Ardmore Native
Participates in World’s
Largest International
Maritime Warfare
Exercise
By Mass Communication
Specialist 1st Class Electa Berassa, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo by Mass Communication
Specialist Senior Chief Gary Ward
PEARL HARBOR – A 2016 Ardmore
High School graduate and Ardmore, Oklahoma native is serving in the U.S. Navy
as part of the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise, Rim of
the Pacific (RIMPAC).
Airman Minh Nguyen is a
aircrewman survival equipment technician aboard HSM-78, currently operating out
of Coronado, California.
A Navy aircrewman survival
equipment technician is responsible for the safety of personnel in helicopters.
Nguyen applies the lessons he
learned from Ardmore to his work in the Navy.
“My parents taught me
southern hospitality,” said Nguyen. “It has helped me to make new friends especially in the Navy.”
As the world’s largest
international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity
that helps participants foster and sustain cooperative relationships that are
critical to ensuring safety at sea and security on the world’s oceans. RIMPAC
2018 is the 26th exercise in the series that began in 1971.
The theme of RIMPAC 2018 is “Capable, Adaptive, Partners,”
according to Navy officials. The participating nations and forces
exercise a wide range of capabilities and demonstrate the inherent flexibility
of maritime forces. These capabilities range from disaster relief and maritime
security operations to sea control and complex warfighting. The relevant,
realistic training program includes, gunnery, missile, anti-submarine and air
defense exercises, as well as amphibious, counter-piracy, mine clearance
operations, explosive ordnance disposal and diving and salvage operations.
“I hope to experience new adventures and meet new people from
different countries,” said Nguyen. “I would also like to go on hikes while I’m
here in Hawaii.”
This is the first time Israel, Sri Lanka and Vietnam are
participating in RIMPAC. Additional firsts include New Zealand serving as sea
combat commander and Chile serving as combined force maritime component
commander. This is the first time a non-founding RIMPAC nation (Chile) will
hold a component commander leadership position.
“I am proud to have completed my first deployment,” said
Nguyen.
Twenty-six nations, 46
surface ships, five submarines, and more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel
will participate in the biennial Rim of the Pacific Exercise. This year's
exercise includes forces from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia,
France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico,
Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the
Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom, the
United States and Vietnam.
As a member of the U.S. Navy,
Nguyen and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond
their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“Serving in the Navy taught me how many different other countries there are and
not to take advantage of what we have,” said Nguyen.