PEARL HARBOR - A U.S. Navy carrier strike group and amphibious ready group will join a forward-deployed U.S. Air Force air expeditionary wing and Marine Corps units for exercise Valiant Shield 2010.

Valiant Shield, scheduled from Sept. 12 - 21 (Guam Time), begins in the vicinity of Palau and consists of an opposed transit as the ships steam east and ends near Guam. This is the third Valiant Shield conducted by the United States since June 2006.

The Valiant Shield series focuses on integrated joint training among U.S. military forces. It enables real-world proficiency in sustaining joint forces' ability to detect, locate, track and engage units at sea, in the air, on land and in cyberspace in response to a range of mission areas. Throughout this exercise, safety and the environment are top priorities and were significantly considered when planning conferences started for the exercise in 2009.

Media desiring to cover Valiant Shield 2010 prior to exercise commencement should contact U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs, Ensign Joe Painter, at 808-471-3769. During the exercise media may contact the exercise media logistics center in Guam at 671-339-5207.