Rear Adm. William Lescher, right, commanding officer, Expeditionary Strike Group 5, shakes hands with Sergeant Matthew Hendges, a Kent, Miss. native and M1A1 Abrams tank crewman, after awarding him with the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal during his visit aboard the USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), Sept 25, 2012. Lescher conducted a multi-day visit on USS Iwo Jima to meet with the Marines and Sailors of the 24th MEU and Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, and to become familiar with 24th MEU-IWO ARG operations. The 24th MEU is deployed with the IWO ARG as a theater reserve force for U.S. Central Command and is providing support for maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet area of responsibility.