Newport Beach Native
Participates in World’s Largest International Maritime Warfare Exercise
By Mass Communication
Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo by Mass Communication
Specialist Senior Chief Gary Ward
PEARL HARBOR – A 2010 Newport
Harbor High School graduate and Newport Beach, California native is serving in
the U.S. Navy as part of the world’s largest international maritime warfare
exercise known as the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC).
Petty Officer 3rd Class
Dillan Freiberg is a operations specialist aboard USS Lake Champlain, currently
operating out of San Diego, California.
A Navy operations specialist
is responsible for standing watch in the ship's combat information center, the
tactical nerve center of the ship. Freiberg is also a search-and-rescue swimmer
for the ship.
Freiberg is looking forward
to applying the lessons learned from Newport Beach to working in the Navy.
“I learned the importance of
showing up early to everything, which has helped me in the Navy,” said
Freiberg.
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 will 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
amphibious operations, gunnery, missile, anti-submarine and air defense
exercises, as well as counter-piracy, mine clearance operations, explosive
ordnance disposal and diving and salvage operations.
“I'm looking forward to the
search-and-rescue training missions during RIMPAC, which will enable me to show
what I can do,” said Freiberg.
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.
This year will also feature live firing of a Long Range
Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) from a U.S. Air Force aircraft, surface to ship
missiles by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and a Naval Strike Missile
(NSM) from a launcher on the back of a Palletized Load System (PLS) by the U.S.
Army. This marks the first time a land based unit will participate in the live fire
event during RIMPAC. RIMPAC 2018 will also include international band
engagements and highlight fleet innovation during an Innovation Fair.
“I'm proud of earning my enlisted surface warfare specialist pin this year,” said Freiberg.
Twenty-six nations, 46
surface ships, five submarines, 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, Brazil, 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,
Freiberg and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond
their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“I've developed more patience
since I've been in the Navy.There's always
something to look forward to, so just keep pushing until you reach it,” said Freiberg. “Serving in the Navy gives me the
opportunity to see the world, and experience places that I wouldn't have
otherwise.”