U.S. Marines assigned to Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) prepare for a live-fire exercise aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS Denver (LPD 9) in the East China Sea March 19, 2014. The Denver and the 31st MEU were part of the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Readiness Group and were underway in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts.