Photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Gary Ward
PEARL HARBOR – A 2007 Lighthouse Christian Academy graduate and San Diego 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 Stephanie Chancellor is an airman aboard USS Carl Vinson, currently operating out of San Diego.A Navy airman is responsible for securing aircraft for sea in the hangar bay.
Chancellor applies the lessons learned from San Diego to working in the Navy.
“Being kind has taken me really far in the Navy,” said Chancellor. "It's good to be respectful to others."
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 most looking forward to exploring Hawaii and experiencing the different cultures of our allies,” said Chancellor.
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 graduating boot camp,” said Chancellor. "I thought I wasn't going to make it, but I pushed myself and graduated."
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, Chancellor and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“The Navy has made me a stronger person both mentally and physically,” said Chancellor. “Serving in the Navy means I get to follow in my dad's footsteps. He was a radioman for 20 years, and it makes me very proud to carry on his legacy.”
Additional information about RIMPAC is available at http://www.cpf.navy.mil