PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas Sayre, a native of Des Moines, Iowa, serves aboard USS Gridley, a U.S. Navy warship operating out of Everett, Washington, and participating in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in and around the Hawaiian Islands.
Sayre graduated from Roosevelt High School in 2020.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Des Moines.
“I learned growing up in Des Moines that it is important to understand people,” said Sayre. “This is very important in the Navy because it’s easier to make friends and network to get the job done.”
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Isaiah Williams |
Sayre graduated from Roosevelt High School in 2020.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Des Moines.
“I learned growing up in Des Moines that it is important to understand people,” said Sayre. “This is very important in the Navy because it’s easier to make friends and network to get the job done.”
Sayre joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Sayre serves as a gas turbine systems technician (electrical).
“I joined the Navy to start a career and gain life experience,” said Sayre. “I have no regrets about my decision to join and would do it again.”
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.
Sayre plays an important role in the exercise.
“This is my second RIMPAC and I’m getting to do so much more this time,” said Sayre. “Mingling with other countries and talking to all of these other sailors has been an enlightening experience.”
Sayre 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 means I have a job that my parents are proud of,” said Sayre. “Every time we speak, they are amazed at what I’m doing. I’ve learned so much because of the Navy.”
Sayre is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my parents, Miriam and Sean, and my brother, Joe, for always supporting me and never being too busy to talk to me,” added Sayre. “I also want to thank Chief Gas Turbine Systems Technician Gini Little, who was a big mentor for me on the ship.”
Sayre plans to continue their education and earn a degree.
“I definitely want to earn my bachelor’s in electrical engineering,” said Sayre.
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/