Indianapolis native and Southport High School graduate Chandler Brouwer served aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) during Exercise Valiant Shield from Sept. 14-25.
Exercise participants included USS Ronald Reagan (CVN76), USS America (LHA 6), USS New Orleans (LPD 18), USS Germantown (LSD 42) 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.
Brouwer is an Electronics Technician 3rd Class, and ensures all radars on the ship are functioning properly.
“It feels good to be a part of the force that protects my country,” said Brouwer.
Valiant Shield’s participating forces 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 of 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 2020, 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.
Visit the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) photo gallery for more photos and information about past and current operations at dvidshub.net/unit/CVN76.
