Corona Native
Participates in World’s Largest International Maritime Warfare Exercise
By Mass Communication
Specialist 1st Class David Wyscaver, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo by Mass Communication
Specialist 2nd Class Theodore Quintana
PEARL HARBOR – A 2016 Corona
High School graduate and Corona, California native
is serving in the U.S. Navy as part of the world’s largest international
maritime warfare exercise, Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC).
Petty Officer 3rd Class Saiid
Sanchezduran is an information systems technician aboard USS Lake Erie,
currently operating out of San Diego.
A Navy information systems
technician is responsible for monitoring communication systems to ensure
information the ship is distributed properly
both internally and externally.
Sanchezduran applies the
lessons he learned from Corona to his work in the Navy.
“A strong work ethic is
important because it helps to accomplish each mission successfully,” said
Sanchezduran.
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'm looking forward to
meeting new people from other countries and learning more about how they
operate,” said Sanchezduran.
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’m most proud of graduating my training schools,” said
Sanchezduran.
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,
Sanchezduran 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 military means putting others first and doing
something that is greater than you,” said Sanchezduran.