U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Alexis Medina, an expeditionary fuel technician with Marine Wing Support Squadron 174, refuels a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter as part of forward arming and refueling point operations alongside Philippine Marines, with Marine Battalion Landing Team 10, and U.S. Army soldiers during Balikatan 24 in Basco, Batanes Province, Philippines, April 30, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. The Black Hawk helicopter is with the 225th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jennifer Andrade) - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Alexis Medina, an expeditionary fuel technician with Marine Wing Support Squadron 174, refuels a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter as part of forward arming and refueling point operations alongside Philippine Marines, with Marine Battalion Landing Team 10, and U.S. Army soldiers during Balikatan 24 in Basco, Batanes Province, Philippines, April 30, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. The Black Hawk helicopter is with the 225th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jennifer Andrade)

U.S. Airmen assigned to the 13th Fighter Wing conduct preflight checks on a F-16 Fighting Falcon before a maritime strike during Exercise Balikatan 24 at Basa Air Base, Philippines May 8, 2024. Armed Forces of the Philippines, U.S. and Australian military forces integrate land, sea and air platforms to simultaneously sense, target, strike and destroy a decommissioned ship off the western coast of Northern Luzon. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Chan) - U.S. Airmen assigned to the 13th Fighter Wing conduct preflight checks on a F-16 Fighting Falcon before a maritime strike during Exercise Balikatan 24 at Basa Air Base, Philippines May 8, 2024. Armed Forces of the Philippines, U.S. and Australian military forces integrate land, sea and air platforms to simultaneously sense, target, strike and destroy a decommissioned ship off the western coast of Northern Luzon. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Chan)

A Philippine Marine conducts a rehearsal with a M101 105mm Howitzer prior to a live-fire training event during Exercise Balikatan 24 at Rizal, Luzon, Philippines, May 2, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Chan) - A Philippine Marine conducts a rehearsal with a M101 105mm Howitzer prior to a live-fire training event during Exercise Balikatan 24 at Rizal, Luzon, Philippines, May 2, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Chan)

U.S. Marines with 3rd Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, fire Javelin shoulder-fired anti-tank missiles as part of a counter landing live-fire exercise during Balikatan 24 at La Paz Sand Dunes, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, May 6, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Eric Huynh) - U.S. Marines with 3rd Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, fire Javelin shoulder-fired anti-tank missiles as part of a counter landing live-fire exercise during Balikatan 24 at La Paz Sand Dunes, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, May 6, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Eric Huynh)

A U.S. Marine Corps amphibious combat vehicle attached to Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, splashes off the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) during Exercise Balikatan 24 in Naval Detachment Oyster Bay, Palawan, Philippines, May 4, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Peyton Kahle) - A U.S. Marine Corps amphibious combat vehicle attached to Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, splashes off the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) during Exercise Balikatan 24 in Naval Detachment Oyster Bay, Palawan, Philippines, May 4, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Peyton Kahle)

U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to 3rd Platoon, Alpha Battery, 1st Long Range Fires Battalion, 1st Multi-Domain Task Force fire an M142 High Mobility Rocket System during Exercise Balikatan 24 at Rizal, Philippines, May 2, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Chan) - U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to 3rd Platoon, Alpha Battery, 1st Long Range Fires Battalion, 1st Multi-Domain Task Force fire an M142 High Mobility Rocket System during Exercise Balikatan 24 at Rizal, Philippines, May 2, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Chan)

Armed Forces of the Philippines Spokesperson Col. Francel Padilla-Taborlupa, speaks on the topic of civil affairs’ role in national defense matters during a Civil-Military Operations subject matter expert exchange as part of Exercise Balikatan 24 at Camp Aguinaldo, Manila, Philippines, April 29, 2024. AFP and U.S. CMO specialists joined together to share the best civil affairs practices and their experiences when military forces were called to support civilian populations during the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and refugee crises. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Pedro Tenorio) - Armed Forces of the Philippines Spokesperson Col. Francel Padilla-Taborlupa, speaks on the topic of civil affairs’ role in national defense matters during a Civil-Military Operations subject matter expert exchange as part of Exercise Balikatan 24 at Camp Aguinaldo, Manila, Philippines, April 29, 2024. AFP and U.S. CMO specialists joined together to share the best civil affairs practices and their experiences when military forces were called to support civilian populations during the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and refugee crises. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Pedro Tenorio)

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Tyrone Barrion, a force engineer with I Marine Expeditionary Force, poses for a photograph at the conclusion of a groundbreaking ceremony at Alannay Elementary School prior to the commencement of Exercise Balikatan 24 in Cagayan, Philippines, March 26, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. Barrion is a native of California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Trent A. Henry) - U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Tyrone Barrion, a force engineer with I Marine Expeditionary Force, poses for a photograph at the conclusion of a groundbreaking ceremony at Alannay Elementary School prior to the commencement of Exercise Balikatan 24 in Cagayan, Philippines, March 26, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. Barrion is a native of California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Trent A. Henry)

U.S. Marines and Sailors with Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3 offload from a C-40A assigned to Marine Transport Squadron 1, Marine Aircraft Group 41, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Forces Reserve, in preparation for a humanitarian aid and disaster relief exercise at Jacksons International Airport, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, April 30, 2024. The HADR exercise will be conducted in coordination with the Papua New Guinea Defense Force and U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby, with a focus on projecting select Role II medical, logistics, and Marine Air-Ground Task Force command and control capabilities off-continent, to validate HADR training and readiness. MRF-D 24.3 remains committed to maintaining readiness and fostering partnerships to ensure a swift and effective response to humanitarian crises wherever and whenever they may occur. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Juan Torres) - U.S. Marines and Sailors with Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3 offload from a C-40A assigned to Marine Transport Squadron 1, Marine Aircraft Group 41, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Forces Reserve, in preparation for a humanitarian aid and disaster relief exercise at Jacksons International Airport, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, April 30, 2024. The HADR exercise will be conducted in coordination with the Papua New Guinea Defense Force and U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby, with a focus on projecting select Role II medical, logistics, and Marine Air-Ground Task Force command and control capabilities off-continent, to validate HADR training and readiness. MRF-D 24.3 remains committed to maintaining readiness and fostering partnerships to ensure a swift and effective response to humanitarian crises wherever and whenever they may occur. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Juan Torres)

U.S. Marine Corps Master Sgt. Philip Anacta, the camp chief of Joint Task Force Headquarters for Exercise Balikatan 24, poses for a photo during an interview in Taguig, Philippines, April 25, 2024. Anacta was interviewed to share his story of growing up in the Philippines and being able to return for the exercise for the 5th time. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. Anacta is a native of Taguig, Philippines. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Cameron Hermanet) - U.S. Marine Corps Master Sgt. Philip Anacta, the camp chief of Joint Task Force Headquarters for Exercise Balikatan 24, poses for a photo during an interview in Taguig, Philippines, April 25, 2024. Anacta was interviewed to share his story of growing up in the Philippines and being able to return for the exercise for the 5th time. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. Anacta is a native of Taguig, Philippines. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Cameron Hermanet)