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BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei (Sept. 12, 2023) Capt. Matt Scarlett, deputy commodore of Commander Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7 rings the ceremonial gong with Royal Brunei Air Force Brig. Gen. Dato Seri Phlawan Alirupendi, joint force commander, during the opening ceremony of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Brunei 2023 in Bandar Seri Begawan, Sept. 12. CARAT Brunei is the premier bilateral exercise held annually between the United States and Royal Brunei forces. The exercise focuses on improving interoperability to address shared maritime challenges and advance security in the region. As the U.S. Navy’s destroyer squadron forward-deployed in Southeast Asia, DESRON 7 serves as the primary tactical and operational commander of littoral combat ships rotationally deployed to Singapore, Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 7’s Sea Combat Commander and builds partnerships through training exercises and military-to-military engagements. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. j.g. Rebecca Moore)