Spanish Springs High graduate takes part in military exercise

PHILIPPINE SEA (KOLO) - Spanish Springs High School graduate Xzavier Lopez participated in Exercise Valiant Shield in September while serving aboard the USS Ronald Regan.

The exercise also included the USS America, USS New Orleans, USS Germantown, other surface ships, about 100 aircraft and about 11,000 personnel from the U.S. Navy, the Marine Corps, the Air Force and the Army.

It integrated training on the high seas, Forces joined together for detecting, locating, tracking and engaging units at sea, in the air, on land and in cyberspace for different missions.

Lopez is a seaman in Deck Department. He helps preserve the ship’s exterior while also standing deck watches.

“I support the mission wholeheartedly because I know the things we do are important on a global scale” Lopez said in a statement provided by the U.S. Navy.

Valient Shield included 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,” Rear Adm. Michael Boyle, director maritime operations for the U.S. Pacific Fleet, said in a statement. “It is vitally important that we demonstrate to our allies and partners our strong commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

The USS Ronald Reagan has been operating in the Pacific and Indian oceans.