Faster, better…

Posts Tagged ‘Heroes’

SAN FRANCISCO — Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco participated in a tribute on Wednesday and Thursday in honor of the Honolulu-based helicopter crew who perished in a nighttime training accident in September 2008.

read more | digg story

I enjoy bragging about our Guardians! Our Coast Guard is absolutely top notch. Today Public Affairs for Sector Baltimore released a unit spotlight news release about the brave guardians that are trained in law enforcement in order to board vessels.  In Southern Maryland we are fortunate to have our Guardians as well as agencies like the Calvert County Sheriff protecting our way of life on the Chesapeake Bay. Just knowing these guys and gals are there makes us all feel warm and cozy in our most vulnerable moments.  Now the Baltimore Sector Vessel Boarding and Security Team:

News Release: Date: May 12, 2009

Contact: Public Affairs Det. Baltimore
(410) 576-2541

The Vessel Boarding and Security Team is located at Coast Guard Sector Baltimore, Md. Their mission is to detect, deter, and respond to terrorist activity and ensure the safety and security of critical infrastructure in the Port of Baltimore. The VBST performs more than 100 boardings a year in the Upper Chesapeake Bay and the National Capital Region on commercial vessels. There are currently seven active duty members and 29 reserve members serving with the VBST. Members of the VBST go through extensive law enforcement training, weapons training and first responder training such as first aid and CPR. The VBST conducts training both internally and externally with its federal, state and local law enforcement partners.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Leonard Posluzny uses a training baton on Petty Officer 3rd Class Jared Anderson during law enforcement training at Coast Guard Sector Baltimore, Md., Monday, May 11, 2009. Members of the Vessel Boarding and Security Team must be proficient in self-defense standards before performing law enforcement. (Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 3rd Class Ayla Kelley)

Robert Taylor of the Baltimore SWAT team goes over different maneuvers of tactical entry with the members of the Coast Guard Vessel Boarding and Security Team at the Maryland State Police Training Academy in Sykesville, Md., Wednesday, May 6, 2009. The VBST regularly trains to improve their law enforcement skills and builds working relationships with state and local agencies. (Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 3rd Class Ayla Kelley)

Petty Officer 2nd Class Karl Banks approaches a suspect for handcuffing during law enforcement training at Coast Guard Sector Baltimore, Md., Monday, May 11, 2009. Vessel Boarding and Security Team members practice proper handcuff techniques to keep themselves protected without harming the suspects. (Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 3rd Class Ayla Kelley)

We have Guardians serving in near Djibouti. This Monday Admiral Thad Allen of the Coast Guard was on the Boutwell and published a great blog entry on his journal iCommandant. He asked that we take a minute to send a shoutout to our brave Guardians on the Boutwell. Take a minute to say hello and send a greeting to the Guardians serving on the Boutwell!

Click here!

MCINLEYVILLE, Calif. — The Coast Guard held a memorial service here today, at Azalea Hall, for the 27-year-old Coast Guardsman who died after a swimming accident April 22, 2009. Seaman James A. Salac, a food service specialist at Group Humboldt Bay, was recovered from the Trinity River at Kimtu Beach in Willow Creek, Calif., by the Humboldt County

read more | digg story

(Photo Release)

Contact: Public Affairs Det. Baltimore
(410) 576-2541

Members of Nate Bruckenthal’s family attend the Nate Bruckenthal Memorial Run at Coast Guard Sector Baltimore Friday, April 24, 2009.  “I’m grateful for the dedication to Nate’s Memory,” said Laurie Freiman, Nate Bruckenthal’s mother.  “I want to thank everyone for honoring him and his service to our country.” (Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandyn Hill)

Noabeth Bruckenthal, Nate Bruckenthal’s sister, speaks to the runners prior to the start of the Nate Bruckenthal Memorial Run at Coast Guard Sector Baltimore Friday, April 24, 2009.  Approximately 17 different Coast Guard units participated in this year’s event.  (Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandyn Hill)

Petty Officer 2nd Class Jimmy DiCanio, a member of Engineering Logistics Center Baltimore,  participates in the Nate Bruckenthal Memorial Run at Coast Guard Sector Baltimore Friday, April 24, 2009.  Participants of the run ranged from age five to 64 years old.  (Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandyn Hill)

Chief Petty Officer John Wright, a Coast Guard recruiter in Fredericksburg, Va., participates in the Nate Bruckenthal Memorial Run at Coast Guard Sector Baltimore Friday, April 24, 2009.  The 205 participants included Coast Guard active duty, reservists, retirees, civilians and military dependents.

(Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandyn Hill)

Read more about our Guardian Nathan B. Bruckenthal at CGblog.org.

See the video of a Coast Guard  memorial service for Nathan also held today.

You may be seeing some of these Guardians on the Bay this boating season. Don’t forget to say hello, give them a big smile, and be wearing your life jacket! Congratulations Reservists!

Coast Guard reserve members graduate from Sector Baltimore’s Boatcrew College at Station Curtis Bay, Md., Friday, April 10, 2009. Reservists from all over Maryland attended a two-week long course to learn about the Coast Guard’s 25-foot response boat and performed boatcrew tasks in order to become qualified rescue boatcrew members. (Coast Guard photo/ Petty Officer 3rd Class Ayla Kelley)

CoastGuardNews.com reminded us all today of the ultimate sacrifice paid by the four Guardians of Coast Guard Helicopter 6505 in September 2008. I have taken the liberty to treat their article like a press release reproducing it here in hopes that more people will read it and Honor the brave men and women of Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point by supporting the construction of a memorial to our fallen Guardians.

Our active young heroes in the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserves need our unwavering support, our love, and our continued encouragement as they give the best years of their lives and sometimes pay the ultimate sacrifice to protect our coast lines, provide essential rescue services, and keep us safe on our nation’s waters:

“On the night of 4 September 2008 Coast Guard helicopter 6505 was conducting an over-water training mission south of Honolulu, Hawaii. While delivering a rescue basket to a Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat something went terribly wrong and the aircraft descended to the water with two pilots, a flight mechanic and a rescue swimmer onboard.

On this fateful night the following men lost their lives:

Commander Thomas Nelson
Lieutenant Commander Andrew Wischmeier
Aviation Survival Technician First Class David Skimin
Aviation Maintenance Technician Second Class Joshua Nichols.”

In order to preserve the legacy of these Guardians for generations to come, a memorial site is being constructed at Air Station Barbers Point Hawaii. To accomplish this, the Coast Guard Aviation Association is managing a fundraiser to raise the approximately $50,000 it will cost to fund the memorial.

The goal of those involved in the memorial site is that it be constructed in time so that it can dedicated on September 4, 2009.

In order to help fund the creation of this memorial you or your group may purchase and engrave a brick to be used in construction of the pathway leading to the memorial. Bricks must be ordered by April 14, so there’s only a week left to order.

When considering your donation amount please remember that tens of thousands of dollars must be raised to ensure the success of this timeless remembrance.

Standard 4 inch by 8 inch bricks may be donated by individuals for a minimum donation of $60. Your text may be up to 3 lines with 16 characters available per line.

Larger 8 inch by 8 inch bricks may be donated by groups for a minimum donation of $250. Your text may be up to 5 lines with 16 characters available per line.

For additional information or to purchase a brick, please visit http://my.brixbase.biz/coastguard6505/

There’s a nice story in the Honolulu Advertiser that describes the memorial design and construction plans.

——————————————–

It was my honor to purchase a brick for this memorial. I hope that you will do the same. Thank you CoaststGuardNews.com for making us all aware of this memorial.

Today I learned that that the man who called me coach died at age 70 of lung cancer.  James Powers, we all knew him as Jim died peacefully on March 23 in Rockford, Il. (His obituary is here.)

I met Jim on line in 1995. One day those many years ago he came across my Anti-Graffiti Web site and subscribed to the mailing list. We have corresponded off and on for some fourteen years sharing our interest

My coach, Jim Powers.

in the anti-graffiti cause. Jim was a long-time community activist in Rockford, giving far more than he ever took in return. He was that kind of guy.

When he found the Anti-Graffiti Web Page in 1995 Jim hung around extending his support and encouragement to graffiti victims, police officers, city and county abatement folks from around the world.  Jim is known internationally as an activist and a hero to the efforts directed at ending the tragedy of graffiti vandalism.

There were times, when as the Anti-Graffiti cause began to grow  I would get discouraged over things.  Jim wouldn’t have any of it.  He would always refer to me as “the coach” because so many people like us had gathered around the Anti-Graffiti Web Page and the NoGraf mailing list to battle vandalism in our communities. I would tell him I don’t deserve that title given his background but he insisted. For the fourteen years I knew him Jim called me coach.

In reality Jim was my coach. He also coached for the twenty-five years he was in the military, he coached as a father and a husband, he coached as a director and member  in the North End Square Neighborhood Association, he coached on the Rockford Fire and Police Commission, and he coached as a director of the Nograf Corporation.  Jim was indeed a community coach and Rockford named a nine-block stretch of Huffman Blvd. between Auburn St and Fulton Ave in his honor because of it.

I was clearly blessed to have Jim Powers as a friend and an ally all of these years. Even when I was finally forced by circumstances to minimize my involvement as Jim and Randy Campbell started NoGraffiti.com and the Nograf Corp, Jim stayed in touch. To him I was still the coach. Friends like Jim Powers are treasured and rare and Jim will always be my coach.

God bless you Jim and God bless your family and Rockford, Illinois at this time.

Fulmer and Kitchin pull rescue dummy from water

Seaman Danielle Fulmer and Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew Kitchin pull a rescue dummy out of the water in Curtis Bay, Md., Thursday, March 26, 2009. Coast Guard members from Station Curtis Bay conduct training throughout the year to be prepared for an increase in boating accidents during the summer.

The Coast Guard urges all mariners to wear lifejackets while on their boats. A majority of boaters who drown were not wearing their lifejackets. In an emergency there may not be enough time to put one on, so wearing one at all times may save your life. (Coast Guard photo/ Petty Officer 3rd Class Ayla Kelley.)

America’s Guardians! Semper Peratus
Thank you for your service!

Our local Coast Guard Station at St. Inigoes, MD is featured in this Coast Guard Public Affairs Release. Take a moment to get to know the brave young men and women saving lives in the waters of Southern Maryland, our Guardians of the Potomac. Semper Paratus – Always ready!

Station St. Inigoes Unit Spotlight

The Public Affairs Release contains a video of our Guardians at St. Inigoes.

(Coast Guard News Video 022709) – Coast Guard Commander Keith Willis was laid to rest on Monday, February 23, 2009. Commander Willis was the Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma until his death last week. (Boston.com reported the passing was duw to natural causes.)

(Ed note: God bless you Commander Willis and God bless and keep your family. Our Auxiliary family has each of you and especially the Guardians and crew of the Tahoma in our prayers. Semper Paratus, Sir!)