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CORAL SEA (Aug. 2, 2025) Sailors assigned to the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) and U.S. Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) stand in formation for a photo commemorating 250 years of naval service, while conducting operations in the Coral Sea, Aug. 2. The America, lead ship of the America Amphibious Ready Group, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo illustration by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Sam McNeely) - CORAL SEA (Aug. 2, 2025) Sailors assigned to the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) and U.S. Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) stand in formation for a photo commemorating 250 years of naval service, while conducting operations in the Coral Sea, Aug. 2. The America, lead ship of the America Amphibious Ready Group, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo illustration by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Sam McNeely)

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Steele Armstrong, a satellite transmissions systems operator, and U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jaden Coleman, a transmission systems operator, both with MarineWing Communications Squadron 18, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing,set up a radio call during the inaugural Thunderstruck Communications Competition, hosted byMWCS-38, MACG-38, 3rd MAW, at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Sept. 10,2025 - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Steele Armstrong, a satellite transmissions systems operator, and U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jaden Coleman, a transmission systems operator, both with Marine Wing Communications Squadron 18, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, set up a radio call during the inaugural Thunderstruck Communications Competition, hosted by MWCS-38, MACG-38, 3rd MAW, at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Sept. 10, 2025. Thunderstruck is a service-wide competition dedicated to communications Marines, showcasing the increasing importance of resilient command and control in distributed operations. The six-mile course integrated high frequency radio, Mobile User Objective System satellite communications, and data networking tasks under expeditionary conditions, testing the tactical, technical, and physical proficiency of Marine Corps communicators. Armstrong is a native of Minnesota, and Coleman is a native of Florida. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Renee Gray)