PEARL HARBOR – A 2017 Bremen High School graduate and Bremen, Indiana, native is serving in the U.S. Navy as part of the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise, Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC).
Airman Recruit Makali Detweiler is an aviation boatwain’s mate handling aboard USS Carl Vinson, currently operating out of San Diego.
A Navy aviation boatwain’s mate handling is responsible for moving aircraft in the hangar bay and preparing each one for flight.
Detweiler applies the lessons she learned from Bremen to her work in the Navy.
“My grandfather was in the Navy and taught me to focus on the positive and keep a positive attitude,” said Detweiler.
As the world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC 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 2018 is the 26th exercise in the series that began in 1971.
The theme of RIMPAC 2018 is Capable, Adaptive, Partners. 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.
“This is my first time in Hawaii and I’m looking forward to hiking, seeing the local attractions and experiencing different cultures,” said Detweiler.
This is the first time Israel, Sri Lanka and Vietnam are participating in RIMPAC. Additional firsts include New Zealand serving as sea combat commander and Chile serving as combined force maritime component commander. This is the first time a non-founding RIMPAC nation (Chile) will hold a component commander leadership position.
“I’m proud be in the Navy and serve my country,” said Detweiler.
Twenty-six nations, 46 surface ships, five submarines, and more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel will participate in the biennial Rim of the Pacific Exercise. This year’s exercise includes forces from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam.
As a member of the U.S. Navy, Detweiler and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“As long as you believe in yourself, you can accomplish anything,” said Detweiler. “It’s important to not put limits on yourself and what you’re capable of achieving.”
By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David Wyscaver, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Gary Ward
Additional information about RIMPAC is available at http://www.cpf.navy.mil
