During the month of May, around 3,000 U.S. military personnel who represent United States Central Command and its components, including the crew of dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49), participated in exercise Eager Lion 16 with Jordanian Armed Forces.

Harpers Ferry's role in the bilateral exercise involved utilizing its ability to deploy its payload of Marines and their equipment quickly and efficiently at a moment's notice. This year the ship moved 12 amphibious assault vehicles, six M1A1 Abrams tanks, and approximately 450 personnel to the Jordanian shore from its position in the Gulf of Aqaba over the course of two days.

The involved crew and leadership of the Navy and Marine Corps completed this task without any casualties to either equipment or personnel. With variables such as weather, sea state, language barriers and unfamiliar territory, accomplishing this was no easy task.

"The different equipment all has different needs when it comes to moving them from ship to shore," says Chief Warrant Officer 3 Richard Pollard, combat cargo officer aboard Harpers Ferry. "Communication is also always a challenge with these types of operations, both within the ship and from ship-to-shore, but we overcame all the challenges and had a safe evolution."

The purpose of this exercise was not just the physical training and practice for everyone involved, but also to strengthen relationships between Jordanian and U.S. forces and improve our military-to-military interoperability.

Located in a volatile and important region of the world, Jordan has been an invaluable ally to the United States since the countries signed a major non-NATO ally agreement in 1996. The U.S. and Jordan hold the mutual goals of a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the Middle East.

The Navy and other branches of the military share Jordan's interest in regional security. Exercises like Eager Lion provide Jordanian and U.S. forces the opportunity to train together and learn from one another.

This relationship between the countries has resulted in improved health indicators, roads and water networks, and improved education for the Jordanian people according to the U.S. Department of State. In return, stability in the region has improved -- including improved relations between Jordan and it's neighbor, Israel, and increased security on its borders with Iraq and Syria.

Harpers Ferry, along with other components of United States Central Command, stands as functional support to Jordan and as a symbol of the United States' commitment to this region.

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