0706030684R-060 PERSIAN GULF (June 3, 2007) - Visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team member Enginemen 3rd Class Blain Churchill, attached to the guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88), drives a rigid hull inflatable boat across the Persian Gulf during an afternoon of Interaction Patrols (IPATS). IPATS are an element of maritime operations and are conducted in Iraqi territorial waters so that commercial shipping and fishing can occur safely in the region. Preble, as part of John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, is conducting maritime operations in the Persian Gulf. Navy

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Photo credit: © Mil image / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: interaction, member, patrols, team, visit