PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - Petty Officer 1st Class Cullen Falvey, a native of Vero Beach, Florida, 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 2nd Class Isaiah Williams |
Falvey graduated from Saint Edward's High School in 2014.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Vero Beach.
“My hometown taught me that life is best spent on the water, but being with friends and family is even better,” said Falvey. "I grew up on the water, fishing, swimming, and surfing. This led me to seek something similar. It makes life in the Navy feel familiar."
Falvey joined the Navy seven years ago. Today, Falvey serves as an electronics technician (nuclear power).
“I joined the Navy to get life experience,” said Falvey. "I wanted a career path I could grow into."
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.
Falvey plays an important role in the exercise.
“My role during RIMPAC is as a nuclear operator, managing steam to provide power and propulsion for the ship,” said Falvey. "RIMPAC is exciting and interesting, getting the opportunity to see all the different ships and sailors."
Falvey serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation's prosperity and security.
“Service is a sacrifice for the greater good,” said Falvey. "The benefits I receive from service allow me to improve myself and help others."
Falvey is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my wife, Raegan, for always being there to support me and ensuring I come home to a great life and our two dogs,” added Falvey. "I would also like to thank everyone who has lent a helping hand during my life and naval career."
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/