Photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Gary Ward
PEARL HARBOR – A 2015 Carlson High School graduate and Flatrock, Michigan, 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 Ariel Burgess is a boatswain's mate aboard USS John P. Murtha, currently operating out of San Diego.A Navy boatswain's mate is responsible for the repair, maintenance and preservation of the ship.
Burgess applies the lessons she learned from Flatrock to her work in the Navy.
“I was taught to treat others the way you would want to be treated and to never be judgmental,” said Burgess. “I also learned to have a positive outlook in life.”
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 learning more in-depth about my rate and to become more knowledgeable while working these operations,” said Burgess.
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 achieving my surface warfare pin in my first three years in the Navy,” said Burgess.
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, Burgess and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“I learned that I’m more capable of doing things than I thought I would,” said Burgess. “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. I have also been placed in more leadership roles.”
Additional information about RIMPAC is available at http://www.cpf.navy.mil