WELCOME TO DAILY NEWS UPDATE, I'M PETTY OFFICER DUSTIN DIAZ, AND THESE ARE YOUR HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE FLEET. THE FIRST LITTORAL COMBAT SHIP IS MAKING ITS FIRST DEPLOYMENT TWO YEARS EARLY. U-S-S FREEDOM WILL DEPLOY TO THE SOUTHERN AND PACIFIC COMMAND AREAS EARLY NEXT YEAR, AHEAD OF ITS PLANNED 2012 MAIDEN CRUISE. NAVY LEADERS SAY THE L-C-S IS NEEDED TO CLOSE WARFIGHTING GAPS NOW, AND THE EARLY DEPLOYMENT WILL PREPARE THE CREW FOR FULL FLEET INTEGRATION. SECRETARY OF THE NAVY RAY MABUS ANNOUNCED THE NAME OF THE NEWEST LEWIS AND CLARK-CLASS SHIP, U-S-N-S MEDGAR EVERS. EVERS, A MISSISSIPPI CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST, LED EFFORTS TO BREAK DOWN SEGREGATION AND SECURE VOTING RIGHTS FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS. THE SHIP WILL BE THE THIRTEENTH IN ITS CLASS. FROM WASHINGTON, I'M PETTY OFFICER DUSTIN DIAZ.