190418-N-KN684-0360 RED SEA (April 18, 2019) Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 1st Class Jose Bautista, from Okeechobee, Fla., directs an F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 41 on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) in the Red Sea, April 18, 2019. The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group 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 3rd Class Skyler Okerman)