PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - Lt. j.g. Jacob Pratt, a native of Boerne, Texas, serves aboard USS Somerset, a U.S. Navy warship operating out of San Diego, California, and participating in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in and around the Hawaiian Islands.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jerome Fjeld |
Pratt graduated from Boerne-Samuel V. Champion High School in 2016. Additionally, Pratt earned a bachelor’s degree in marine transportation from Texas A&M Maritime Academy in 2020.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Boerne.
“Growing up, I learned the importance of community, hard work and remembering my roots,” said Pratt. “I learned those at a young age and have carried them with me throughout my life.”
Pratt joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Pratt serves as a surface warfare officer.
“I joined the Navy to continue the legacy that my parents set forth because both my parents were in the Navy,” said Pratt. “They talked a lot about their experiences when I was a kid.”
As the world’s largest international maritime exercise, approximately 29 nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, over 150 aircraft and more than 25,000 personnel will participate in RIMPAC 2024. This exercise 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 2024 marks the 29th exercise in a series that began in 1971.
The theme of RIMPAC 2024 is “Partners: Integrated and Prepared.” 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.
Pratt plays an important role in the exercise.
“I think that RIMPAC is awesome,” said Pratt. “Seeing so many people and being able to have fun while also gaining knowledge is a great experience. The underway portion of this exercise will be really exciting.”
Pratt serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“I find value in doing things that are difficult and challenging because I know it serves a purpose greater than myself,” said Pratt.
Pratt is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank the law enforcement and the veterans in Boerne who influenced me to join the military,” added Pratt.
Hosted by Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, RIMPAC 2024 will be led by Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, Vice Adm. John Wade, who will serve as Combined Task Force (CTF) commander. For the first time in RIMPAC history, a member of the Chilean Navy, Commodore Alberto Guerrero, will serve as deputy commander of the CTF. Rear Adm. Kazushi Yokota of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force will serve as vice commander. Other key leaders of the multinational force will include Commodore Kristjan Monaghan of Canada, who will command the maritime component, and Air Commodore Louise Desjardins of Australia, who will command the air component.
During RIMPAC, a network of capable, adaptive partners train and operate together in order to strengthen their collective forces and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. RIMPAC 2024 contributes to the increased interoperability, resiliency and agility needed by the Joint and Combined Force to deter and defeat aggression by major powers across all domains and levels of conflict.
More information about RIMPAC is available here: https://www.cpf.navy.mil/RIMPAC/