Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Senior Chief Gary Ward
PEARL HARBOR – A 2002 Mary Wood Grammar School graduate and Queens, 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 1st Class Mary Nwankwo is a logistics specialist aboard USS John P. Murtha, currently operating out of San Diego.A Navy logistics specialist is responsible for providing customer service and retail services to all sailors aboard the ship.
Nwankwo applies the lessons she learned from Queens to her work in the Navy.
“I’m originally from Nigeria, so culture and family are big to me,” said Nwankwo. “I never forget where I come from. I brought that into my military service and I treat everyone like my brother and sister.”
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 experience and meet different people from other nations while here at RIMPAC,” said Nwankwo.
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.
“My proudest day was receiving my bachelor’s degree and citizenship,” said Nwankwo. “Also coming here, I was able to meet new family.”
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, Nwankwo 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’m strong,” said Nwankwo. “I never believed that I was strong. I was the first one to leave in my family and couldn't believe I could do it. I can do anything if I put my mind to it.”
Additional information about RIMPAC is available at http://www.cpf.navy.mil