 My name is Sergeant Jennifer Andrade. I'm a combat photographer with Third Marine Division, Headquarters Battalion. I've covered a lot of training over Balkatan. I have taken photos of several different live fire drills, both Marine Corps specific, but also bilateral. So I've covered training between the U.S. Marines and the Philippine Marine Corps. They've done weapons familiarization, TCCC training where they've learned to take care of someone who's down in the fight. We have also covered mechanized range where they were in LAVs, AAVs and JLTVs all pushing together and firing and just working as one unit. Capturing that kind of imagery contributes to the overall objective of Balkatan because it is the only way that people are going to know what we are doing here. You know, it's that kind of transparency where we can say, like, yes, we are here. Yes, we are working with our partner nation and this is what we're doing together. You know, it's to show that we are both committed to keeping this region safe and secure. Capturing imagery of exercises like this contributes to the mission of Third Marine Division largely because it shows our presence in this region, the kind of training that we're doing and just how far our reach extends in an operational setting. You know, it shows our proficiency in all types of terrain and all types of weather and it shows the kind of connections and strong ties that we have with the militaries in the region. I think that sometimes people view Comstrat as the social media marines or, you know, pretty pictures for Instagram, but really, like in the broader sense, Comstrat is just a communication tool for the Marine Corps and that's to communicate what we are doing not only to the people in the U.S. or the people in the region that we're working in but to the entire world. So it sends strong messages to both our allies and our adversaries of what we're doing, what we're capable of, and overall, it just shows people what we can do. Comstrat stands for communication strategy and operations. What that means is that we are the communicators of the Marine Corps, we are the voice of the commanders and we are here essentially to inform the public of what we're doing and what our mission is, what our objectives are and how we carry those out. Comstrat as a whole is important because we are a big source of information communication both internally and externally. So both two marines in the Marine Corps but also a larger audience across the world. We do a wide variety of different tasks and missions from the stuff that you see out here, taking photos and videos of marines in the field, in their environment, doing their jobs, but we also do things like sensitive information handling. We do vetting for interviews and media support. We assist commanders in welcoming external media sources to events like this, to exercises like Balcutan so that they can see firsthand what we're doing. And Comstrat plays a role in all of that. I haven't met many Philippine marines so it seems like they are a bit of a rarity, but the ones that I have met have been really nice and they have been just as hardcore as any other marines that I have met out here, both US and on the Philippine Marine Corps side. There were some out, not like out with the MEC range that we did, but they were working as gunners. The female Philippine marines that I have met have been just as hardcore as any other marines that I have met out here. They work with mortars, they work with the LAVs and as gunners and there are officers in these combat MOSs out here. They have been really sweet, really awesome. I have loved meeting them for one and I honestly think that they are inspiring as well. It has been great to meet them and I guess get to meet my counterpart. What has been my experience with it? Honestly, I think it is cool. I think it is really cool to see the Philippine marines and the US marines coming together and working together in such a proficient way. There are different challenges to overcome. There are language barriers, there are issues with weather. All of those things, but they have come together in just such a cohesive way to overcome these challenges together. The Philippine marines have taught the US marines different ways to acclimate out here and the US marines have shared knowledge with the Philippine marines as well regarding weapon systems and the procedures that they use and everything. I honestly think that it has been really cool to watch them learn and grow together. Sometimes on the ground level, the big picture impact of Comstrat isn't necessarily always seen. It looks a lot like we are just running around taking pictures and posting them to Instagram but really what we are doing is we are sending a message to the world that we are ready, we are lethal, we are proficient marines and that we can operate in austere environments and all around the world and that we can work cohesively with our partner nation. Baokitan 23 has by far been the biggest exercise that I have ever covered. It has been a really awesome experience to be out here and experience a whole different country, see the different way of life that the people, the Filipinos live here. It has been great. Everyone is like oh the field sucks, it is hot and it is dirty and it is a little messy and you have to talk to a lot of people that you have never met before. Honestly I have met some of the best people out here. I have made some great connections and I have honestly had a really great time highlighting these marines and their hard work. I think one of my favorite things out here is when I take a photo of some really cool training that they just accomplished and the marines come up and they are like oh I want to see the photos, can you show me, I want to send it home to my mom, that kind of thing and I can tell them where they can find it and how they can share that imagery themselves. I mean they love it and honestly I think that is one of my favorite things about being a ComStrat Marine.