Side boys salute Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Ashton Carter as he is piped aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Carter spent a day aboard Dwight D. Eisenhower to thank the crew for providing for the nation's defense and supporting security and stability for the U.S.'s regional partners. Eisenhower is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. The U.S. Navy is constantly deployed to preserve peace, protect commerce, and deter aggression through forward presence. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting.