Photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Gary Ward
PEARL HARBOR – A 2014 Southern High School graduate and Durham, North Carolina, native is serving in the U.S. Navy as part of the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise, Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC).
Airman Richie Thornton is an aviation ordnanceman aboard USS Carl Vinson, currently operating out of San Diego. A Navy aviation ordnanceman is responsible for building and maintaining ordinance for aircraft.
Thornton applies the lessons he learned from Durham to his work in the Navy.
“I learned hard work ethic,” said Thornton. “The hard work is noticed and appreciated by those you work with, it reflects well on you personally and professionally.”
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'm looking forward to all of the great local food during my time here serving in RIMPAC,” said Thornton.
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'm working toward my college degree and I'm proud of obtaining my air warfare qualification pin,” said Thornton.
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, Thornton and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“Thanks to the Navy, I'm more independent and motivated toward achieving my goals,” said Thornton.
Additional information about RIMPAC is available at http://www.cpf.navy.mil