PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - Petty Officer 3rd Class Edward Ogden, a native of Charlotte, Texas, serves aboard USS Carl Vinson, 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 Isaiah Williams |
Ogden graduated from Charlotte High School in 2017.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Charlotte.
“My hometown taught me the importance of perseverance and getting the job done, no matter how challenging it may be,” said Ogden. "Working as a ranch hand in the hot Texas summer has helped me become more resilient in the face of challenges."
Ogden joined the Navy four years ago. Today, Ogden serves as an aviation ordnanceman.
“I joined the Navy because I wanted to challenge myself,” said Ogden. "I wanted to seek the opportunities I knew I would find in the Navy."
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.
Ogden plays an important role in the exercise.
“During RIMPAC, my role involves serving as an ammunition magazine supervisor, ensuring weapon spaces are secure, and assisting with ordnance evolutions,” said Ogden. "It has been a significant learning experience that has made the training we undergo much more meaningful."
Ogden serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation's prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy has motivated me to strive to be a better person, both within and outside the Navy,” said Ogden. "It has made me honest and left me with a stronger work ethic, proving my worth by pushing through even when I don't feel like working."
Ogden is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my family and close friends for encouraging and pushing me to join the Navy. Their support has meant everything to me,” added Ogden. "I would also like to thank my mom and dad for providing me with food to eat, clothes on my back, and everything I needed. I also want to thank my step-parents for stepping in and being parents to me as well."
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/
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Charlotte.
“My hometown taught me the importance of perseverance and getting the job done, no matter how challenging it may be,” said Ogden. "Working as a ranch hand in the hot Texas summer has helped me become more resilient in the face of challenges."
Ogden joined the Navy four years ago. Today, Ogden serves as an aviation ordnanceman.
“I joined the Navy because I wanted to challenge myself,” said Ogden. "I wanted to seek the opportunities I knew I would find in the Navy."
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.
Ogden plays an important role in the exercise.
“During RIMPAC, my role involves serving as an ammunition magazine supervisor, ensuring weapon spaces are secure, and assisting with ordnance evolutions,” said Ogden. "It has been a significant learning experience that has made the training we undergo much more meaningful."
Ogden serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation's prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy has motivated me to strive to be a better person, both within and outside the Navy,” said Ogden. "It has made me honest and left me with a stronger work ethic, proving my worth by pushing through even when I don't feel like working."
Ogden is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my family and close friends for encouraging and pushing me to join the Navy. Their support has meant everything to me,” added Ogden. "I would also like to thank my mom and dad for providing me with food to eat, clothes on my back, and everything I needed. I also want to thank my step-parents for stepping in and being parents to me as well."
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/