PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - Petty Officer 2nd Class Sumin Hong, a native of Foggy Bottom, Washington DC, serves aboard Assualt Craft Unit 5, 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 |
Hong graduated from Northfield Mount Hermon School in 2000. Hong also obtained her bachelor's degree in Chinese literature and language at George Washington University
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Foggy Bottom.
“There is always someone else working harder than you,” said Hong. "If you're not doing all you can do someone else will outshine you."
Hong joined the Navy four years ago. Today, Hong serves as an electronics technician.
“I wanted to serve the country at some point,” said Hong. “When I was in college, 9/11 happened, and I was three blocks away from the Pentagon and that motivated me.”
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.
Hong plays an important role in the exercise.
“I know that RIMPAC is going to be very busy and seeing different Navys is very cool,” said Hong.
Hong 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 that I get to be a part of a greater cause than myself.,” said Hong.
Hong is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my family for helping me become who I am today,” said Hong.
Hong is looking forward to advancing her education.
"I would like to finish my master's degree at some point,” added Hong.
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/