Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter greets Capt. Marcus Hitchcock, commanding officer, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) and Rear Adm. Michael Manazir, commander, Carrier Strike Group Eight upon his arrival to the aircraft carrier underway in the Persian Gulf, Oct. 19, 2012. Carter is on a seven-day trip to the Middle East meeting with leadership and counterparts in the region.