PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - Senior Chief Petty Officer Ferlissia Hunnicutt, a native of East St. Louis, Illinois, 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.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jerome Fjeld |
Hunnicutt graduated from Pebblebrook High School in 2006 and from Liberty University in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in East St. Louis.
“I learned to be resilient and to control my emotions,” said Hunnicutt. "Self-discipline is very important in the Navy."
Hunnicutt joined the Navy 18 years ago. Today, Hunnicutt serves as a culinary specialist.
“I joined the Navy to get money for college and to see the world,” said Hunnicutt. "I've been to 12 different countries, but I have to say Singapore was my favorite."
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.
Hunnicutt plays an important role in the exercise.
“I love RIMPAC because this is the only chance to see all of these countries come together,” said Hunnicutt. "It is my job is to make sure everyone stays fed and capable of performing their duties."
Hunnicutt serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation's prosperity and security.
“Serving n the Navy means can provide for myself and my family,” said Hunnicutt. "The Navy has afforded me so many opportunities in terms of meeting people from other places that I would not have had I not joined."
Hunnicutt is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I have had some amazing mentors I would like to thank, but most of all Senior Chief Culinary Specialist (ret) Christopher Shearin who gave me a reboot when I was ready to call it quits, but he told me that wasn't going to happen,” added Hunnicutt. "I also want to thank all of my Sailors. Without them, I wouldn't be where I am today. I want to give a big thank you to my mom, Lisa Bush, and my sister, Shantell, who have always supported me."
“My biggest goal right now is to train my relief and finish my master's in criminal justice with an emphasis on juvenile justice,” said Hunnicutt.
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/