PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - Fireman Yasmine Guero Martinez, a native of Fresno, California, serves aboard USS Chosin, a U.S. Navy warship participating in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in and around the Hawaiian Islands.
Guero Martinez graduated from Washington Union High School in 2020 and joined the Navy two years ago
“I joined the Navy because I didn’t want to go to college,” Guero Martinez said. “I also wanted my parents to be able to get their citizenship.”
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Fresno.
“Growing up, my parents instilled a hard work ethic in me,” Guero Martinez said. "You need to have a hard work ethic in the Navy because you aren’t going to get anything without putting effort in.”
Today, Guero Martinez serves as a damage controlman.
As the world’s largest international maritime exercise, 31 nations, approximately 40 surface ships, five submarines, 14 national land forces, over 140 aircraft, and more than 25,000 personnel will participate in RIMPAC 2026. 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 2026 marks the 30th exercise in a series that began in 1971.
The theme of RIMPAC 2026 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.
It is fitting that the world's premier maritime exercise occurs as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary. For 250 years, the United States has built relationships with international partners based on trust, cooperation, and shared values. RIMPAC is where that trust is put into practice, strengthening the people-to-people relationships that are the bedrock of all the nations’ collective security.
Guero Martinez has enjoyed taking part in the exercise.
“It is nice to see other countries' navies during RIMPAC,” Guero Martinez said.
Guero Martinez 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 having a stable income and better opportunities for my family,” Guero Martinez said.
Guero Martinez is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my parents for everything they have done for me,” Guero Martinez added.
Hosted by Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, RIMPAC 2026 will be led by Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, Rear Adm. Richard Meyer, who will serve as Combined Task Force (CTF) commander. Chile will fill the role of deputy commander of the CTF, and Japan will fill the role of vice commander. The Republic of Korea will command the maritime component, and Canada 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 2026 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/