By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Theodore Quintana, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Gary Ward
PEARL HARBOR – A 2015 Downtown Magnets High School graduate and Los Angeles 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 2nd Class Paula Godinez is a sonar technician (surface) aboard USS Preble, currently operating out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
A Navy sonar technician (surface) is responsible for operating surface sonar and other oceanographic systems.
Godinez applies the lessons learned from Los Angeles to working in the Navy.
“Growing up in L.A., I learned the importance of being aware of your surroundings and also the diversity in L.A. prepared me for the diversity in the Navy,” said Godinez.
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.
“During RIMPAC I’m looking forward to learning more about my rate and becoming a stronger subject matter expert and I want to have more job experience,” said Godinez.
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 am very proud of making second class petty officer the first time up and earning my enlisted surface warfare pin within the first six months of getting to the boat,” said Godinez.
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, Godinez and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“Since joining the Navy I have learned if I push myself I can achieve anything,” said Godinez.