200315-N-LZ839-1009 RED SEA (March 15, 2020) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Allen Gee, assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), participates in a flight deck scrub, March 15, 2020. The amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) is the flagship for the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and, with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, 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 and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Darren Newell/Released)