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Commanding officer of Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship USS Pioneer (MCM 9) Lt. Cmdr. Bobby Wayland, right, shakes hands with commanding officer of Japanese mine countermeasure ship JS Hirashima (MSC 601), Lt. Cmdr. Ogawa Tomoyuki. Pioneer, part of Mine Countermeasures Squadron 7, is operating in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response platform for contingency operations.