Lance Cpl. Ewen DeWitt, a machine gunner with Weapons

Lance Cpl. Ewen DeWitt, a machine gunner with Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, mounts a M2 .50-caliber machine gun on top of an internally transportable vehicle during the Defense of the Amphibious Task Force Naval qualification exercise aboard the USS Iwo Jima Dec. 3, 2011. DATF is one of many qualifications that make up Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), scheduled to take place Nov. 28 to Dec. 21. The DATF drill allowed the Marines to integrate with their Navy counterparts to rehearse how they would protect the ships of the amphibious ready group while traveling through high threat areas at sea.