Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Senior Chief Gary Ward
PEARL HARBOR – A 2004 West Allis High School graduate and Milwaukee 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 1st Class Augustin Juarez is an information systems technician aboard USS John P. Murtha, currently operating out of San Diego. A Navy information systems technician is responsible for maintaining communications and networks to ensure information flows effectively throughout the ship.
Juarez applies the lessons he learned from Milwaukee to his work in the Navy.
“Treating others with respect is really important,” said Juarez. “In the military people come from all different aspects of life. It's important to keep an open mind and treat everyone as an individual.”
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’m looking forward to interacting with different nations and getting to know more people and experiencing different cultures,” said Juarez. “This is my first RIMPAC being on a ship and I'm excited to be a part of it.”
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.
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, Juarez and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“I'm part of the greatest Navy in the world,” said Juarez. “Serving is one of the most honorable things a person can do. I'm part of something special. I am proud to serve for as long as I have.”
Additional information about RIMPAC is available at http://www.cpf.navy.mil