U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Thomas McKiernan, assigned to the deck department aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), prepares to approach the stern dock in a rigid hull inflatable boat during coxswain training in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 2009. The George Washington is participating in Talisman Sabre 09, a biennial combined exercise designed to train Australian and U.S. forces in planning and conducting combined operations to improve interoperability.