Courtesy Photo In this U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Kenneth Melseth, Gunner’s Mate Seaman Zander Cooper, front, from Alpena, assigned to the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), participates in a small arms qualification on the ship’s aircraft elevator in the Philippine Sea on Feb. 26. America, lead ship of the America Amphibious Ready Group, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.