Marines prep their gear aboard the USS Ashland during exercise Blue Chromite 18 at Kin Blue Beach in Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 2, 2017. The Marines are assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. Blue Chromite is a U.S.-only exercise which strengthens the Navy-Marine Corps expeditionary, amphibious rapid-response capabilities based in Okinawa and the greater Indo-Asia-Pacific region. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Aaron S. Patterson