181219-N-TB177-1119 MANAMA, Bahrain (Dec. 19, 2018) Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer meets with Coast Guardsmen at Naval Support Activity Bahrain. The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses nearly 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The region is comprised of 20 countries and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab-al-Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kevin J. Steinberg/Released)