Marines with Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, sit on a Light Armored Vehicle atop the flight deck aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) during a defense of the amphibious task force drill, underway in the South China Sea, Sept. 27, 2018. During the training, Marines with BLT 2/5 and crewmen with the Wasp rehearsed ship security using a variety of mounted and dismounted small-arms and heavy weapons. As part of the DATF-D, the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group and 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit team assumed a security posture to simulate travelling through potentially dangerous waters. Wasp, flagship of the Wasp ARG, with embarked 31st MEU, is operating in the Indo-Pacific region to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response force for any type of contingency. BLT 2/5 is the Ground Combat Element for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, currently underway aboard the Wasp during a regularly-scheduled patrol of the Indo-Pacific region. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a flexible force ready to perform a wide-range of military operations across the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. E. V. Hagewood/Released)