By Megan Lemly, Navy Office of Community Outreach

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - 2nd Lieutenant Zachary Henderson, a native of Fayette, Missouri, serves with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, a military infantry unit participating in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in and around the Hawaiian Islands.

Henderson graduated from Fayette High School in 2021. Additionally, Henderson earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and a minor in naval science from the University of Missouri in 2024 and joined the Marine Corps one and a half years ago.

“I joined the Marine Corps because I wanted to look back on my life when I’m older and say I made a positive difference in the world,” Henderson said.

The skills and values needed to succeed in the Marine Corps are similar to those found in Fayette.

“Growing up in a rural, small American town gave me the best foundation for leadership,” Henderson said. “I also learned a sense of community from Fayette. I apply those lessons from my childhood directly in my military career by looking out for other Marines.”

Today, Henderson serves as an infantry officer.

As the world’s largest international maritime exercise, 31 nations, approximately 40 surface ships, five submarines, 14 national land forces, over 140 aircraft, and more than 25,000 personnel will participate in RIMPAC 2026. This exercise 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 2026 marks the 30th exercise in a series that began in 1971.

The theme of RIMPAC 2026 is “Partners: Integrated and Prepared.” 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.

It is fitting that the world’s premier maritime exercise occurs as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary. For 250 years, the United States has built relationships with international partners based on trust, cooperation, and shared values. RIMPAC is where that trust is put into practice, strengthening the people-to-people relationships that are the bedrock of all the nations’ collective security.

Henderson plays an important role in the exercise.

“RIMPAC is great for exercising interoperability with our joint force,” Henderson said.

Henderson serves a military that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.

“Serving in the Marine Corps means I have an obligation to the best sons and daughters America has to offer,” Henderson said.

Henderson is grateful to others for helping make a Marine Corps career possible.

“I want to thank my beautiful wife, Anne, for her support and for enabling me to do what I am passionate about,” Henderson added. “I also want to thank my parents, David and Sarah, for giving me the opportunity growing up to pursue my interests and for allowing me to make my own decisions. Lastly, I want to thank my twin brother, Josh, who is in the Air Force, for always giving me someone I can compete with.”

Hosted by Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, RIMPAC 2026 will be led by Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, Rear Adm. Richard Meyer, who will serve as Combined Task Force (CTF) commander. Chile will fill the role of deputy commander of the CTF, and Japan will fill the role of vice commander. The Republic of Korea will command the maritime component, and Canada will command the air component.

During RIMPAC, a network of capable, adaptive partners train and operate together in order to strengthen their collective forces and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. RIMPAC 2026 contributes to the increased interoperability, resiliency, and agility needed by the Joint and Combined Force to deter and defeat aggression by major powers across all domains and levels of conflict.