PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - Airman Victor Escorcia, a native of Ontario, California, 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 |
Escorcia graduated from Ontario High School in 2010.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Ontario.
“Growing up in Ontario, it was hard times,” said Escorcia. "I learned to be resilient and not take everything personally. My parents taught me I must keep going no matter how hard it gets. This has helped tremendously in the Navy because I got knocked down early in my career, but I got back and things are good now."
Escorcia joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Escorcia serves as an aviation electrician's mate.
“I joined the Navy to serve my country and I to be the first one in my family to serve in the military,” said Escorcia. "I originally joined to be a special warfare combat crewman (SWCC), but didn't make it. The Navy gave me another chance and I became an aviation electrician’s mate and I have no regrets."
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.
Escorcia plays an important role in the exercise.
“I think RIMPAC is amazing,” said Escorcia. "Participating in exercises with our allies lets them know that we have their back and they have ours. It shows the rest of the world that we are united."
Escorcia 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 get to serve my country and it’s giving me a job and life experience,” said Escorcia. "It has made me a better person. I'm more responsible and disciplined now and I know how much it matters to do the little things."
Escorcia is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my mom, Angelica, for raising me by herself and always being willing to take the time to help me when I needed it,” added Escorcia. "When I didn't make it through SWCC school, she made me see that it wasn't the end of my Navy career. I also want to thank my Petty Officer 1st Class Green who made sure I got to my physical training during SWCC and Petty Officer 2nd Class Wodrask for being my friend during that hard time."
“It is my personal goal to own a home somewhere in Texas and go back to school to get a bachelor's degree in criminal justice,” said Escorcia.
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/