Petty Officer 3rd Class Ruffie Salazar, assigned to the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex, reports bearings to the bridge as Essex gets underway after off-loading Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit for field training as part of the annual bilateral exercise Balikatan 2008. During the Balikatan 2008 humanitarian assistance and training activities, military service members from the United States and the government of the Republic of the Philippines work together to improve maritime security and ensure humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts are efficient and effective.