180911-N-UX013-2086 U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS (Sept. 11, 2018) Sailors fake down line on the forecastle of the guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) as it breaks away from the dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Alan Shepard (TAK-E 3), middle, and the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) following a replenishment-at-sea. 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)