An Austin, Texas native and 2011 Steven F. Austin High School graduate, Hull Maintenance Technician 3rd class Elijah Smith is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54) operating out of Yokosuka, Japan.

A Navy hull maintenance technician is responsible for the upkeep of the ship by performing maintenance, welding and damage control training.

"While being in the Navy, I've learned persistence and hard work pays off despite difficult challenges," said Smith. "On USS Antietam, I've advanced my job expertise and improved my teamwork, especially when we go through our inspection cycle. It's made our crew become more cohesive."

USS Antietam is currently participating in MultiSail 2018. MultiSail is an annual bilateral training exercise that improves interoperability between U.S. and Japanese forces. In 2018 the focus of the exercise will be on improving fundamental skills such as tracking and defeating submarines, combating other surface forces, live fire training, and interoperability with U.S. and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) units.

"As hull maintenance technicians, during MultiSail we give training on damage control to Sailors," said Smith. "That's important because in case something happens, we need the whole ship to understand what to do. I'm also a hot suitman for flight operations during MultiSail. That means if an aircraft crashes or something catches on fire, I have a suit that I can enter the flames with to grab the pilots and personnel to safety."

The group of participants in MultiSail 2018 include Antietam; the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54), USS Benfold (DDG 65), and USS Mustin (DDG 89); JS Fuyuzuki (DD-118); and a number of subsurface and other special units.

The participating forces will exercise a wide range of capabilities and demonstrate the inherent flexibility of our combined forces. These capabilities range from maritime security operations to more complex anti-submarine and air defense exercises.

"MultiSail is really important, specifically to the USS Antietam," said Smith. "We've been in the yards for over a year, so there's a lot of personnel that really require the training and expertise that goes along with MultiSail to become a fully operational warship."

MultiSail uses realistic, shared training scenarios to enhance the ability of the U.S. Navy and JMSDF to work together to confront any contingency. MultiSail prepares forces that will provide the deterrence and stabilizing effects of a force-in-being, ready at the outset of a contingency without delays for buildups or extensive mission rehearsal.

"MultiSail is an opportunity for our ships to increase our combat proficiency at sea," said Capt. Jon Duffy, commander, Destroyer Squadron 15. "We have designed MultiSail to exercise how we detect, locate, track and engage simulated units at sea, in the air, on land, and underwater with our Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force allies to help us increase our interoperability in a range of mission areas."

Antietam is operating as part of the Ronald Reagan Strike Group in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of its allies and partners in the region.

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