Photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Gary Ward
PEARL HARBOR – A 2014 James Campbell High School graduate and Ewa Beach, Hawaii, native is serving in the U.S. Navy as part of the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise known as the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC).
Petty Officer 2nd Class Kalena Rodriguez is an operations specialist aboard USS Pearl Harbor, currently operating out of San Diego. A Navy operations specialist is responsible for working with air and surface search radars to detect and track contacts around the ship.
Rodriguez is looking forward to applying the lessons learned from Ewa Beach to working in the Navy.
“I learned to go after anything that I want, and that's helped me succeed in the Navy,” said Rodriguez.
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,” according to Navy officials. 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.
“I'm most looking forward to working with the other participating nations,” said Rodriguez.
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.
This year will also feature live firing of a Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) from a U.S. Air Force aircraft, surface to ship missiles by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and a Naval Strike Missile (NSM) from a launcher on the back of a Palletized Load System (PLS) by the U.S. Army. This marks the first time a land based unit will participate in the live fire event during RIMPAC. RIMPAC 2018 will also include international band engagements and highlight fleet innovation during an Innovation Fair.
“I'm proud of being able to travel the world with the Navy and see what other cultures are like,” said Rodriguez. "Sometimes we Americans take for granted the lifestyles and freedoms we have."
Twenty-six nations, 46 surface ships, six 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, 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, Rodriguez and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“I've learned to always have a positive attitude, even through difficult situations, and that's helped me grow in the Navy,” said Rodriguez. “Serving in the Navy is a big opportunity for me because I get to become independent and better myself.”
Additional information about RIMPAC is available at http://www.cpf.navy.mil