Long Beach Native
Participates in World’s Largest International Maritime Warfare Exercise
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 2011 Long
Beach Polytechnic High School graduate and
Long Beach, 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 Jacob
Perine is a fire controlman- aegis aboard USS
Lake Champlain, currently operating out of San Diego, California.
A Navy fire controlman- aegis is responsible for the upkeep and
maintenance of the ship’s aegis defense weapons
system.
Perine applies the lessons he
learned from Long Beach to his work in the Navy.
“My dad was in the Navy so I learned to show up early at the right place at the right time,” said Perine.
“I also learned to do more than is expected of me and
to be a decent person.”
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 think it would be pretty
cool to interact with the other countries,” said Perine. “I would like to see
how they operate in the on the ocean.”
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 received a Navy and Marine Achievement Medal after my last deployment for
exceptional service, which I’m most proud of,” said Perine.
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,
Perine and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond
their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“I initially joined the Navy out of wanting to do more for my country,”
said Perine. “I have realized that even though a lot of the stuff we do goes
unnoticed, that doesn't matter. It is about going home and seeing my family
safe and knowing I played a part in that.”