PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - Lt. j.g. Jhon Alzate, a native of South Hackensack, New Jersey, 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.
 |
| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Isaiah Williams |
Alzate graduated from Hackensack High School in 2012.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in South Hackensack.
“Hackensack High School, a combination of four different towns in the area, exposed me to a diverse group of people from all over the world,” said Alzate. "This experience turned me into an extrovert. Being exposed to a lot of diversity and differing cultures has helped me be more open-minded when it comes to leading in the Navy."
Alzate joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Alzate serves as a public affairs officer.
“I joined the Navy to establish a foundation for my family as a first-generation immigrant,” said Alzate. "The benefits, pay, and experience are a good starting point for my life. This combination of things will allow me to further my education and achieve my goal of purchasing a home."
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.
Alzate plays an important role in the exercise.
“As a public affairs officer during RIMPAC, my role is to build relationships and partnerships with other countries and the local community here in Hawaii,” said Alzate. "It's been really cool because I've had the opportunity to meet people from other nationalities here. We hosted the Mexican Navy aboard the Vinson, and I've also met the Colombian Navy."
Alzate 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 fills me with pride, representing my upbringing here in the United States,” said Alzate. "Service also means having job security and the opportunity to meet people from all over the U.S. within one organization is very rewarding."
Alzate is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my wife, Amanda,” said Alzate. "She has been incredibly supportive throughout the entire experience, moving with me, holding down the fort while I'm gone, and showing understanding and patience with my tours and obligations, whether underway or on duty. I would also like to thank my mom, Ana Argiz. She has been supportive, constantly checking up on me to ensure I am taking care of myself, bettering myself and staying happy. Her support means a lot to me."
Alzate offered words of advice for first-generation U.S. citizens.
“For first-generation U.S. citizens, I believe the military can provide a solid foundation to start a family and establish a home,” added Alzate. "Joining the military helps you build countless relationships, learn leadership skills, and provides long-term benefits."
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/