 Sailors aboard USS Patriot are tying down any loose ends as they prepare to depart for the Japanese mine warfare exercise 2JA. The exercise will test the mine countermeasure capabilities of the Patriot crew in order to keep them mission ready. We'll add a little exercises and just exercises in general are important because of proficiency. So we got to train like we fight and if we don't train we get rusty then we get behind the power curve. Throughout the exercise USS Patriot Sailors will work to advance interoperability and ties with the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force. The purpose of these bilateral training is to build proficiency with our counterparts. I think it's extremely important because we want to ensure prosperity, security in the region and also to develop that trust we have with our host nation here in Japan. Petty Officer Jeremy Graham, Fleet Activities, Sosimo, Japan.