PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - Seaman Thai Struble, a native of Victorville, 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 |
Struble graduated from Silverado High School in 2001.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Victorville.
“Coming from a small town I learned you need to push yourself to grow,” said Struble. "This has translated well into my Navy career as I am constantly pushing myself beyond my comfort zone."
Struble joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Struble serves as a yeoman.
“I joined the Navy because I didn't want to live a life of regret,” said Struble. "I'm third-generation Navy, and every day I know I'm making my family proud."
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.
Struble plays an important role in the exercise.
“RIMPAC has been a great experience so far,” said Struble. "Meeting sailors from allied countries is so interesting. Although I’m a yeoman, I’m working with the deck department and we are responsible for the preservation of the ship, driving the ship, manning the rigid-hull inflatable boats and mooring the ship to the pier.”
Struble 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 volunteering and sacrificing our time and perhaps our lives to protect the freedoms that those before us gave everything for,” said Struble.
Struble is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my family and friends for all of their support throughout my journey in the Navy," said Struble. "I most want to thank my wife, Patricia, for holding down things at home and allowing me to join the Navy and take a shot at this career."
“My goal is to try to get my bachelor's degree in cyber security and put that to use in law enforcement,” added Struble.
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/