Paxton Native
Participates in World’s Largest International Maritime Warfare Exercise
By Mass Communication
Specialist 1st Class Electa Berassa, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo by Mass Communication
Specialist Senior Chief Gary Ward
PEARL HARBOR – A 2016
Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School graduate and Paxton, Illinois native is serving
in the U.S. Navy as part of the world’s largest international maritime warfare
exercise, Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC).
Seaman Josiah Martin works in the deck department aboard USS Lake
Champlain, currently operating out of San Diego, California.
A Navy sailor working in the deck department is responsible
for the preservation and
maintenance of the ship.
Martin applies the lessons he
learned from Paxton to his work in the Navy.
“I learned discretion and integrity,” said Martin. “It helps with knowing
when to follow orders instead of second guessing them. Integrity means being
able to do my job right.”
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
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
proud of earning my surface warfare as well a my air warfare qualification pins,”
said Martin.
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’m hoping to gain a Navy rate by October,” said Martin.
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,
Martin 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 have a
lot of patience,” said Martin. “I'm able to be away from home and I am still able to push through it.”