By Navy Office of
Community Outreach
PEARL
HARBOR – A 1996 Huntley-Project High School graduate and Huntley, Montana 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).
Chief
Petty Officer Dwight Chesterman is an operations specialist aboard USS Shoup,
currently operating out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
A Navy operations specialist chief petty officer is
responsible for the operations information division. Chesterman trains and
leads the sailors into a successful combat information team which is tasked
with monitoring the environment for all threats as well as air traffic control
surrounding the ship.
“My
goal is to meet the sailors from Canada, Chili and Australia during RIMPAC,” said Chesterman.
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 Cmdr. Jason E. Rogers, commanding officer of USS Shoup. "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.”
“There
is a family environment on the Shoup," said Chesterman. "We make a difference every day. We have
new sailors on the ship all the time, so we are mentoring and training them to
improve readiness."
Challenging
living conditions build strong fellowship among the crew, Chesterman explained.
The crew is highly motivated, and quickly adapt to changing conditions. It is a
busy life of specialized work, watches, and drills.
“There is a much larger world to see and if I hadn't joined the Navy I wouldn't be
doing it,” said Chesterman.
Additional
information about Rim of the Pacific Exercise is available at http://www.cpf.navy.mil/rimpac/