maryland, stands watch in the combat information center (CIC) aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) during a training exercise in support of Valiant Shield 2024. Exercises such as Valiant Shield allow the Indo-Pacific Command Joint Forces the opportunity to integrate forces from all branches of service and with our allies to conduct precise, lethal, and overwhelming multi-axis, multi-domain effects that demonstrate the strength and versatility of the Joint Force and our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Hannah Fry)