INDIAN OCEAN (Dec. 25, 2020) Rear Adm. Jim Kirk, right, commander of Carrier Strike Group 11, Capt. Max Clark, commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), and Hull Maintenance Technician 1st Class Curtis Eicher, a chief petty officer selectee, participate in a phone call with Vice President Mike Pence aboard Nimitz. Nimitz, the flagship of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the Western Indian Ocean and three critical chokepoints to the free flow of global commerce. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Greg Hall)