GULF OF ADEN (July 14, 2021) Sailors participating in a cook-off event applaud on the forward mess decks of aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) in the Gulf of Aden, July 14. Culinary specialists from different galleys around the ship came together to demonstrate their culinary skills in a head-to-head contest judged by members of the ship’s crew. Ronald Reagan is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Matthew Mitchell)