190123-N-WH681-2060 U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS

190123-N-WH681-2060 U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS (Jan. 23, 2019) Interior Communications Electrician Seaman Cruz Vargas solders a sound-powered telephone aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3). Kearsarge is the flagship for the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and, with the embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, 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 the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kaitlyn E. Eads/Released)