2 Phoenix natives serve Navy during exercise series

Aviation Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Colton Donis-Thorpe, left, and Aviation Structural Mechanic 2nd Class Charlie Padilla-Garcia, right, both from Phoenix, assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 78, and embarked on the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence, give direction during flight operations on the flight deck during the Force Integration phase of Exercise Rim of the Pacific on July 12.

Twenty-nine nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, more than 150 aircraft, and 25,000 personnel are participating in Exercise Rim of the Pacific in and around the Hawaiian Islands this summer.

The world’s largest international maritime exercise, the Exercise Rim of the Pacific provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans.

This year marks the 29th exercise in the series that began in 1971.