By Mass Communication
Specialist 1st Class Electa Berassa, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication
Specialist Gary Ward
PEARL HARBOR – A 2012 Pine
Bush High School graduate and Middletown, New York, 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
De'von Dowe is a gunner's mate aboard USS William P. Lawrence, currently
operating out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
A Navy gunner's mate is
responsible for maintaining the weapons systems on the ship.
Dowe applies the lessons he
learned from Middletown to his work in the Navy.
“I learned to have thick
skin, so I don't take everything personally,” said Dowe.
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 am looking forward to
learning about other countries and their militaries,”
said Dowe.
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 made second class petty officer within my first contract and was qualified in surface
warfare,” said Dowe. “I am also proud of being able to learn new things every day.”
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,
Dowe and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond
their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“I have learned that I am a
fast learner since joining the Navy,” said
Dowe. “Serving in the Navy means setting an
example and showing others that there are more things you can do with your
life.”