200301-N-SL179-1049 ARABIAN SEA (March 1, 2020) Sailors assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) play basketball during a steel beach picnic, March 1, 2020. Bataan is the flagship for the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and, with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Pacific Ocean through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alan L. Robertson/Released)