<PERSON>, right, Commander, U.S. Central Command, speaks with Marine Col. <PERSON>, commanding officer of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, during a tour with Lt. Gen.<PERSON>, chief of staff of the Qatar Armed Forces, aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3). Kearsarge is the flagship for the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and, with the embarked 22nd MEU, is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Navy photo by <PERSON> 3rd Class <PERSON>/Released)