Command Update

Greetings everyone! Is it just me or are these months flying by? Ok, maybe it's just me... but I have a lot of great news to report and as usual, the Team continues to impress with their amazing work and professionalism.

We were honored over the past few of weeks to have received visits from Vice Admiral Papp (our next Commandant) and Master Chief Clemons, Rear Admiral Lee and Master Chief DeWitt of the Deployable Operations Group AND also the Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Allen along with the Master Chief of the Coast Guard, Master Chief Bowen and Reserve Master Chief of the Coast Guard, Master Chief Smith. This was an excellent opportunity for us to hear from our top leadership and to showcase the Team's outstanding efforts in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

Advancements: Congratulations to Petty Officer First Class Gasparas, Petty Officer Second Class Oh, and Petty Officer Second Class Tuengel who were recently advanced to the next pay grade. In a once in a lifetime opportunity, they were advanced by the Commandant, Master Chief Bowen, and Master Chief Smith on 02 March 2010.

Bravo Zulu: The following members were also informally recognized for their outstanding performance by the visiting Admirals; ENS List, PO Guerrero, PO Hutton, PO Pitts, PO MacDonald, PO Murillo, PO Bowley, PO Gibbs, PO Willey and PO Angcaya. Thank you all for your hard work, positive attitudes, and professionalism!

Certifications: Congratulations to PO Tighe who recently earned his Boarding Team Member Certification, PO Hyzak who recently earned his Boat Crew Certification, and to PO Standiford who recently earned his Boarding Officer Certification. Each of these members have spent a great deal of time training and studying for each of these mission essential certifications. Thank you for your contributions to our overall readiness!

Good luck: to the MLE/FP team who will be participating in MTT next week and to several of our members who are conducting an Underwater Port Security assessment with the West Coast Regional Dive Locker. We also wish our Ombudsman, Stepheni Norton all the best as she departs for Reserve basic training in Cape May, NJ this weekend. Congratulations Stepheni and we look forward to your return as a YN2!

In our thoughts: please keep Chief Conroy, PO D. White, and Stepheni Norton in your thoughts as they and their families have recently experienced a difficult illness or loss of a loved one. We hope that the care and concern of your CG family brings you some comfort during this difficult time.

As always, I thank you all for your support and consistently outstanding work. You make me very proud! All for now...