Photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Gary Ward
PEARL HARBOR – A 2017 Ryder High School graduate and Wichita Falls, Texas, 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 Apprentice Evan Dorman is an aviation ordnanceman aboard USS Carl Vinson, currently operating out of San Diego. Aviation ordnancemen receive, inspect, package, store, handle, and process for shipment: airborne weapons, air launched torpedoes, aerial mines, and ammunition; test, assemble, fuse, load, download, arm, and de-arm all airborne weapons, torpedoes, and mines for aircraft carriage.
Dorman applies the lessons he learned from Wichita Falls to his work in the Navy.
“Both of my parents were in the Navy so I had an idea what I would go through,” said Dorman. “They also taught me how to be a better man.”
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 would like to gain knowledge from other countries and talk to the other personnel from the other navies,” said Dorman. “I would like to see the similarities of both of our countries working together.”
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.
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, Dorman and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“It was hard at first being away from family,” said Dorman. “Still, I learned a lot about how I am on my own and getting through by myself.”
Additional information about RIMPAC is available at http://www.cpf.navy.mil