PHILIPPINE SEA (June 2, 2021) Vice Adm. Bill Merz, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, addresses the crew of the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), from the pilot house. During Merz’s visit he attended meetings with warfare commanders and provided a message to the crew over the ship’s announcement system. Ronald Reagan, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, as well as the collective maritime interests of its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.