Marines with Company A, Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) load Assault Amphibious Vehicles on board the Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42). Germantown, part of the America Expeditionary Strike Group, 31st MEU team, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.