Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III addresses the crew aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) during an all-hands call on the flight deck while in-port at Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Dec. 9, 2024. George Washington is U.S. 7th Fleet’s premier forward-deployed aircraft carrier, a long-standing symbol of the United States’ commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region, while operating alongside allies and partners across the U.S. Navy’s largest numbered fleet. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Geoffrey L. Ottinger)