Republic of Liberia President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (seated second from left), listen as US Navy (USN) Captain (CAPT) Ladd Wheeler, Commanding Officer of the USN Blue Ridge Class: Amphibious Command Ship, USS MOUNT WHITNEY (LCC 20), gives an overview of the ship's capabilities from the Joint Operation Center (JOC). President Johnson-Sirleaf, the first woman to be elected as head of an African State, visited the ship personally and thanked the crew for making the journey in support of her countries inaugural ceremonies