PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - Petty Officer 2nd Class Keiun Williams, a native of Memphis, Tennessee, 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 |
Williams graduated from Whitehaven High School in 2015 and the University of Memphis in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Memphis.
“I learned early on that patience is the most important thing,” said Williams. "It has helped me overcome my fear of talking to people and addressing large groups."
Williams joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Williams serves as a yeoman.
“I joined the Navy during COVID-19 and the world was shut down,” said Williams. "My son had just been born and I had no job and no job opportunities and the Navy offered me a lifeline. It was a rocky world and I knew I had to make a change."
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.
Williams plays an important role in the exercise.
“This is my second RIMPAC, so I am accustomed to it,” said Williams. "The last time I was on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with 5,000 other people and this time I am with 326 shipmates and, unlike the carrier, I get to perform all aspects of my job and I get to know everyone on board."
Williams 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 is an honor because not everyone can do it and I'm proud to be among those who have made this sacrifice for their country,” said Williams. "Seeing things happening in the world, I know I'm needed in my administrative role. My job affects the careers of others and if I don't do it well, it could be catastrophic. I take pride in what I do."
Williams is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank Yeoman 2nd Class Macarion Gentry, who took me under his wing when I came on board Fitzgerald,” added Williams. "He has been with me every step of the way and he has helped me succeed as a yeoman in ways I never thought possible. I also want to thank my son, Christian, who is the inspiration for everything I do in the Navy. He's the reason I wake up every day so early and do the best I can at my job."
“I am looking to complete my master's degree in criminology and then go to law school,” said Williams.
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 Memphis.
“I learned early on that patience is the most important thing,” said Williams. "It has helped me overcome my fear of talking to people and addressing large groups."
Williams joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Williams serves as a yeoman.
“I joined the Navy during COVID-19 and the world was shut down,” said Williams. "My son had just been born and I had no job and no job opportunities and the Navy offered me a lifeline. It was a rocky world and I knew I had to make a change."
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.
Williams plays an important role in the exercise.
“This is my second RIMPAC, so I am accustomed to it,” said Williams. "The last time I was on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with 5,000 other people and this time I am with 326 shipmates and, unlike the carrier, I get to perform all aspects of my job and I get to know everyone on board."
Williams 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 is an honor because not everyone can do it and I'm proud to be among those who have made this sacrifice for their country,” said Williams. "Seeing things happening in the world, I know I'm needed in my administrative role. My job affects the careers of others and if I don't do it well, it could be catastrophic. I take pride in what I do."
Williams is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank Yeoman 2nd Class Macarion Gentry, who took me under his wing when I came on board Fitzgerald,” added Williams. "He has been with me every step of the way and he has helped me succeed as a yeoman in ways I never thought possible. I also want to thank my son, Christian, who is the inspiration for everything I do in the Navy. He's the reason I wake up every day so early and do the best I can at my job."
“I am looking to complete my master's degree in criminology and then go to law school,” said Williams.
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/