Personnel assigned to Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 15, depart in an MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter from the flight deck of Afloat Forward Staging Base (Interim) USS Ponce (AFSB(I) 15) during the United States and United Kingdom Mine Countermeasures Exercise II. Formerly designated as an amphibious transport dock (LPD), Ponce was recently converted and reclassified to fulfill a longstanding U.S. Central Command request for an Afloat Forward Staging Base to be forward deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jumar T. Balacy/Released)