By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Gary Ward
PEARL HARBOR – A 2012 Chelsea Academy graduate and Front Royal, Virginia, 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 3rd Class Maryanne McCloskey is a hospital corpsman aboard USS William P. Lawrence, currently operating out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
A Navy hospital corpsman is responsible for providing medical support as well as basic first aid for the crew.
McCloskey is looking forward to applying the lessons learned from Front Royal to working in the Navy.
“I learned the value of adaptability,” said McCloskey. "It's helped me in the Navy because everything changes constantly, so you have to keep an open mind."
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 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 meeting sailors from different nations,” said McCloskey. "I was a part of the RIMPAC soccer tournament. It was great seeing the teamwork and sportsmanship of everyone, which applies to RIMPAC as a whole."
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 very proud of being able to go to school while being on active duty,” said McCloskey. "I already have my associate's degree. I'm also close to receiving my bachelor's degree in health 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, 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, McCloskey 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 that I have a lot more patience than I thought I did. This has helped me grow in the Navy,” said McCloskey. “Serving in the Navy means I get to provide myself a great future in the field that I want to work in.”