Carriers do not deploy for 12 months. They can be deployed over 6 months at a time, but then when you add in workups, trials, and exercises it can add up to be gone over 80% of the year. The time when there was 18 months between 6 month deployments is now gone, you can be deployed at any time for a long length of time. These days they are out for 6 months, in for a few, then back out again. When you come back from a long deployment you will have stand down where you only have to be in for a few days out of several weeks. But then will be back on teh regular schedules of 7:30 to 4:30 Monday to Friday plus duty days.
stand down for a few weeks, then it's work ops, requal and start all over again. if you're lucky, maybe you get an 18 month break of regular sea trials.
You do the same thing all the time, make sure the planes are in top condition. Whether they are flying combat missions off a carrier, doing quals, or maintaining readiness, it's the same job.