U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Steve Bower, JIATF West IMS Team

U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Steve Bower, JIATF West IMS Team officer-in-charge, speaks to graduates of the JIATF West Baker Piston 14-1 and Integrated Maritime Skills training courses during a graduation ceremony Aug. 8, 2014, in Puerto Princesa, Philippines. Thirty-two training participants comprised of Philippine Coast Guardsmen and Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime Group Special Boat Unit (SBU) officers graduated from the IMS Piston training course and 35 PNP Maritime Group SBU officers graduated from the Baker Piston 14-1 training course. JIATF West is a subordinate joint task force of United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) that serves as its executive agent for countering drug related transnational crimes in the Asia-Pacific. The work of JIATF West supports counterdrug efforts of partner nation law enforcement and military units with law enforcement or border security responsibilities (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Hubenthal)