From the Editor - Our last issue focused on the efforts of reservists who rushed to the aid of the Haitian people in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake, Jan 12. Their selfless efforts, along with those of other service members who lent a helping hand, brought hope to the imperiled island nation. Many Guardians are continuing to participate in recovery and rebuilding efforts today as Haiti emerges from the ruins of this natural disaster.
The wheel has turned yet again, and the Coast Guard finds itself in the international spotlight for its actions much nearer to our shores. Active and Reserve Guardians have joined together with numerous government and civilian agencies under the leadership of former Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen, to intervene in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Shortly after the spill, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano named Allen as the National Incident Commander with overall responsibility for the government-wide response to the spill. Napolitano’s selection of Allen highlights the important role the Coast Guard is expected to play throughout this crisis.
Additionally, the Coast Guard has mobilized a sizable Reserve force to help in clean-up and damage mitigation efforts. While significant progress has already been made in stemming the continued flow of oil, the enormous slick swirling around the Gulf continues to threaten the livelihood and safety of all those living in the region. For the foreseeable future, containment and clean-up will remain a monumental task. Be sure to look at our feature about the ongoing efforts in the Gulf on page 14.
On a more optimistic note, Reservists in the Capitol region recently joined with hundreds of fellow service members from all branches of the military at the White House to support warriors who had been wounded during combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. The wounded warriors participated in a three-day bike ride from Washington D.C. to Annapolis, Md., in an effort to raise awareness and inspire other injured and battle-wounded veterans. Vice-President Biden officiated the start of the ride with other military leaders, and took time afterward to greet the assembled troops. Check out our coverage of the event on page 26.
Big changes are in the air for Reservist as we have decided to move forward with a fully interactive digital magazine in addition to our paper version.We will highlight some of the new features of our online magazine in the next issue. As we continue to improve Reservist, we are counting on your feedback to let us know what we are doing right, and what we can improve upon.
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From the Editor - From 3,000 feet up the southwestern Louisiana bayou looks like a patchwork quilt of dense green vegetation crisscrossed by blue and brown tributaries and manmade canals. This delicate eco-system is home to an enormous range of wildlife, and its bountiful waterways fuel a thriving fishing industry that employs tens of thousands of people in the region.
I recently flew over a portion of these precious wetlands near the coastal fishing village of Cocodrie, La., with Coast Guard reservist MST1 Rob Rawson who was looking for sighs of oil leaked from Deepwater Horizon drilling site. Riding high above the massive expanse of wilderness in a helicopter, it was difficult to image how oil clean-up crews would even start to combat the invasive chemical stew if it were to make its way into these precious marshlands. unfortunately, many clean-up workers are already facing this daunting challenge in many operations areas where currents have
In the midst of this unprecedented environmental disaster there are signs of hope. Coast Guard Reserve members have stood up in record numbers to help clean up and restore the Gulf Coast. In fact, due to the largest recall since 9/11, more reservists are filling roles in areas along the southern coast than their active-duty counterparts, and their efforts are paying off. I had a chance to meet dozens of the more than 2,000 Reserve men and women who are working to reclaim the Gulf during a recent trip to operations area throughout the South, and I was moved by their stories.
Reservist were key players in every operations are I visited, from as far West as Houma, La. to the shores of Pensacola, Fla. Separated from their friends and loved ones, and working grueling six-day shifts, I expected to hear the usual moans and groans, but was instead blown away be the overwhelmingly upbeat attitudes our folks projected. I was also aided in my efforts by several reservist who deserve some extra recognition.
The Coasties like PA2 John Miller, who offered to let me sleep on a spare bunk at this team's house so I wouldn't have to drive 120 miles back to New Orleans after a 18-hour work day covering reservists in Cocodrie. There were BM1 April Rex, BM3 Gary Guido and MK2 John palmer, who when out of their way to get me aboard their boat so I could cover a skimming exercise off the coast of Bayou la Batre, Ala. Another reservist, BMC Darrin Cliffe, helped organize a trip for me from ICP Mobile to Pensacola, and then personally went underway with me to two different decontamination sites in order to make sure reservist under his charge were recognized.
And Whether fielding challenging media inquires and escorting news crews to spill sites, training commercial fishing crews to operate skimming equipment, searching for oil-affected wildlife, or decontaminating vessels that return from the Gulf, I found reservists making an enormously positive impact. This issue is dedicated to recognizing their efforts and, I hope, validating their tireless service. Be sure to check out the full list of reservists whose photos grace the cover of this issue on page 13.
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From the Editor - In a year that has seen one of the most unprecedented mobilizations of reservists in the Coast Guard history, it is only fitting that we dedicated an issue to the recruiting team that has kept our ranks filled with some of America's brightest and most dedicated men and women. Reservist worked closely with Coast Guard Recruiting Command (CGRC)) representatives to develop a number of articles that highlight the hard work CGRC has put into Reserve recruiting effort this past year, and the corresponding payoffs they have seen.
This issue's feature article Operation Reserve Vigor (pg.16), a comprehensive CGRC initiative that targets specific Reserve needs with innovative recruiting teams at port security units are working to bring aboard skilled recruits for placement in fast passed, high-intensity positions. Meanwhile, the In-Service Transfer Team is helping active duty member of the Coast Guard and other services to transition into the Reserve force. Together, these teams are working toward the goal of building the Reserve force up to is Congressionally mandated end strength.
To assist CGRC in its efforts, we have included a special-edition pullout poster that features contact information for all Reserve recruiting officers, as well as tear-out business cards for the "Everyone is a Recruiter" program. Our informational guide to Reserve-specific rates is also a useful tool for explaining to potential recruits the many opportunities available to them in the Reserve.
I would like to thank all those people who contributed content or worked behind the scenes to make this issue of Reservist one of our best to date. This special recruiting edition would not have been possible without the dedicated efforts of: Capt. Lori Mathieu, Cmdr. Paul Smith, Lt. Cmdr. Rick Howell, Lt. Caleb James, YNCS Barbara Hasen, YNCS Tom Illisch, PA1 Judy Silverstein, FS1 Luke D'Lims, FS3 Benjamin Timberlake, Joe Johnson and Scott Raflo. I especially want to recognize YNCN Steven Sennott and BMCS Jon Ostrowski for their feature article contributions and outstanding coordination efforts throughout the development of this issue.
In addition to our recruiting features, this issue's "Fleet Watch" section includes a detailed account of reservist Lt. Kenneth Miller's harrowing rescue of a man trapped inside a burning vehicle. In the self-sacrificing manner that defines the Reserve ethos, Miller braved raging flames to assist the imperiled motorist, sustaining burns in the process. Be sure to check out the full story about his heroic actions on page 14.
We also chose to highlight the work of Reserve boat teams from Sector Delaware Bay in a photo essay on page 24. These reservist cooperated with their active duty counterparts to provide security and enforce boating regulations during a recent event on the Delaware River in Philadelphia. Their dedicated efforts during Red Bull's Flugtag Philadelphia 2010 helped ensure that a crowd of nearly 85,000 people enjoyed the event safety.
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