Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Theodore Quintana
PEARL HARBOR – A 1996 Los Angeles 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).
Chief Petty Officer Angel Chavez is an electrician's mate aboard USS Dewey, currently operating out of San Diego. A Navy electrician's mate is responsible for the management, repair and maintenance of electrical systems throughout the ship.
Chavez applies the lessons he learned from Los Angeles to his work in the Navy.
“I wanted to get away from my environment and see what else is in the world,” said Chavez. “I wouldn't change it for anything.”
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 want to do what we need to do in order to integrate with the other nations,” said Chavez.
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 most proud of my family,” said Chavez. “I didn't have that before joining. Family is really big for me.”
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, Chavez and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“The Navy has taught me that you can accomplish everything in this life,” said Chavez. “Your limit is yourself.”
Additional information about RIMPAC is available at http://www.cpf.navy.mil