171111-N-KB563-1293 WESTERN PACIFIC (Nov. 11, 2017) Sailors perform pre-flight checks on an F/A-18C Hornet, assigned to the Checkerboards of Marine Strike Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 312, on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in the western Pacific Ocean. Theodore Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, and Nimitz strike groups are underway conducting flight operations in international waters as part of a three-carrier strike force exercise. The U.S. Pacific Fleet has patrolled the Indo-Pacific region routinely for more than 70 years promoting regional security, stability and prosperity. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael Russell/Released)