PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - Lt. j.g. Zachary McKay, a native of Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania, serves aboard USS Fitzgerald, 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.
McKay graduated from Keystone Oaks High School in 2017 and Penn State University in 2021.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Castle Shannon.
“I learned early in high school through band and track that being on time is important and early is better, which is key to success in the military,” said McKay. “Honesty is always paramount and having integrity and a sense of responsibility has also served me well, especially since I have the lives of others in my hands.”
McKay joined the Navy three years ago. Today, McKay serves as a navigator.
“I joined primarily because it was a straightforward way to give back to a country that has given so much to me,” said McKay. “It also lives up to my family’s ideals of service. My grandfathers served in World War II, one was a Marine who actually fought at Iwo Jima.”
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jerome Fjeld |
McKay graduated from Keystone Oaks High School in 2017 and Penn State University in 2021.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Castle Shannon.
“I learned early in high school through band and track that being on time is important and early is better, which is key to success in the military,” said McKay. “Honesty is always paramount and having integrity and a sense of responsibility has also served me well, especially since I have the lives of others in my hands.”
McKay joined the Navy three years ago. Today, McKay serves as a navigator.
“I joined primarily because it was a straightforward way to give back to a country that has given so much to me,” said McKay. “It also lives up to my family’s ideals of service. My grandfathers served in World War II, one was a Marine who actually fought at Iwo Jima.”
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.
McKay plays an important role in the exercise.
“I have been very impressed with the partnership and collaboration between the different countries,” said McKay. “The friendships we are forging with people from all over the world strengthen our efforts in the pursuit of maritime security. We all have something to learn from each other.”
McKay serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation's prosperity and security.
“When I decided to join the Navy, I knew I was becoming a part of something bigger than myself,” said McKay. “I have joined this historical legacy of American pride and ingenuity while promoting the ideals of American life and values.”
McKay is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my parents, Timothy and Patricia, for teaching me the value of hard work and perseverance,” added McKay. “I also want to thank my Nana for reminding me life is just as much about having fun as it is about taking care of those around you.”
McKay values serving in the community.
“I know that serving my community in some capacity is something I always want to do, whether I’m in the Navy or not,” said McKay. “You will always find me trying to help people in some way.”
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/