171123-N-ZQ712-059 ARABIAN GULF (Nov. 23, 2017) Secretary of the Navy, Richard V. Spencer speaks to Capt. Joseph Olson, the commanding officer of the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), on the ship's bridge during his visit on Thanksgiving Day. America is the flagship for the America Amphibious Ready Group and, with the embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of maritime security operations designed to reassure allies and partners and preserve the freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce in the region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Chad Swysgood/Released)