MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Oct. 29, 2023) Ensign Dane Hamilton, front, from Chattanooga, Tennessee, stands as boat officer during small boat operations aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) in the Mediterranean Sea, Oct. 29, 2023. Normandy is part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and is currently operating in the Mediterranean Sea, at the direction of the Secretary of Defense. The U.S. maintains forward-deployed, ready, and postured forces to deter aggression and support security and stability around the world. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Malachi Lakey)