By
Navy Office of Community Outreach
PEARL HARBOR – A 2008 Royal Palm Beach High School graduate
and Royal Palm Beach, Florida 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).
Petty Officer 2nd Class Denise McHayle is an aviation
boatswain's mate aboard USS San Diego, currently operating out of Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii.
A Navy aviation boatswain's mate is responsible for the jet
fuel aboard the ship and ensuring the proper storage, receipt and cleanliness
of all fuel and equipment used for refueling.
“I'm looking forward to the experience and being able to
work with different countries observing how they operate,” said McHayle.
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.
“This is a great opportunity for us to come together as a team within the ship doing the mission the nation expects us to be able to accomplish,” said Capt. Carl Meuser, commanding officer aboard USS San Diego. “I enjoy leading young sailors and watching them develop, and not just as sailors, but as young men and women. RIMPAC has tremendous resources to support all of the platforms involved. Cruisers and destroyers will be shooting weapons, the air wing has evolutions going on and the Marines are out with us conducting amphibious operations.”
“This is a small knit community so you get to know everyone
vice being on a larger ship like a carrier,” said McHayle. “It is more intimate here and you get to know
everyone.”
Challenging living conditions build strong fellowship among
the crew, McHayle explained. The crew is highly motivated, and quickly adapt to
changing conditions. It is a busy life of specialized work, watches, and
drills.
“I joined the Navy to go to college, travel and see the world," said McHayle. "I've certainly had those opportunities."
Additional information about Rim of the Pacific Exercise is
available at http://www.cpf.navy.mil/rimpac/