Local carries a fold pole on flight deck aboard U.S. Navy warship

Philippine Sea—On Aug. 7, Aviation Structural Mechanic Patrick Gross, from Mastic Beach, N.Y., carried a fold poll aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18), Charleston, part of Destroyer Squadron Seven, is on a rotational deployment, operating in the U.S. 7th fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response force in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

With more than 90 percent of all trade traveling by sea, and 95 percent of the world’s international phone and internet traffic carried through fiber optic cables lying on the ocean floor, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity and security of the United States is directly linked to a strong and ready Navy.