181209-N-TI693-0106 MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Dec. 9, 2018) Military Sealift Command civil service mariners Nelson Cherton, left, and Chris Mcardle prepare for flight operations on the flight deck of the Blue Ridge-class command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) Dec. 9, 2018. Mount Whitney, forward-deployed to Gaeta, Italy, operates with a combined crew of U.S. Navy Sailors and Military Sealift Command civil service mariners. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Fred Gray IV/Released)