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MaryKay Carlson, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, places the Balikatan 25 patch on Armed Forces of the Philippines Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr., AFP Chief of Staff, during the opening ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo, Manila, Philippines, April 21, 2025. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen our ironclad alliance, improve our capable combined force and demonstrate our commitment to regional security and stability. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Erica Padgett)