150518-N-TE278-104 YOKOSUKA, Japan Rear Adm. John Alexander, commander, Battle Force 7th Fleet, right, Capt. Timothy Kuehhas, commanding officer of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington, center, and Lt. Alex Glass, Commander, Task Force 70 flag aid, salute the national ensign during morning colors prior to George Washington's departure for its 2015 patrol. George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing 5, provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interests of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.