A 2005 Escalon High School graduate and Escalon, California, native is serving in the U.S. Navy as part of the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise, Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC).
Petty Officer 1st Class James Hudson is a master-at-arms aboard USS John P. Murtha, currently operating out of San Diego.
A Navy master-at-arms is responsible for security, anti-terrorism force protection training, and conducting investigations.
Hudson applies the lessons he learned from Escalon to his work in the Navy.
“Being responsible is important because it lays the foundation for being successful in the Navy,” said Hudson.
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.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the ship operate during the exercise and show all of its capabilities,” said Hudson.
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 most proud of being in a leadership role and helping my junior sailors excel in their careers,” said Hudson.
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, Hudson and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“I’ve become more well-rounded and disciplined through working with such a diverse group of people,” said Hudson. “I’ve learned a lot from the people I work with.”
Story by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David Wyscaver, Navy Office of Community Outreach; Photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Gary Ward.
