180906-N-UX013-1229 U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS (Sept. 6, 2018) Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Darien Whitfield takes the Navy-wide 1st Class advancement exam on the mess decks of the guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109). Jason Dunham 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 Jonathan Clay/Released)