By
Navy Office of Community Outreach
PEARL HARBOR – A 1991 Gardner High School graduate and
Gardner, Massachusetts native is serving in the U.S. Navy and is participating
in the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise, the Rim of the
Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC).
Cmdr. Jason Rogers is commanding officer aboard USS Shoup,
currently operating out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
“As a Navy commanding officer my job is awesome and my
responsibilities are two-fold,” said Rogers. “I have a responsibility to the 319 sailors
under my command and to my Navy and our country to ensure Shoup is always
mission ready.”
“I'm looking forward to exercising the ship’s capabilities during
RIMPAC,” said Rogers. “This is also an
exceptional opportunity for training and developing the expertise of my sailors. I'm also looking forward to the
partnerships and enhancing our international relations.”
According to Navy officials, RIMPAC provides a unique
training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain cooperative
relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and
security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2016 is the 25th exercise in the series
that began in 1971.
The theme of RIMPAC 2016 is "Capable, Adaptive,
Partners," Navy officials explained. 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.
The Department of the Navy's Great Green Fleet yearlong
initiative will also play a major role in RIMPAC. The initiative highlights
global operations using energy conservation measures and alternative fuel
blends to demonstrate how optimizing energy use increases resiliency and
operational readiness. During RIMPAC, almost all participating units will operate
using an approved alternate-fuel blend.
26 nations, 45 surface ships, 5 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, Brunei,
Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy,
Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, People's Republic of
China, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States.
“Shoup sailors are taking part in RIMPAC 2016 and the missions they will be planning and executing are nothing short of awesome," said Rogers. "As captain, USS Shoup and the warfighting functions it is responsible for represent my domain. Fortunately, I am blessed with the talent and warrior spirit of 300 plus sailors who strive to exercise professional mastery and control over each and every one of those domains. Our sailors constantly challenge themselves and each other to know and do more.”
“I like every minute
of every day,” said Rogers. “The thing I
like most would have to be the teamwork that I see every day from trash detail
to underway replenishments to a complex detect-to-engage firing
sequence with our air system.”
Challenging living conditions build strong fellowship among
the crew, Rogers explained. The crew is highly motivated, and quickly adapt to
changing conditions. It is a busy life of specialized work, watches, and
drills.
“The Navy has taught me that no one gets where they are without the help of someone else,” said Rogers.
Additional information about Rim of the Pacific Exercise is
available at http://www.cpf.navy.mil/rimpac/