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 Danbury
High School graduate and Danbury, Connecticut native is serving in the U.S. Navy as
part of the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise, Rim of the
Pacific (RIMPAC).
Fireman Jerjes L. Almanzar
is a gas turbine systems technician (mechanical)
aboard USS Lake Champlain, currently
operating out of San Diego, California.
A Navy gas turbine systems technician (mechanical) is
responsible for the repair and maintenance om
the ship’s engines and generators.
Almanzar applies the
lessons he learned from Danbury to his
work in the Navy.
“I learned that if you start something you have to
finish it,” said Almanzar. “I also learned to take one step at a time.”
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. 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 seeing people from other
nations and how their navies operate,” said Almanzar. “I hope to gain more
knowledge in my rate.”
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 proud to have gotten
my qualifications as well as becoming a shellback in just four days out to
sea,” said Almanzar.
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, Almanzar 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 means protecting those back home,”
said Almanzar