190418-N-OM854-0005 RED SEA (April 18, 2019) U.S. Navy Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) 3rd Class Maria Thompson, from Gallup, N. M., prepares an F/A-18E Super Hornet, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 97, to launch from 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 Grant G. Grady/Released)