Photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Gary Ward
PEARL HARBOR – A 1996 Cherry Hill High School West graduate and Cherry Hill, New Jersey, native is serving in the U.S. Navy as part of the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise known as the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC).
Petty Officer 1st Class Timothy Wilson is a mass communication specialist aboard USS John P. Murtha, currently operating out of San Diego. A Navy mass communication specialist is responsible for being a public relations point of contact between the ship and the larger external public.
Wilson is looking forward to applying the lessons learned from Cherry Hill to working in the Navy.
“I learned the value of having a dream and following it, and that's helped me in the Navy,” said Wilson. "I've been able to experience many different aspects of the Navy because of this."
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 will 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 amphibious operations, gunnery, missile, anti-submarine and air defense exercises, as well as counter-piracy, mine clearance operations, explosive ordnance disposal and diving and salvage operations.
“I'm looking forward to the interaction with all of the different participating nations, ” said Wilson. "Sharing thoughts and ideas with sailors from other countries has been a very rewarding experience."
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.
This year will also feature live firing of a Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) from a U.S. Air Force aircraft, surface to ship missiles by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and a Naval Strike Missile (NSM) from a launcher on the back of a Palletized Load System (PLS) by the U.S. Army. This marks the first time a land based unit will participate in the live fire event during RIMPAC. RIMPAC 2018 will also include international band engagements and highlight fleet innovation during an Innovation Fair.
“I'm proud to have been able to serve in Africa,” said Wilson. "I was able to see most of the continent while at the same time being able to positively affect the local population with human services."
Twenty-six nations, 46 surface ships, five submarines, 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, Brazil, 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, Wilson and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“I've learned how to set and manage time and expectations in the Navy, which has helped me out tremendously,” said Wilson. “Serving in the Navy gives me the ability to take care of my family, while also following in the footsteps of my family members who served before me.”
Additional information about RIMPAC is available at http://www.cpf.navy.mil