Colonel Scott F. Benedict, right, the commanding officer

Colonel Scott F. Benedict, right, the commanding officer of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, discusses 24th MEU procedures and equipment to Thomas P. Kelly III, the U.S. Ambassador to Djibouti, aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) in the Gulf of Aden, Feb. 12, 2015. Kelly spent the afternoon gaining familiarity with the 24th MEU and Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group. The MEU is embarked on the ships of the Iwo Jima ARG and deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Dani A. Zunun)