Pocahontas 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 2011
Greenville High School graduate and Pocahontas, 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).
Petty Officer 2nd Class Wane
Debatin is a hull technician aboard USS Lake Champlain, currently operating out
of San Diego, California.
A Navy hull technician is
responsible for plumbing and welding and the repair and maintenance of the ship's hull. They also are reponsible for the maintenance of the water
systems for shipboard firefighting.
Debatin applies the lessons
he learned from Pocahontas to his work in the Navy.
“I learned the value of hard
work,” said Debatin.
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 hope to gain engineering
qualifications while underway,” said Debatin.
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 petty officer second class and I’m a part of the duty department,” said Debatin. “I’m also proud to have
achieved both warfare pins while out to sea.”
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,
Debatin and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond
their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“I learned from being in the Navy to be more assertive and
voice my opinion,” said Debatin. “You cut through the malarky and get straight to the bare minimum of what needs
to be done.”