200530-N-ML137-1078 PHILIPPINE SEA (May 30, 2020) Vice Adm. William R. Merz, right, commander of U.S. 7th Fleet, speaks with Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Ricky Flores, from Houston, on the flight deck of the Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). During the scheduled visit Merz talked with Sailors about the health of the force and observed the ship’s operational readiness. Ronald Reagan, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, as well as the collective maritime interests of its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Samantha Jetzer/Released)