PHILIPPINE SEA (June 17, 2022) Midshipman 1st Class Nate Williams, from Narragansett, Rhode Island, prepares to take his first flight in an F/A-18F Super Hornet attached to the "Diamondbacks" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102, on the flight deck of the U.S. Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Ronald Reagan hosted five U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen for their summer cruise allowing them to experience day-to-day life aboard an aircraft carrier. Ronald Reagan, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, and supports alliances, partnerships and collective maritime interests in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Gray Gibson)