Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Lincoln native participates in Exercise Valiant Shield
PHILIPPINE SEA — Lincoln native and Lincoln High School graduate Kimberleigh Warner served aboard USS Ronald Reagan during Exercise Valiant Shield, held Sept. 14-25.
Exercise participants include USS Ronald Reagan, USS America, USS New Orleans, USS Germantown and multiple surface ships — approximately 100 aircraft and an estimated 11,000 personnel from the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army, and Marine Corps.
Valiant Shield focuses on integration of training in a blue-water environment.
This training enables real-world proficiency in sustaining joint forces through detecting, locating, tracking, and engaging units at sea, in the air, on land, and cyberspace in response to a range of mission areas.
Warner is a retail specialist seaman and maintains supplies and manages storerooms.
“It means a lot to be out here, seeing the world, knowing I’m making a difference and making my family proud,” said Warner.
Valiant Shield’s participating forces will exercise a wide range of warfighting capabilities and demonstrate the inherent flexibility and capability of U.S. Naval fleet operations and integration of joint forces. The range of capabilities include maritime security operations, anti-submarine and air-defense exercises, amphibious operations, and other elements of complex warfighting.
“Exercises such as Valiant Shield allow U.S. forces the opportunity to integrate warfighting concepts such as all-domain strike group operations in a joint high end warfare training environment to continuously improve joint lethality,” said Rear Adm. Michael Boyle, director maritime operations, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
“It is vitally important that we demonstrate to our allies and partners our strong commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
Since USS Ronald Reagan’s Yokosuka departure in June, the ship continues to operate in the Indo-Pacific alongside allies and partners to demonstrate the United States of America’s commitment to defense agreements, as well as provide security and stability in the region.