Photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Gary Ward
PEARL HARBOR – A 2015 Muskegon High School graduate and Muskegon, Michigan, native is serving in the U.S. Navy as part of the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise, Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC).
Seaman David Currence is a culinary specialist aboard USS Carl Vinson, currently operating out of San Diego.
A Navy culinary specialist is responsible for controlling the customer service and quality of food on the ship.
Currence applies the lessons learned from Muskegon to working in the Navy.
“I learned to work hard, and to work for what I want to achieve,” said Currence.
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 seeing what the environment is like at sea working with our allies,” said Currence. "This is a major exercise, so I'm looking forward to seeing how our ship will work during it."
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 most proud of being a part of the ceremonial guard in Washington D.C,” said Currence. "It was also great to be part of the first carrier to visit Vietnam in 40 years."
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.
A Navy culinary specialist is responsible for controlling the customer service and quality of food on the ship.
Currence applies the lessons learned from Muskegon to working in the Navy.
“I learned to work hard, and to work for what I want to achieve,” said Currence.
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 seeing what the environment is like at sea working with our allies,” said Currence. "This is a major exercise, so I'm looking forward to seeing how our ship will work during it."
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 most proud of being a part of the ceremonial guard in Washington D.C,” said Currence. "It was also great to be part of the first carrier to visit Vietnam in 40 years."
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, Currence and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“I've come to realize just how much drive I have to succeed, and the Navy has shown me that,” said Currence. “Serving in the Navy really means I'm a part of a bigger mission that the Navy serves. We're a huge impact in a lot of people's lives, not only back home but all over the world.”
Additional information about RIMPAC is available at http://www.cpf.navy.mil