America’s First Corps and Japan Northern Army Soldiers work together with the help of interpreters to communicate ideas and strategies during Yama Sakura 75 at Camp Higashi-Chitose, Hokkaido, Japan, Dec. 13, 2018. Over the course of the week-long bilateral exercise, the U.S. Army and the Japan Ground Self Defense Force are working together in a simulation of the defense of Japan to strengthen the alliance and the capabilities of both countries’ forces. Multiple sections are participating in the exercise, including signal, clerical, legal, medical and intelligence personnel.

A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber, assigned to the 96th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, deployed from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, takes off from Royal Australian Air Force Base (RAAF) Darwin, Australia, to return to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 9, 2018. The B-52 was in RAAF Darwin, Australia participating in exercise Lightning Focus, an Australian training exercise designed around improving, developing and integrating partner capabilities as part of Enhanced Air Cooperation (EAC) under the Force Posture Initiative between the United States and Australia.

Rear Adm. Jimmy Pitts, Commander, Submarine Group 7, left, and Rear Adm. Jung Il Shik, Commander, Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy Submarine Force tour the ROK Naval Academy in Chinhae. Pitts was in South Korea for the biannual Submarine Warfare Committee Meeting with the ROK Navy Submarine Force.

Command Sgt. Maj. LaDerek T. Green, the 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command's incoming command sergeant major, salutes Brig. Gen. Michel M. Russell Sr., the commanding general of the 19th ESC, during Green's Assumption of Responsibility Ceremony Dec. 12, 2018 at Camp Walker, Daegu, Republic of Korea. The command team of Russell and Green will usher in 2019 together as they lead the 19th ESC in its 55th year of existence.

A U.S. Navy Musician Seaman plays 'Taps' during the USS Utah Memorial Sunset Ceremony at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Dec. 7, 2018. The USS Utah Memorial Sunset Ceremony honors the loss of USS Utah (AG-16) and 58 crew members. The Utah was the first ship torpedoed during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Struck by two torpedoes, the ship capsized and sank within 12 minutes.

An F-35C Lightning II assigned to the “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 launches from the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).

Admiral Philip Davidson, Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (Indo-PACOM), U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Joseph Felter meet with President Rodrigo Duterte.

One of the Balangiga Bells is removed from its crate before a ceremony honoring the bells' return at Villamor Air Base, Philippines.

Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps cadets aim for their targets during the annual Pacific East District Three-Position Air Rifle Marksmanship Match, held Dec. 7 and 8 at Zama American Middle High School. The two other competing schools were Nile C. Kinnick High School from Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka, who won first place, and Yokota High School.

Lattice Modular Heli-Drone is displayed during a test run of the Lattice Platform Security System at the Red Beach training area, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Nov. 8, 2018. The Lattice Modular Heli-Drone is being tested to demonstrate its capabilities and potential for increasing security. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dylan Chagnon

The Indian navy Shivalik-class stealth multi-role frigate INS Kamorta (F49) and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Akizuki-class destroyer JS Fuyuzuki (DD 118) are underway in formation during exercise Malabar 2018. Malabar 2018 is the 22nd rendition of the exercise and the first time is has been hosted off the coast of Guam. Malabar is designed to advance military-to-military coordination in a multinational environment between the U.S., Japan and Indian maritime forces.

U.S. Army Pacific Commanding General, Gen. Robert Brown, meets the Japan Northern Army Commanding General, Lt. Gen. Masato Taura, during Yama Sakura 75 at Camp Higashi-Chitose, Hokkaido, Japan, Dec 12, 2018. Brown toured the facilities of the exercise and met with other officials, including American ambassador to Japan, Ambassador William Hagerty. Yama Sakura is a bilateral exercise that simulates the defense of Japan and serves to strengthen the alliance between the U.S. and Japan.

Tankers and infantrymen with 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, a rotational unit under 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division, pose for a group photo with the DOD Executive Leader Development Program (ELDP) class of 2019 Dec. 7. The Fort Bliss, Texas-based "Bulldog" brigade Soldiers showcased the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank and M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle and infantry tactics employed in an armored BCT to give the ELDP class an idea of the unit's combat power.

Koku Jieitai (Japan Air Self-Defense Force) Chief of Staff Gen. Yoshinari Marumo and Commander of U.S. Pacific Air Forces Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., salute the honor cordon at Headquarters PACAF on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Dec. 4, 2018. As part of his trip, Marumo met with PACAF leadership to discuss the PACAF strategy and future engagements. The U.S. and Japan routinely work together to promote security cooperation and support a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

United States Army Pacific Command, Senior Enlisted Advisor, Visits Japan For Exercise Yama Sakura. Command Sgt. Maj. Benjamin Jones (second from the right), United States Army Pacific Command speaks with Civil Affairs Soldiers from America's First Corps during his visit to Camp Higashi-Chitose on Hakkaido, Japan for Exercise Yama Sakura 75. The

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Gary J. Volesky, America’s First Corps commander and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Lt. Gen. Masato Taura, Northern Army commander depart the opening ceremony for exercise Yama Sakura 75 after delivering remarks and guidance to their troops, at Camp Higashi - Chitose, Dec. 9, 2018. Yama Sakura is an annual bilateral exercise involving the U.S. Military and the JGSDF with the purpose of enhancing U.S. and Japanese combat readiness and interoperability, strengthening relationships, and demonstrating U.S. resolve to support the security interests of allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

From left, Maj. Gen. John Gordy, commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center; Heather Coble, deputy chief of mission, Kolonia, Pohnpei and Federated States of Micronesia; Bruce Best, researcher, University of Guam; Brig. Gen. Gentry Boswell, commander, 36th Wing; and Col. Otis Jones, commander, 374th Airlift Wing push a box of humanitarian goods into a C-130 during the Operation Christmas Drop Push Ceremony at Andersen Air Force Base Dec. 10. During the ceremony, the first of nearly 100 boxes of humanitarian goods was pushed into the C-130 before being delivered to 56 islands across the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the FSM and the Republic of Palau.

Lt. j.g. Aaron Sims, assigned to the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Greeneville (SSN 772), shows members of the Philippine Navy how to operate a periscope during a tour of the submarine, Dec. 10. Land is in the Philippines on a scheduled port visit to provide maintenance, hotel services, and logistical support to submarines and surface ships in the 5th and 7th Fleet areas of responsibility. Land's visit promotes ongoing theater security cooperation efforts furthering the longstanding partnership between the United States and Philippine navies.

Staff Sgt. Christopher Canto, 374th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron flying crew chief, inspects the propellers of a C-130J Super Hercules during Operation Christmas Drop 2018 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 9, 2018. Prior to flying, all aircraft must undergo an inspection to ensure the C-130J is ready to fly.

Santa Claus gives a Hirosaki Ai-Sei-En orphan a Christmas gift during a visit at Hirosaki, Japan, Dec. 8, 2018. The 35th Operations Group annually visits the orphanage to bring gifts, games and other activities to those who are less fortunate, raising approximately $5,000 for this year’s event.