Petty Officer 2nd Class Ricardo Avalos, from San Diego, hugs his children goodbye as he prepares to depart on deployment aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25).

SAN DIEGO (Oct. 14, 2016) Petty Officer 2nd Class Ricardo Avalos, from San Diego, hugs his children goodbye as he prepares to depart on deployment aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25). Somerset is on its maiden deployment as part of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, with the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit in support of the Navy's maritime strategy in the U.S. 3rd, 5th, and 7th Fleet areas of responsibility. (U.S. Navy Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob I. Allison) File# 161913-N-BT947-054