PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Gramke, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, 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 3rd Class Marissa Johnson |
Gramke graduated from Elder High School in 2013.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Cincinnati.
“My hometown taught me to be dependable for others,” said Gramke. "It also taught me to live for each day, and to strive for higher goals."
Gramke joined the Navy nine years ago. Today, Gramke serves as a hospital corpsman.
“I joined the Navy to be a part of something bigger than myself,” said Gramke. "I also wanted to have a career with a stable income."
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.
Gramke plays an important role in the exercise.
“As a hospital corpsman, I'm focused on the health and wellness of the crew during RIMPAC,” said Gramke. "I was stationed in Hawaii years ago, so this is my third RIMPAC experience. It feels like a school reunion, remembering all of my friends and the good times we had."
Gramke serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation's prosperity and security.
“Service has taught me gratitude. People in the service give 100% of their labor to benefit others,” said Gramke. "This has shown me what selfless service means and I'm grateful for that experience."
Gramke is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my mom, dad, and sisters, along with my entire family,” added Gramke. "They have allowed me to be away from them. They have made many sacrifices for me, for which I am truly grateful."
Gramke offered words of advice.
“I would like to share a quote from my high school that has guided me,” said Gramke."'What I had I gave; what I saved I lost.'"
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/