Pacific Air Forces officials host bloggers during exercise

  • Published
  • By Tech Sgt. Cohen A. Young
  • Defense Media Activity - Hawaii News Bureau
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (AFNS) --  Rim of the Pacific 2010 exercise participants demonstrated air component capabilities to prominent local bloggers of Hawaii during mission scenarios here July 16.

Thirteen bloggers watched as two C-17 Globemaster III crews from the 535th Airlift Squadron at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam dropped real-world and simulated cargo to Marines from Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, on the Island of Hawaii as part of RIMPAC scenarios.

RIMPAC, a biennial exercise in its 22nd year, stresses interoperability of all partner nations as a key element of regional stability. The exercise includes 14 nations, 32 ships, five submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 20,000 participants.

In the age of communication, Twitter, Facebook and other popular daily blogs lead the way people do business and communicate. PACAF officials chose to show their capabilities to a select group of talented bloggers in an effort to highlight their mission and achievements.

"Blogging is another form of communication, and it allows us the opportunity to reach a different audience and maybe a bit younger audience," said Lt. Col. Andrew J. Leshikar, the 535th AS commander. "It's great that this group could come in and learn something about what we do."

Pacific Air Forces members are more involved in this year's RIMPAC than in the past and took this opportunity to invite some social media bloggers to witness some of the capabilities that PACAF has to offer. For many of the bloggers this was their first time to ride aboard a C-17 or witness an airdrop first-hand.

"It was simply amazing," said Damon Tucker, a local blogger. "When the back door opened up and we saw the F-16 (Fighting Falcons), I was like 'Whoa!'"