The Long Blue Line (WINTER 2025)

WINTER 2025

CDR SCOTT BLANCHET:

USCG DIVE

MEDICAL

OFFICER

GHOST SHIP

CARROL A.

DEERING

FORGOTTEN

AVIATION

HISTORY

DISCOVERED

WINTER 2025

Editor In Chief: Patti Fazio

Managing Editor: Scott McGuire

Art Director/Graphic Designer:

Scott McGuire

CG Retiree Services Program

Manager: Bob Hinds, USCG CWO4

(Ret.), Honorary CG MCPO

Staff Writers: MCPO Jeff

Creighton, USCG (Ret.)

Contributing Writers: Renee

Coleman, National Coast Guard

Museum Director of Public Affairs

Editorial Support: Catherine Janney

Chief of the Mess: MCPOCG Vincent

W. Patton, Ed.D., USCG (Ret.)

PUBLISHER:

The Long Blue Line is published

quarterly by the National Coast

Guard Museum Association,

78 Howard Street, Suite A, New

London, CT 06320

ADVERTISING:

Pentagon Publishing, Inc.

2342 Oak Rd.

Snellville, GA 30078

Contact Jenny White,

jenny@pentagon-usa.us

PAST ISSUES:

Current and past issues of The Long

Blue Line (formerly The Retiree

Newsletter) are accessible at:

www.longblueline.org

Current Coast Guard News is

accessible at www.news.uscg.mil

You may sign up for CG news

updates at https://public.

govdelivery.com/accounts/

USDHSCG/subscriber/

new?category_id=USDHSCG_

C18ou

ON THE COVER:

Coast Guard and Navy members

participate in a surface supply dive

at the Naval Diving and Salvage

Training Center using a KM97 diving

helmet.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

4

6

8

12

24

28

34

42

48

54

60

66

74

82

84

86

88

91

94

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

Dear Coast Guard Family!

National Retiree Council Co-Chairs

Message from the Director

Reunions, Notices & Items of Interest

Intersecting Missions: The National Maritime

Historical Society

National Coast Guard Museum Lifesaving Deck: A

surfman’s story

COVER STORY | Dive Medical Officer: CDR Scott Blanchet

Portraits of Service: Meaningful stories from shipmates

Forgotten Aviation History Discovered

Ghost Ship Carroll A. Deering

Poseidon's Domain: Multi-unit training exercise held in

Puerto Rico

Retirement Notices

TAPS Notices

Chaplain's Corner

National Capitol Region Chapter of the Women’s

Leadership Initiative

Coast Guard Rugby

Work-life: Connecting with the Transition Assistance Program

PPC-RAS

Other Important Retiree Resources

Find all of this content at longblueline.org

• CHANGES TO RETIREE & ANNUITANT MAILING/EMAIL ADDRESSES: The CG Retiree Services Program

Manager, Mr. Robert Hinds, does NOT have the capability to change mailing/e-mail addresses in Direct Access

(DA). Retirees & Annuitants may change their mailing/e-mail addresses by accessing their DA Self-Service account

at www.dcms.uscg.mil/ppc/ras/gp/ or by contacting CG PPC at 866-772-8724, e-mail: ppc-dg-customercare@uscg.

mil. For Long Blue Line mailing address updates, please contact the National Coast Guard Museum Association at

860-443-4200 or info@coastguardmuseum.org

• USCG/PHS/NOAA INPUT FOR LONG BLUE LINE: Submit input to Robert Hinds, Robert.C.Hinds@uscg.mil.

Deadline for input for The Long Blue Line, Spring (APR) 2025, is 25 FEB 2025.

Neither the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) nor the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) endorse the National Coast

Guard Museum Association, or any other non-federal entity. Further, neither DHS nor the USCG endorse or support the

products or services advertised in this newsletter, the organizations advertising in this newsletter, or the statements of

any non- U.S. Coast Guard contributors for this newsletter.

2 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

THE LONG BLUE LINE WINTER 2025

3

4 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

DEAR COAST GUARD FAMILY

As a proud member of the Coast Guard family, I am honored

to share a new rendering of our National Coast Guard

Museum, a project that represents dedication, vision, and

perseverance. Scheduled to open its doors in 2026, the

Museum will stand as a beacon of our Service’s history,

legacy, and future—a place where the courage, commitment,

and sacrifices of Coast Guard men and women are honored

and shared with the public.

This rendering showcases more than just bricks and steel;

it refl ects the heart and soul of our mission. The Museum

will be the first of its kind, a place where stories of heroism,

innovation, and resilience come to life through immersive

exhibits, hands-on simulators, and engaging displays. From

the legendary feats of the Revenue Marine and the U.S.

Lifesaving Service to the modern operations of today’s Coast

Guard, this Museum will inspire generations to come.

But while the future shines brightly, our work is far from

finished. The journey to opening day is a shared effort, one

that calls upon the entire Coast Guard community of active

duty, reservists, auxiliarists, civilians, retirees, family members,

and supporters to continue to ensure that this vision becomes

reality.

WAYS TO SUPPORT THE MUSEUM

The Museum is your legacy and embraces more than 230

years of the Coast Guard’s history, heritage, and traditions.

There are many ways to help bring this historic endeavor

to life:

1. Matching Gift Challenges: Throughout the year,

the National Coast Guard Museum Association

promotes exciting matching gift challenges, where

every dollar donated is doubled. This is a powerful

way to maximize your impact and bring us closer to

our fundraising goals.

2. Commemorative Pavers on the

Argus Promenade:

Imagine your name or the name of your group

(e.g., CWOA, CPOA, CGEA, etc.), the name of a

shipmate, or the name of a loved one—engraved on

a commemorative paver lining the Argus Promenade,

the grand entrance to the Museum. These pavers are

a timeless tribute and a tangible way to include your

own history at this National Museum.

3. Individual Donations: Make a one time gift or

have your name on the Museum’s Wall of Philanthropy

with a one-time gift.

4. Becoming Ambassadors for the Museum:

Every member of the Coast Guard family can play

a role as an ambassador. Share this vision with your

network, encourage your friends and family to visit

the Museum website, and spread the word about the

importance of this national treasure.

Visit www.cgmuseumassociation.org to explore these

and other opportunities to support. Together, we can ensure

that the Museum is a place where the public can connect

with the Coast Guard’s incredible story.

A SHARED LEGACY

This Museum belongs to all of us. It is a testament to the

devotion and valor that define the Long Blue Line. Whether

you served during peacetime or conflict, on cutters, at small

boat stations, or in the air, your contributions are part of a

legacy that deserves to be preserved and celebrated.

As we move toward 2026, let us enthusiastically carry this

mission forward with pride and determination. Let us ensure

that the generations who follow will stand in awe of what we

accomplished and understand the depth of our commitment

to service and sacrifice.

I urge each of you to seize this moment. Whether through a

donation, a commemorative paver, by becoming a Museum

plankowner, or by simply sharing the story of the Museum,

you are part of something extraordinary. Together, we will

open the doors to a place that embodies the spirit of the

Coast Guard and the enduring strength of the Long Blue Line.

Thank you for your service, your dedication, and your

unwavering support. Let’s make history together.

Semper Paratus!

Vince Patton

MCPOCG, USCG, Retired

National Coast Guard Museum

Association, Chief of the Mess

National Coast Guard Museum

Ambassador

THE LONG BLUE LINE

WINTER 2025

5

NATIONAL RETIREE

COUNCIL CO-CHAIRS

RADM MERRIE AUSTIN, USCG (RET.): Well, the

Earth has completed its journey around the sun and

dropped us into the year 2025. I hope everyone gets

the chance to enjoy a little sunshine every day (or

at least a few times a week) during what for many

people can be a cold and dreary season. I know

my neighborhood walks always put me in a better

mood, regardless of the weather!

My column this quarter concerns the importance

of ensuring that the Pay and Personnel Center

(PPC) has your current email and contact phone

number. This past November, over 16,000 CG,

PHS, and NOAA retirees’ and annuitants’ records

were inadvertently dropped from DEERS during

a routine monthly data transfer between PPC and

the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC). As a

result, it appeared these members were dropped

from Tricare on November 1 (which was a Friday).

Members who showed up for appointments or went

to the hospital were told they did not have Tricare

coverage.

As the service became aware either by emails to

Mr. Bob Hinds, calls to PPC, or calls to the National

Retiree Helpdesk (or secondhand by people

forwarding Facebook posts), both PPC and CG-

1M, as well as limited on-call personnel at DMDC,

mobilized over that weekend to get the issue

resolved as soon as possible. CG Mutual Assistance

was standing by in case someone needed an

emergency loan to cover medical care before this

issue was resolved.

The good news is the situation was resolved in

less than 72 hours for over 90% of the affected

members. The bad news is that retirees and

annuitants, both those affected and those who

were not affected but were rightly concerned, did

not receive timely notifi cation and updates over

the course of the data issue. Both HQ and PPC

recognize the need to provide timely information—

even if it’s only to say, “nothing new to report” or

“this requires external partners to resolve, we’ll keep

you posted.” They understand the need to try to

improve this communication in the future. That said,

we also need to do our part.

When informational updates did go out via email that

weekend, we only reached somewhere between

30-60% of retirees and annuitants because PPC

is missing valid email addresses. PPC also needs

phone numbers in case they need to reach an

affected member quickly. I ask everyone to log

on to Direct Access in the next couple of days to

confirm that PPC has your valid email and contact

phone number in case there are any future events

requiring timely communication with you.

I wish you and your families a Happy and Healthy

2025!

Thoughts on retirement:

“You are never too old to set another goal or

to dream a new dream.”

—C.S. Lewis

6 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

MCPOCG JASON VANDERHADEN, USCG (RET):

'Tis the season to be thankful! On behalf of the

entire retiree community, I would like to express my

appreciation to team Coast Guard for their efforts

to improve and enhance the retiree quality of life.

I have only been retired for a little over two years,

but my experience has been good. I am aware of

some individual challenges, but, overall, the Coast

Guard has been very responsive and caring to the

needs of our retirees. When I was on active duty

and met with the retirees in the CPOA, they warned

me about some of the challenges I might face in

retirement. After meeting with the fi ne folks on the

retiree council including Bob Hinds, those at PPC

and CG-1, and those who take care of the retiree

community, I believe the Coast Guard has taken

great steps to improve service delivery. For all that

hard work, we are very thankful.

The government is about to transition to the new

administration, and I’m optimistic our retiree

community will continue to be a priority for the

new administration. I’ve been in contact with my

friends on our sister service retiree councils and

they feel similarly optimistic. Our friends at the

American Legion (and other veteran’s support

organizations) have a very good relationship

with the new administration, and I am confi dent

our benefi ts will be looked after. I know this

administration will be looking for effi ciencies, and

there are probably plenty to be found in DoD

and the VA. However, I don’t believe that will

affect us in any serious way. The services

are seeing the retiree community as a

valuable resource for community advocacy,

recruiting, and retention. We can serve as a

force multiplier for our active duty and reserve

members.

If you are interested in getting more involved,

I encourage you to reach out to your nearest

Regional Retiree Council Co-Chairs, as listed

on page 96.

If you haven’t been tracking the CG

Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps,

“Developing Service-Minded Citizens of Character,”

please check out this great program at:

https://www.uscg.mil/Community/JROTC/

JROTC-Units/

We now have a number of JROTCs around the

country mostly run by CG retirees, and they are

doing amazing work. Please also consider serving

as a volunteer watch-stander with the CG National

Retiree Help Desk (NRHD), as described on page

15. These are just a few examples of how you can

“stay connected” and continue to support the CG

and our retiree community. Stand by for more

opportunities, which I’ll be sharing through future

quarterly articles.

Happy New Year to all from Amy and me!

MCPOCG Jason Vanderhaden, USCG (Ret.):

jvanderhaden@gmail.com

RADM Merrie Austin, USCG (Ret.):

maustincgnrc@gmail.com


7

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

U.S. COAST GUARD RETIREE INFORMATION

A MESSAGE FROM

THE DIRECTOR

Thanks to the National Coast Guard Museum Association (NCGMA), this exceptional publication

now has dedicated sections for our CG Active Duty, Reserve, Retiree, and Auxiliary components,

as well as information of general interest to the entire CG Long Blue Line and our USPHS and

NOAA family members. I want to wish ALL a Happy New Year!

I invite readers to check out the Chaplain’s Corner on page 82, offering timely words of wisdom, which I

think will resonate with all—as they did for me. First paragraph …

“As we embark on a new year, Coast Guard members, past and present, have a unique

opportunity to reflect on their spiritual resilience and set meaningful goals for the months ahead.

Spiritual resilience is a cornerstone of overall well-being, providing the inner strength to navigate

life's challenges both on and off duty …”

I’m hopeful all readers received RADM Raymond’s letter last year inviting you to keep receiving The Long

Blue Line for free, directly to your mailbox, by OPTING-IN, as described in previous issues.

I recently had the opportunity to attend a briefing where your CG National Retiree Council (CGNRC) Co-

Chairs met with the Commandant, MCPOCG, MCPO-CGR, Deputy for Personnel Readiness, and other CG

leadership on December 10, 2024. I want to thank the CGNRC for remaining actively engaged in support of

the CG and our +60K retirees & annuitants. The Co-Chairs highlighted the important Council initiatives below:

• Final Affairs Guide: Retirees & survivors continue to report difficulty in managing final affairs, including

before and after a retiree’s death. This topic was addressed during the Council’s annual meeting, hosted

by CG PPC, on 6-7 Aug 2024. RADM Raymond participated in this meeting and directed the guide, now

broadened to include CG Active-Duty and Reserve members, be formalized for approval and mailed to

all CG, PHS, and NOAA retirees & annuitants and made available to all Active-Duty/Reserve members.

• Retired Reserve Affairs: Reserve members continue to report difficulty transitioning to retirement, with

many CG units ill-informed on policy/procedures, and many retired reserve members lacking needed

information and support. ALL separating Reserve members can expect to receive DD-214s, beginning

in Feb/March 2025 – a major step forward. Expect to hear more on other planned improvements.

• Retiree & Annuitant Services: With notably fewer reports of retirees having difficulty getting timely/

needed support from CG PPC, I will continue RADM Raymond’s work with CG PPC, the CGNRC,

and other stakeholders in sustaining momentum of the highly successful Council meeting at PPC and

making needed improvements. This includes plans for CG Short Message Service (SMS)/texting

capability with our retiree community.

• Recruiting: The CGNRC/Regional Retiree Councils continue to promote support for recruiting among

retirees, encouraging wear of CG attire, display of CG flags/emblems, and outreach to prospective

recruits, particularly at area High Schools.

Finally, in keeping with words of wisdom by retired ADM Thad

Allen, 23rd Commandant, “Transparency of information breeds

self-correcting behavior”—please keep me informed on your

retiree issues needing my attention.

My POC for this initiative is Mr. Robert Hinds, CG Retiree Services,

Robert.C.Hinds@uscg.mil.

Sincerely,

Ryan Matson

Acting Assistant Commandant for Military Personnel

8 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE


9

10 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

GREAT FLOOD

OF 1937

PART 1:

On January 21, 1937, the Ohio Valley experienced its most

catastrophic flood, which caused the Lawrenceburg Levee at

the B&O Railroad's west side to fail. The winter snow pack

combined with the heavy rains of early January caused

the river level to rise to 82.6 feet. Cities along the river were

devastated, especially Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where water

reached the second floor of the Greek Revival Style, Dearborn

County Courthouse (as seen in the image). Entire sections of

the city were completely annihilated.

(The paragraph below and the excerpts on following pages are from former

Assistant Historian United States Coast Guard Christopher Havern's 2022

essay titled Ohio River, 1937—Coast Guard largest flood response 85 years

ago!)

At the direction of President Franklin Roosevelt and Secretary

of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau, the United States Coast

Guard mounted the largest relief expedition in the history of the

service. The Coast Guard mustered a relief force of 142 officers

and 1,706 enlisted men to assist the Red Cross in responding

to these massive surges. Units from the Atlantic and Gulf

coasts in addition to stations on the Great Lakes provided men

and equipment. Captain LeRoy Reinburg, Commandant of the

Coast Guard Depot at Curtis Bay, Maryland, was placed in

command of the Coast Guard’s effort. He initially established

his headquarters at Evansville, Indiana. Later, he moved his

headquarters to Memphis, Tennessee, as the crest advanced

southward down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.


11

REUNIONS, NOTICES &

ITEMS OF INTEREST

COAST GUARD COMBAT VETERANS ASSOCIATION

2025 CONVENTION/REUNION – 40TH ANNIVERSARY

Location: The Shores Resort and Spa, Daytona

Beach, FL

Dates: April 14-18, 2025

Please join us for great hospitality, camaraderie,

and a salute to past and present Coast Guard

men and women. Special recognition to those

who deployed to Coast Guard Activities Vietnam,

Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield, CG Patrol

Forces Southwest Asia, and participants of GWOT

Operations during the Opening Ceremony. A

Silent Auction and Awards Banquet highlights the

activities.

Registration: $50 for Members and $35 for

spouse/friend.

General Room Rates: $165 per night, plus local

taxes, and fees.

Complete convention details at:

coastguardcombatvets.org

Principal Contacts:

Bruce Bruni at: bfb@gmail.com

Gary Sherman at: cgcva@comcast.com

Michael Placencia at: mwplacencia@hotmail.com

LOST SHIPMATES

Coast Guard OCS Class June 1974 Graduation/

Commissioning

If you are one of the seven other women graduates

in this class and would like to schedule a “virtual”

meeting (e. g. Zoom) to reconnect please reach

out to me. I was known to the class as Sally Walsh.

Now, CDR Sarah E. Hart, USCGR (Ret.), sehart@

windstream.net

USCGC STEADFAST REUNION

Location: St. Petersburg, FL

Dates: February 21-23, 2025

It's the first annual USCGC Steadfast Reunion in St.

Petersburg, FL. It will be one year to the month of that

decommissioning, so let's honor her. Join shipmates

in sharing great memories and stories. For those of

you living up north, enjoy a break from the cold in

Florida.

For more information, contact Tom Robbins at

Candidate99@tampabay.rr.com

You can also check out FB post at: https://

facebook.com/events/s/coast-guard-cuttersteadfast-r/8106130776114283/

12 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

COAST GUARD NATIONAL MEMORIAL BRICK GARDEN

(IN GRAND HAVEN)

The Grand Haven Chapter of the USCG CPOA

has partnered with Coast Guard Festival, Inc.

to establish the National Memorial Brick Garden

in Escanaba Park, Grand Haven, MI. Once

completed, this will be the only all-inclusive

memorial of its kind, dedicated exclusively to each

member of the Coast Guard who lost their life “in

the line of duty."

Our Chapter identified each officer and enlisted

member of the Revenue Cutter Service, US Life-

Saving Service, and U.S. Lighthouse Service who

crossed the bar in the line of duty from 1790 to

1915. We have already installed these pavers, and

these sections of the Garden are complete.

During the next phase, we will purchase and place

the pavers honoring the “U.S. Coast Guard, 1915

to present." This section of the Garden consists of

1,850 fallen shipmates and will cost an additional

$40,000.00 to complete. We are seeking donations

to help drive our National Memorial Brick Garden

project through to the finish line. All donations are

tax-deductible and truly appreciated.

To learn more about the Grand

Haven CPOA Chapter click the

QR code. To donate, scroll

to the bottom of our home

page and click “Donate Now”

button.

If you prefer to donate by check (payable to Coast

Guard Festival), please mail your donation to:

Coast Guard Festival, Inc

113 N. Second Street

Grand Haven, MI 49417

ATTN: CPOA Memorial Brick Garden

If you require further information, please contact

BMC Dave Karpin, USCG (Ret.) at dgkarpin@gmail.

com or 616-638-9677.


13

REUNIONS, NOTICES &

ITEMS OF INTEREST

FROM A USCG RETIREE: A STAR WARS TYPE CANCER AND AFIB TREATMENT

COVERED BY MEDICARE, TRICARE FOR LIFE, AND VA COMMUNITY CARE

I went through a three week round of radiation treatments for the follicular lymphoma that was causing significant

back pain as the nodes were very large near L4 on my spine, pressing on the nerve bundles and against the

Vena Cava vein. Star Wars type radiation machine (TrueBeam) was used to zap it—radiation oncologist is 90+%

that she got it! Being a helo pilot I would say 75% sure, but a PET Scan in early December will tell the story.

In addition, I had a heart ablation with another Star Wars type device (FARAPULSE) to correct my AFib. If you

watch the Faraplus video, (link posted below) you will be amazed. It took the doctor only 30 minutes to complete

the ablation in my heart versus the one to two hours with the old technique—was out of the hospital the next

day. Still have bruises from the groin catheters but able to walk one to two miles every day. All good—missing

bird hunting with the pup.

Please share as Medicare and Tricare for Life covered the radiation treatments and VA Community Care the

ablation. Costs for both were ~$100k each payout was only ~$35k and nothing owed by us—go figure.

TrueBeam

High-precision cancer treatment delivers precise

dosage quickly and give patients their time back.

The TrueBeam radiotherapy system is built with

human needs in mind. Designed to treat cancer

wherever it’s found in the body. It’s flexible enough

to meet your clinical needs as well.

https://www.varian.com/products/radiotherapy/

treatment-delivery/truebeam

FARAPULSE

FARAPULSE Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) System

- Boston Scientific

Pulsed Field Ablation System is the world's clinical

leader in PFA, used in 125,000+ patients and is

transforming treatment for atrial fibrillation (AFib)

https://www.bostonscientific.com

14 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR NATIONAL

RETIREE HELP DESK

Volunteers are needed for the Coast Guard’s

National Retiree Help Desk. The Help Desk serves

as a resource for Coast Guard retirees and family

members to get answers or referrals to questions

about benefits and other matters of interest to retirees.

Volunteers that stand the Help Desk “watch” are

responsible for responding to telephone and e-mail

inquiries. The watch is stood for one week, starting

on Monday and ending on the following Sunday. It is

not a “live” watch in the sense that the watchstander

does not answer a telephone immediately, nor is the

watchstander online to perform a “chat” or instant

messaging function. Instead, watchstanders—

• periodically check the Help Desk voicemail and

e-mail accounts.

• research answers to inquiries.

• reply by phone or e-mail.

Training with an experienced watchstander, and

resource materials, are provided to all new volunteers.

Serving as a National Retiree Help Desk volunteer is

rewarding, will not take a lot of time, and will allow you

to help CG veterans and their families in need.

For more information about volunteering, contact:

• CAPT Bob Warakomsky, USCG (Ret.) at

bopakom@verizon.net

• LCDR Dave Du Pont, USCG (Ret.) at

David.A.DuPont@uscg.mil

• CWO Jeff Rosenberg, USCG (Ret.) at cg.rrc.

pns@gmail.com


15

REUNIONS, NOTICES &

ITEMS OF INTEREST

THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST GUARD RETIREE COUNCIL

ANNOUNCES THE 31ST ALL SERVICES RETIREE SEMINAR

Location: Gresham Conference Center, Coast

Guard Island, Alameda, CA

Dates: Saturday, April 26, 2025

The Northern California Coast Guard Retiree

Council announces the 31st All Services Retiree

Seminar to be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025,

in the Gresham Conference Center, Coast Guard

Island, Alameda, CA.

Speakers and information tables will provide the

latest information on TRICARE, current legislation,

legal assistance, scams, fraud, Space-A travel, and

more.

Additional information is available at: www.

NCCGRC.org or contact:

David.D.Swanson@Outlook.com or by phone at

510-390-6312.

16 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

TAX-SMART GIVING OPTIONS

ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO SUPPORT THE NATIONAL COAST GUARD MUSEUM

• Gift stocks or appreciated assets. Ensures your full stock’s value aids the cause, bypassing capital gains tax.

This maximizes your contribution, supporting the Museum’s mission effectively.

• A Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). If you're 70.5 or older, QCDs allow tax-efficient, direct fund transfers

from your IRA, benefitting your tax scenario and our Museum.

• Make a “grant” via your Donor-Advised Fund (DAF). This offers an immediate tax benefit for your charitable

contribution, enabling sustained philanthropic giving.

There are many ways to support the Museum, including a bequest in your will.

Help us preserve and share the incredible Coast Guard history. Learn more at:

cgmuseumassociation.org/how-to-make-a-gift/


17

REUNIONS, NOTICES &

ITEMS OF INTEREST

NEW TRICARE EAST AND WEST REGIONS

AND NEW WEST REGION CONTRACTOR EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2025

NEW TRICARE WEST REGION

• TriWest Healthcare Alliance (TriWest) has replaced Health Net Federal Services, LLC (HNFS) as the

West Region Contractor.

• TriWest is accessible at www.tricare.mil/west Phone# 888-874-9378

• HNFS will continue to provide service throughout the transition period and is accessible at https://www.

hnfs.com/ Phone# 844-524-3578

• Six East Region states, highlighted in red, were moved to the West Region, which now include the following

states: Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas,

Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma,

Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming

• There are some ZIP codes in:

° Arkansas and Wisconsin that will stay in the East Region.

° Missouri that will move to the East Region.

° Indiana will move to the West Region.

NEW TRICARE EAST REGION

• Humana Military will remain the contractor for the East Region and is accessible at www.tricare-east.

com Phone# 800-444-5445

• The East Region now includes the following states/district: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware,

District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,

Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode

Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin

• There are some ZIP codes in:

º Arkansas and Wisconsin that will stay in the East Region

° Missouri that will move to the East Region.

º Indiana that will move to the West Region.

What's my TRICARE region in 2025?

To see which TRICARE region you reside, just enter your 5 digit ZIP Code in the block accessible at Contract

Region Changes: https://www.tricare.mil/-/media/Files/TRICARE/Misc/DHA000060--T5-Infographic-

508Compliant.pdf

18 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

TRICARE ALLOTMENT

VERIFICATION

Following a past DEERS incident resulting in cancellation of TRICARE allotments, you are strongly encouraged

to verify your TRICARE allotment is active though your CG Direct Access (DA) Self-Service account at: https://

www.dcms.uscg.mil/ppc/ras/gp/

Should you discover your TRICARE allotment in not active, you have a 90-day grace period of coverage. To

reactivate your TRICARE allotment, and address any other discrepancies you find, submit a PPC Help Ticket

to: PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil

You can also check the status of your TRICARE allotment:

• Through the "Beneficiary Web Enrollment" portal on the milConnect website at https://milconnect.dmdc.

osd.mil/milconnect/

• Contact your regional TRICARE contractor directly for assistance with checking your allotment status.


19

REUNIONS, NOTICES &

ITEMS OF INTEREST

GUARDIANS OF THE GULF

By: CAPT George Krietemeyer, USCG (Ret.)

The Gulf of Mexico is America's “Third Coast" with

five states on its northern border. The gulf basin

covers 615,000 square miles and is the ninth largest

body of water on earth. Its waters are transited by

hundreds of vessels and thousands of people on a

daily basis.

The U.S. Coast Guard and its predecessor agencies

have been patrolling the Gulf of Mexico since 1819

when the Revenue Cutters Alabama and Louisiana

arrived. The Coast Guard provides a unique mixture

of operational equipment and other resources

to protect and serve the millions of people living,

working and playing on or near the waters of the

Gulf.

Amazon.com:

https://www.amazon.com/Guardians-Gulf-200-

Year-History-1819-2019-ebook/dp/B0D7F6W89C

A CUTTERMAN OF YESTERYEAR

By: CAPT Buddy Custard, USCG (Ret.)

“A coastal path guides the ancient cutterman

on a journey through bygone days. As he walks,

memories of his time at sea rise—stirred by the

sights, sounds, and sensations of the ocean.

Above, kindred spirits watch over the ancient

with fondness. Once cuttermen themselves, they

speak his name with reverence, for they sailed

in service, just as he did…”

Read the rest of this ancient cutterman’s journey

through bygone days at:

https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Portals/10/

CG-1/retiree/docs/Newsletter/A%20

Cutterman%20of%20Yesteryear%20by%20

Buddy%20Custard%20v11_19_2024.

pdf?ver=HuUh2cF5wETdVkOTzE38jQ%3d%3d

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RAMPAGE

By: CDR Brian Boland, USCG (Ret.)

In July of 1999, Brian Boland reported in with the class of 2003 at

the United States Coast Guard Academy. Quickly immersed in an

academically and physically demanding curriculum, Brian joined

the sailing team hoping to find relief from the day-to-day grind.

With little experience on boats, he dove headfirst into the sport of

racing sailboats and immediately gravitated towards its practical

lessons in seamanship. Juxtaposing structured academic studies

‘up the hill’ with the dynamic environment of offshore sailing, Brian

found that the two were, at times, at odds with each other.

As he trades textbooks for tillers, Brian finds solace on the deck

of an old boat named Rampage, where the open sea becomes

his classroom, and he grapples with the high stakes demands of

maritime leadership while learning valuable lessons in seamanship

and resilience.

Selected as the team captain in his senior year, Brian graduates

with a deep respect for, and nascent understanding of, the sea.

As a Coast Guard officer, Brian served over 20 years on active

duty, primarily as a search and rescue pilot. From those experiences, he shares dramatic accounts of

flying through tropical storms, hurricanes, and across vast swathes of open ocean, applying those same

lessons he learned as a young cadet on the deck of Rampage.

https://www.amazon.com/Rampage-Deckplate-Leadership-Learned-under/dp/1944353658

PROVIDENCE ON THE HIGH SEAS

BY: Stanley A. Jaceks, Senior Chief Petty Officer, USCG (Ret.)

Book Features:

• The Prinsendam Saga: Rescue of the burning Dutch cruise

ship Prinsendam

• Rescue of the floundering oil rig Dan Price

• Rescue of the burning Panamanian steamship Grand Ocean

• Seizure of the Soviet side trawler Armaturshchik

Accessible at:

www.gorhamprinting.com/book/Providence-On-The-High-

Seas


21

GREAT FLOOD

OF 1937

PART 2:

Rescue operations extended from

January 19 through March 11 and involved

351 boats of all types. In addition, 24

cutters, ranging from 75-foot “Six-Bitters” to

165-foot patrol boats, were sent to assist in

saving life and property. The Coast Guard

chartered special trains to facilitate the

transportation of many of these craft from

their stations to the focal points on the Ohio

and Mississippi rivers. Along with boats

and cutters, the Coast Guard employed

additional assets to include 12 aircraft. Ten

of these were amphibians, which could

operate on land and the water . . . The

Coast Guard also deployed 12 portable

radio sets and 12 communications trucks

which served as mobile radio stations.

U.S. Coast Guard photo

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23

THE

National Maritime

Historical Society:

INTERSECTING MISSIONS AND

VALIANT SUPPORTER OF THE

NATIONAL COAST GUARD MUSEUM

By Patti Fazio, Director, Marketing & Communications,

National Coast Guard Museum Association

I

n celebration of our Nation’s rich maritime history,

the National Maritime Historical Society (NMHS)

has partnered with the forthcoming National

Coast Guard Museum, securing a place in the

Ellsworth Berthof Circle on the Wall of Philanthropy

level donor. Together these organizations have

a shared mission to honor America’s maritime

heritage and educate future generations about

its ongoing relevance. It is not surprising that the

NMHS vision aligns seamlessly with the Coast

Guard’s legacy. Recently, the National Coast Guard

Museum Association had the opportunity to explore

this relationship with Cathy Green, president and

executive director of the National Maritime Historical

Society—shedding light on the work of the NMHS

and its connection with the United States Coast

Guard.

For our Long Blue Line readers, please

Q: tell us a bit about the National Maritime

Historical Society and how it relates to the work

the United States Coast Guard (USCG) does on

behalf of our Nation?

The NMHS is dedicated to preserving and

A: promoting America’s maritime heritage.

Through research, education, and collaboration

with a wide array of organizations, institutions,

and individuals, we work to safeguard the legacy

of our maritime history and ensure its relevance in

today’s world. The U.S. Coast Guard plays a crucial

role within this legacy as a living embodiment of

America’s commitment to maritime safety, security,

and commerce. Our main outreach tool is Sea

History magazine, which offers stories that connect

readers to their maritime past, much as the Coast

Guard connects us all to the present realities of

maritime service. Like the USCG, the NMHS story

covers an immense range of topics, from early

maritime exploration to modern navigation and

marine safety.

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25

History and education are clearly central to

Q: your mission. Can you share with our readers

why this is so important to you and how you think

your mission aligns with the National Coast Guard

Museum?

For over 60 years, education has formed the

A: foundation of our work. And it is not simply

about sharing stories and educating people about

maritime history. For us, education means exploring

and experiencing an individual’s connection to

the maritime world and culture. Our members are

professional merchant mariners, active service

members and veterans, archaeologists, historians,

marine artists, cultural resource managers, and

competitive sailors. They are also recreational sailors

and divers, students, history buffs, coastal dwellers,

and dabblers of all these things. Education is about

piquing curiosity, encouraging deeper exploration, and

new understanding. That is what museums do as well.

We do that in the pages of Sea History, but we also

do that in our events that gather people together for

learning and sharing. We also encourage that curiosity

in young people through participation in nationwide

events like National History Day and Sail250. We can’t

wait to see how the National Coast Guard Museum

will engage with its visitors with both traditional and

experiential ways. Assuredly, our education efforts will

support and elevate both of our missions.

As you know the National Coast Guard

Q: Museum will honor those who have served

and inspire future generations. As the NMHS, what

is your hope and vision for this new Museum?

A:

NMHS envisions a national alliance of support

and advocacy for the advancement of America’s

maritime heritage, past, present, and future. The

National Coast Guard Museum is an important part

of that national network of institutions offering not only

stories, but a place and a collection that allow citizens to

be a part of that maritime experience. The combination

of honoring those who have served, as well as inspiring

future generations dovetails neatly with our vision of

securing our maritime legacy and underscoring its

relevance today. The Society wholeheartedly supports

what the National Coast Guard Museum is bringing

to our maritime story and stands ready to support the

good work you are undertaking.

T

he National Maritime Historical Society

publishes Sea History Magazine (www.

seahistory.org) and hosts a variety of

awards to honor and preserve this Nation’s

Maritime history. Not surprisingly the iconic

USCG Barque Eagle was honored by NMHS in

1981!

Award Year: 1981

American Ship Trust Award/Karl Kortum

American Ship Trust Award

In 1968, the American Ship Trust Award was given for

the first time recognizing leadership in building or

restoring historic ships. In 1997, the award was

renamed the Karl Kortum American Ship Trust

Award in honor of Karl Kortum (1917–1996), a

founder of the National Maritime Historical Society

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If you are interested in supporting

maritime history, please consider

membership to the National Maritime

Heritage Society. Learn more at:

https://seahistory.org/join-sea-history/

and the San Francisco Maritime Museum who was

instrumental in saving numerous historic vessels.

USCGC Eagle is the seventh U.S. Coast Guard cutter

to bear the name in a proud line dating back to 1792.

The ship was built in 1936 by the Blohm + Voss

Shipyard in Hamburg, Germany, and commissioned

as Horst Wessel. Now known as the Barque Eagle,

the 295-foot vessel is used as a training cutter for

future officers of the United States Coast Guard. With

a standing permanent crew of seven officers and 50

enlisted members, on training missions the cutter

takes on a variety of temporary crew and sails with an

average complement of 12 officers, 68 crew, and up

to 150 trainees. Cadets and officer candidates receive

instruction from the crew and also take classes on

navigation, seamanship, ship and boat maneuvering,

line handling, sailing, first aid, weather patterns,

damage control, engineering, career development,

and more. They also stand watches in the engine

room, on the bridge, on deck, in the scullery and

galley, and during port calls, they assist the public

by giving tours.

Eagle‘s secondary mission is to represent the U.S.

Coast Guard and the United States, and in this role,

has earned the nickname “America’s Tall Ship.” During

the many years of service as a Coast Guard cutter,

the Eagle has traveled throughout the United States

and around the world. Among various deployments,

Eagle has participated in Tall Ship races and events,

including the Operation Sail events of 1964, 1976,

1986, 1992, 2000 and 2012, and led the parade of

ships into New York Harbor during the American

Bicentennial OpSail ‘76.


27

By: Renee Coleman, National Coast Guard Museum

NATIONAL COAST

GUARD MUSEUM

LIFESAVING DECK:

A SURFMAN’S STORY

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ACoast Guard surfman is trained

to command and operate a surf

boat through some of the most

treacherous conditions. There’s a

certain amount of gumption and

spirit in the 130 Coast Guard service members who

possess the well-earned qualifi cation. LT Joshua

Welsh is one of those surfmen.

Welsh entered the Coast Guard as an enlisted service

member in January 2007, and from the moment he

stepped onto the regiment in Cape May, New Jersey,

he had tunnel vision; he was going to be a Coast

Guard surfman. Welsh’s affi nity for heavy weather

navigation pre-dates his Coast Guard career, with

roots back to his adolescence.

“I grew up sailing. My favorite part of sailing was

driving the boat,” Welsh said. “When I was 12,

my family sailed their boat to Bermuda, and we

encountered lots of heavy weather. When I was in high

school, I did a semester at sea, so I was four months

on a tall ship. Heavy weather creates challenges that

you have to try to solve, and I really enjoy that. Once

LT Joshua Welsh participated in surf training on the Humboldt Bay Bar and on nearby beaches - circa

2016. He is pictured with Garrett Hamilton – both Welsh and Hamilton broke in and made Surfman

together. During surf training, trainees practiced station keeping (staying in one spot), man overboard

drills, and safely transiting through breaking surf. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)


29

I saw the surfman job, I knew immediately that’s what

I wanted to do in the Coast Guard.”

Earning the surfman qualification is no easy feat.

There are three steps to earning the qualification.

Step one is to earn a basic coxswain letter on a

motor lifeboat. Step two is the designation of a heavy

weather coxswain, and the final step is achieving

surfman.

With more than 100 cases in his portfolio, Welsh

has had, what he deems, an exciting and rewarding

career as a surfman. With the perfect mix of treachery,

uncertainty, raging seas, howling wind, daring

according to Welsh, between the Pacific and Atlantic

oceans. The surf is very different from coast to coast,

which adds to the complexity of the mission, but it’s

a challenge Welsh deeply enjoyed.

There’s one case in particular that Welsh has carried

with him all these years later from his time at Station

LT Joshua Welsh is pictured at the conclusion of his last

trip underway on a Motor Lifeboat prior to going to Officer

Candidate School. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

rescues with various outcomes, and regular bouts

of sea sickness—yes, you read that correctly, he’s

experienced it all.

“I get incredibly seasick!” Welsh exclaimed with a

grin. “I never got over it, I just learned to manage it.

My dad always told me that misery builds character,

and I feel like I’m tapped out on character at this

point. My managing it is more just me living in the

moment and being very mindful. It never got better; I

just powered through.”

As a surfman, Welsh was assigned to Station

Humboldt Bay, California, and then Station Hatteras

Inlet, North Carolina. There is a notable difference,

Humboldt Bay—one that exemplifies the sheer grit

that is woven into the DNA of these surfmen.

Welsh and his crew were called out early one the

morning to assist a sailing vessel taking on water. They

launched before breakfast. Conditions deteriorated

during the towing evolution, with swells increasing from

six to eight feet to 10 to 14 feet throughout the day. A

thick fog set in, so dense that the crew could no longer

see the sailing vessel at the end of the 800-foot tow line.

Communication with the boat was lost, and the decision

was made to break the tow.

After regaining control and reinstating the tow, the crew

continued its journey south to the nearest Coast Guard

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station. After safely delivering the sailing vessel, Welsh

and his crew had to make the 4.5- hour journey north,

back to Station Humboldt.

All in all, Welsh and his crew were underway for 14

hours. The crew was over its fatigue limit, with energy

stores depleted due to lack of food, exhaustion settling

in, and weather picking up.

Welsh praised his crew, who he dubbed as nothing

short of amazing. This operation was outside their

human limitations, and the only reason the crew was

successful was because they worked through the

14 hours of sea sickness, exhaustion, and hunger

together. It solidified how important it is to have an

empowered team that treats one another as equals.

After a decade as an enlisted service member, Welsh

was ready for a new challenge in the form of Officer

Candidate School. He’s currently assigned to Coast

Guard Headquarters as the operations officer at the

National Response Center.

“Even though my career as a surfman is technically

over, the lessons I’ve learned as a surfman have carried

over into my career as an officer,” Welsh said.

NATIONAL COAST GUARD MUSEUM INSIDER TIP: The story of Coast Guard surfmen

will be featured on Deck 2. The Museum will cover the history with the origin of surfmen

in the U.S. Lifesaving Service, including prominent surfmen and keepers like Joshua

James and Richard Ethridge. The story of Coast Guard surfmen will evolve to focus on

modern-day surfmen and explore how the advent of motor lifeboats and the National

Motor Lifeboat School has increased capabilities and transformed surfmen.


31

Coast Guardsmen rig a watercraft as a fireboat by pumping floodwater to feed their firehose

fighting a conflagration in downtown Cincinnati. (U.S. Coast Guard)

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GREAT FLOOD

OF 1937

PART 3:

In responding to the floods, the Coast Guard

faced some very interesting dilemmas. In

Cincinnati, for example, the floodwaters of the

Ohio River caused the spill of thousands of

gallons of gasoline from storage tanks. This

fuel was ignited and, ironically, produced

fires in buildings surrounded by water. In

response, the Coast Guard boats pumped

the floodwaters into the already inundated

buildings to extinguish the flames and prevent

the spread of fire.

The winter temperatures also saw floating ice

in the northern-most parts of the rivers. These

small icebergs acted as hazards to navigation

and sometimes resulted in the capsize of

rescue crafts.


33

By Petty Officer 2nd Class Crystal Burgess

USCG DIVE

MEDICAL

OFFICER:

CDR SCOTT

BLANCHET

AMONG THE MANY ROLES OF THE

UNITED STATES COAST GUARD (USCG)

THERE IS AN EMPHASIS ON THE

IMPORTANCE OF MEDICAL SUPPORT,

ESPECIALLY IN DEMANDING

ENVIRONMENTS LIKE UNDERWATER

OPERATIONS.

One significant milestone in this context was achieved by our first

Coast Guard dive medical officer (DMO) completing the Navy’s

Dive Medical Officer Course, CDR Scott Blanchet, senior medical

officer at USCG Sector San Diego.

CDR Blanchet started his military career in the Navy and

completed his family medicine residency in 2018. After serving a

total of seven and a half years with the Navy, he transitioned into

the Coast Guard in 2020—beginning his first three-year tour as

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Surface Supply Dive at the Naval Diving and Salvage

Training Center using KM97 Diving Helmet


35

FORTUNATELY, THE NEED

FOR A DMO-TRAINED

PHYSICIAN WAS THERE

AND THE COAST GUARD

WAS WILLING TO SUPPORT

IT, SO I JUMPED ON IT.

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Far left: CWO-2 Sean Eversole entering the water to

conduct a surface supplied dive at NDSTC

Upper: Captain Robert Berry (left) and CWO-2 Sean

Eversole (right) displaying U.S. Coast Guard flag during

surface supplied dive at NDSTC

Lower: CDR Blanchet (left) shaking hands with Chief

Hansen (right)

the medical director at the Coast Guard Academy

in New London, Connecticut. During this tour in

2022, he attended the Joint Hyperbaric Medicine

Officer (HMO) course designed to educate medical

professionals in hyperbaric medicine. In 2023, CDR

Blanchet was assigned to Sector San Diego where

he demonstrated a commitment to specialized

training and a willingness to take on unique

challenges by completing the Navy DMO course.

“I knew I had an incredible opportunity to seize

within the dive community. Fortunately, the need for

a DMO-trained physician was there and the Coast

Guard was willing to support it, so I jumped on it,”

said CDR Blanchet. “Now, I’m looking to complete

the full undersea medical officer (UMO) certification

and am on-track to do so by spring of 2025. Overall,

I feel very grateful for all the support Coast Guard

Dive, Sector San Diego, and Health Safety and

Work-Life has given me in pursuing this opportunity.”

The Navy’s DMO course is a nine-week program

that includes instruction on diving physiology,

hyperbaric medicine, and management of divingrelated

emergencies. Class 24-10-DMO, also known

as “Squishy Docs,” graduated six students from a

class that started with 14. CDR Blanchet is the first

Coast Guard officer to graduate this course, which

almost exclusively consists of U.S. Navy physicians.

Throughout this course, instructors push students

to their limits to better prepare them for the critical

responsibilities they will face as dive medical

officers.

“Inducing that stress and helping the dive

candidates, the students get through those stressful

situations, you know, while keeping a standard. I

always [gotta] remind myself it’s hard for a reason,”

said Chief Hansen, course chief for all FORCECOM


37

Dive A and C schools. “I’ve been in a lot of positions

in my career where things didn’t go right, and I look

back on the training that I received and I’m thankful

that it was hard, and I’m thankful that it was stressful.”

Dive medical officers play a critical role in ensuring the

health and safety of personnel involved in underwater

operations. Their responsibilities encompass a wide

range of medical duties, including evaluating the

health of divers, providing emergency medical care,

and managing dive-related illnesses and injuries. As

an instructor, it is vital to challenge students to think

critically and problem-solve.

CDR Blanchet’s successful completion of the Navy’s

DMO course is significant for several reasons. As the

Coast Guard continues to navigate the complexities

of maritime operations, the expertise brought by CDR

Blanchet will be invaluable in safeguarding the health

and safety of personnel, ultimately ensuring mission

success in the face of ever-evolving challenges.

CDR Blanchet brings a multifaceted perspective

as a current doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.),

flight surgeon trainee, and U.S. Public Health Service

(USPHS) member in conjunction with all other

qualifications listed.

OVERALL, I FEEL VERY GRATEFUL

FOR ALL THE SUPPORT COAST

GUARD DIVE, SECTOR SAN DIEGO,

AND HEALTH SAFETY AND WORK-

LIFE HAS GIVEN ME IN PURSUING

THIS OPPORTUNITY.

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“From my perspective, this is a huge step

towards Coast Guard Dive having a completely

self-suffi cient program. For years we have been

relying on our Army and Navy counterparts to

support a large part of the dive medical portion

of our operations,” said Chief Hansen. “Mr.

Blanchet’s successful graduation of DMO school

sets a precedence that we, the United States

Coast Guard, are capable of creating our own

dive medical offi cers/undersea medical offi cers.

His graduation could not have come at a better

time. We should be able to transition into being

self-supportive with the procurement of our own

recompression chambers.”

As the diver rate matures it is becoming much

more aligned with how Navy Dive operates. One

key difference between Navy Dive and Coast

Guard Dive is the master diver (MDV) position, or

qualification. There has been an objective since the

beginning to have MDVs in the Coast Guard, and

that goal is becoming more achievable. A master

diver, regardless of what service, should have a

good understanding of all military dive capabilities.

The MDV is the most qualified person to supervise

recompression treatments and the DMO/UMO

recommends the proper course of treatment

to prescribe medications and supplementary

treatments. The undersea medical officer

(UMO) is the only team member who can

modify recompression treatment tables, with

concurrence of the commanding officer.

“UMOs are the subject matter experts for allthings

dive medicine in the DoD, so having

one in the Coast Guard will bring legitimacy to

the community and help us rely less on DoD

resources for completing required medical

readiness tasks, preventative and acute care

of Coast Guard divers, and recompression

chamber trainings and operations,” said CDR

Blanchet.

CDR Blanchet is currently working towards

completing the full UMO certification by spring

of 2025. The main difference between DMOs

and UMOs is the radiation health training that

UMOs receive which allows them to provide

comprehensive care to personnel stationed

on submarines. As CDR Blanchet strives to

enhance his knowledge, he is also working

towards implementing a well-established dive

medical policy for the Coast Guard, aiming to

create a more self-sufficient community.

“I would like to see U.S. Coast Guard policy for

dive medical to include the use of recompression

chambers to treat hyperbaric injuries. In addition

to policy, I would like to see U.S. Coast Guard

specifi c personnel qualifi cation standards for

the positions required for chamber operations,”

said Chief Hansen. “Since the creation of the

DV rate in 2015, we have grown exponentially

in our skills and mission set. I know that having

our own DMO will only fuel that growth and keep

us ready, relevant, and responsive.”

Left: CDR Scott Blanchet

Right: CWO-2 Sean Eversole, Command Diving Officer,

leading a tour of the recompression chambers at Naval

Diving and Salvage Training Center (NDSTC)


39

GREAT FLOOD

OF 1937

PART 4:

According to the United States Weather Bureau,

the rainfall resulted from irregular weather patterns,

which saw abnormal barometric pressures and the

colliding of warm, moist southern tropical air masses

with cooler northern polar air masses. The resulting

precipitation from the collision of these fronts

dropped an estimated 165 billion tons of water in the

Ohio and Mississippi River Basin. One contemporary

source estimated that the flood caused $250 million

($5 billion in 2022 dollars) of damage to the area.

The extent of the damage throughout the Ohio and

Mississippi river valleys caused the American Red

Cross to claim that the deluge shattered all previous

records for natural disasters in the United States.

Coast Guardsmen set up fl oating command post tied to a lamppost and dispatch personnel by

dinghy to the fl ooded town. (U.S. Coast Guard)

40 WINTER 2025

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41

PORTRAITS OF SERVICE

There are thousands of untold stories that are not in the history books. The Long Blue Line is

a fantastic platform to share your personal journeys from the diverse mission sets of the Coast

Guard.

We are excited to provide a place where readers can share their Coast Guard story. We’ve

made it easy for you with a simple questionnaire at longblueline.org

TELL YOUR STORY!

LT Charles “Chuck” Booth, USCG (Ret.)

Washington

Growing up in Washington state, Charles

“Chuck” Booth was one of six children who

had an adventurous upbringing spurred on

by their college professor father, a former Sea

Scout who taught them about living in the

backwoods of Montana and Idaho. At age 17,

Chuck informed his parents that he was planning

to drop out of high school, get a job, and support

his new future wife and baby. His supportive

parents suggested he join the Coast Guard. He

enlisted on July 26, 1971, and headed by bus to

the airport for a flight to Training Center (TRACEN)

Alameda.

Arriving for Forming Company, having been a

trumpet player, marching band member, and

drum major, Chuck sought to become a member

of Oscar Echo 81, honor guard company. Not

having to attend regular classroom instruction or

participate in other extra-curricular activities as a

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basic boot, he had the time to practice with his

bandmates and represent the Coast Guard at a

variety of events throughout the San Francisco

Bay area. As a member of Forming Company, he

was also afforded much greater opportunity for

liberty—gaining his “liberty cuffs” on his cracker

jacks ahead of other recruits.

As his career progressed, Chuck faced the

possibility of receiving orders to a cutter requiring

him to live aboard, so he sought an alternative

path that kept his young family together.

Reflecting on this pivotal moment, he discovered

that there were a few billets at the commissioned

officer’s wardroom on TRACEN who were vacant

as well as slots at the “A” school on base.

Knowing he would receive an advancement to

E-3 upon graduation as a seaman stewardsmen

(TN), which would entitle him to off-base housing,

he reported to the wardroom to perform all things

galley related: waiting, scullery, sanitation, and

general cleaning.

Not long after, our shipmate was at another

crossroad that would lead back to pursuing his

lifelong ambition of becoming a member of an

exclusive group within Coast Guard ranks: an

aviator. Having served his time as a TN, he applied

for, and was granted, a change in rating, along

with orders to Avionics Technician “A” School

(AT) in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. From there,

he was stationed at Air Station Astoria, Oregon,

performing duty “on the line,” refueling, washing

and waxing the aircraft, performing preflight

checks on the HH-3Fs, and twice daily Foreign

Object Debris (FOD) walk downs.

Chuck also continued his education for the Search

and Rescue aircrew and AT2 end of course tests.

He was soon moved into the avionics shop and

worked for ATC Elwood Hilts, where he quickly

earned the nickname “Tuna” after Charlie Tuna of

television commercial fame. He didn’t particularly

like the new moniker but remembered how good

it felt to be part of the team.

Life in Astoria was good for his young family,

adding a second daughter in 1974—just a

few months before Chuck turned 21. He took

advantage of every opportunity for advancement,

attending six “C” schools for advanced training

on HH-3F avionics and diligently studying for

the next service wide examination competition.

His performance evaluations, along with his

preparation for the service wide, netted him

another chevron for his crow, advancing to AT2

on time and earning his SAR Aircrew qualification

entitling him to flight pay or “skins.”

Having heard his shipmates talk about their time

in sunny Puerto Rico and the beach lifestyle,

Chuck and his family were eager to head south.

In all their excitement about this assignment, they

missed the memo on tropical weather cycles,

experiencing two hurricanes during their tour,

both of which Chuck was on duty and his wife

Chris was hunkered down with the other wives

celebrating in hurricane party fashion. However,

this tour had another more important impact on

his career. It was here that he met a flight surgeon

who informed him during an annual physical of

the possibility of becoming a pilot by requesting

a waiver for both his eyesight and age to qualify

for flight school. But there were other obstacles to

overcome: obtain a two-year degree, be selected

for Officer Candidate School (OCS), graduate,

and be selected to attend flight training—nothing

too daunting for Chuck.

He began the recommended eye exercises,

a regular running regiment, and enrolled with

Columbia College’s extension program and

took as many CLEP exams as possible to gain

his associates degree in one year. Next, he

advanced to AT1 supervising crews responsible

for scheduled maintenance and necessary repairs

for all three HH-3Fs assigned.

Not a big surprise, when it came time to transfer,

the Booth family was looking to return to a

familiar place—back to Astoria, Oregon. Now

focused on Officer Candidate School (OCS),

he knew it wouldn’t be easy to compete with all

the other candidates and the odds were slim.

Prior to being accepted, candidates for OCS go

through an interview process conducted by three

commissioned officers. He remembers telling the


43

panel his story of how he joined, became a TN,

switched to AT, and now wants to pursue OCS to

achieve his primary goal of becoming a pilot. To

his surprise, he remembers thinking “they must

have been pretty shallow in the gene pool that

day…” but he was selected and received orders

to OCS on his fi rst try.

Now back in training, this eight-year veteran, fi rst

class petty offi cer, was once again subject to the

harsh treatment of bootcamp and admits he did

feel a little chafed under the saddle. However, he

kept his head down and graduated third out of

28, scoring high enough to be selected for fl ight

school!

Off he went to Naval Air Station Pensacola for

ground school, followed by primary fl ight training

in the T-34 Turbo Mentor, low-wing tandem

cockpit aircraft. Once he gained confi dence

and lost the almost debilitating fear of failing,

fl ying became a blast. He was transferred to the

helicopter section for advanced flight training and

soon realized that the fi rst half of fl ight training

was focused on washing candidates out, while

the second half was focused on keeping you in

and making you better.

His fi rst assignment as an aviator was Air Station

Arcata, California, flying HH-52A Seaguard

helicopters along the treacherous northern

California coastline. Advancing from co-pilot to

fi rst pilot and eventually aircraft commander, he

recalls performing check rides with LCDR Len

Hennel, a salty pilot with tons of stories about

his time in the seat. On one such occasion, he

had Chuck command a night fl ight out to the

Humboldt Bay bar where he had to perform a

diffi cult hoist from a drifting small boat, at the

same time trying to keep the boat in “the calm

center” of the propeller wash to prevent it from

being pushed away … particularly diffi cult in the

pitch black of night.

Having spent a few years fl ying daily missions

and honing his skills as a helicopter pilot, Chuck

was ready to challenge himself again. This time

he went even bigger by applying for, and being

accepted as, a flight instructor at the Navy

Undergraduate Flight program in Pensacola,

Florida. His role required instructing new pilots

during ground school, teaching them the ins

44 WINTER 2025

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and outs of learning the endless number of

“course rules” about the where/when/altitude and

highways of the sky to ensure avoidance of midair

collisions with other students and instructors.

Next stop involved a transfer to Training Center

Mobile, Alabama. Here our intrepid pilot joined the

exclusive Polar Operations Division (POPDIV)—an

arduous assignment due to the excessive number

of deployment days as the flight asset for polar

breakers conducting operations around the globe.

Serving as the detachments Operations Officer,

LT Booth was responsible for the planning of

all daily flights in support of scientific missions

and international security cooperation in the

northern polar regions. On his first deployment,

the detachment flew the last operational HH-52s

in the Coast Guard. Upon their return, one was

sent to a museum in Michigan and the other to

Aberdeen proving grounds to serve as a target.

On his second deployment, the detachment was

the first to employ the newly acquired HH-65s, an

aircraft never used in the high Arctic conditions.

Their cold weather operations required special

rotor blade dampeners as well as skis. On his

fourth and final deployment, things didn’t go so

well. As the senior aviator in charge, specifically

requested by the ship’s commanding officer,

Chuck, along with the aircraft crew and ship’s

commanding officer aboard helicopter 6546, lost

his tail rotor effectiveness in a slow climbing left

turn with a quarter tailwind. Pilot speak for they

began spinning out of control!

Chuck was able to land flat while still spinning!

But that relief was temporary due to the aircraft

spinning off into an open lead in the ice, coming

to rest on an ice shelf about a foot beneath the

water’s surface. All four rotor blades were sheared

off by the ice on the opposite side of the lead.

The engineer, copilot and commanding officer

suffered back injuries. Chuck and the flight

mechanic were unharmed. The aircraft incident

was documented as a class A accident due to the

ship’s difficulties in recovering the aircraft from

the ice, breaking it into two before getting it back

on deck.

They finished the deployment, and our shipmate

was certain this incident would result in a formal

reprimand. However, as there was an unknown

documented hazard about the use of the same tail

fenestron configuration (tail rotor enclosed within

the tail that operates like a ducted fan) during the

exact flight path of 6546, a slow climbing left turn,

the entire incident was documented as a simple

entry in his pilot logbook.

In his own words, “Whomever said that aviation

is hours of boredom punctuated by moments of

sheer terror must have been a fixed wing airline

transport pilot.” In his personal experience as

both a Coast Guard pilot and emergency medical

services (EMS) pilot, whenever asked if he misses

the excitement, he answers no.

He relishes the memories of flying difficult

missions, ones that require skill, courage, and

a certain amount of daring. One of his last

crewmembers (while flying EMS) once expressed

to Chuck that he enjoyed flying with him because

he didn’t just fly the aircraft, he strapped it on!

That’s high praise from someone who trusts you

with their life.

Nowadays, our fearless shipmate is challenging

himself as a very content school bus driver. Not

for financial gain, more because “It keeps me

grounded and humble, connected to other people,

and mostly lets me feel like I’m contributing to

society by doing a job most other people shun.

It’s not for the faint of heart. I also like the hugs

from the littles.”

He shared one last epiphany from long ago.

Shortly after retiring and near the time he got over

being disappointed at not making it past O3E in

the Coast Guard, it occurred to him that he didn’t

miss the flying because that was his job. Although

it was often fun, it was a job that required a good

amount of skill and could sometimes leave you

with your heart in your throat. What he really

missed was being a hero.

PORTRAITS OF SERVICE


45

For the Ohio River flood relief effort, the Coast Guard mobilized units from the entire eastern

U.S., including motor lifeboats from Oak Island Beach, New York, and Mackinac Island, Michigan,

shown here assisting in Evansville, Indiana. (U.S. Coast Guard)

46 WINTER 2025

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GREAT FLOOD

OF 1937

PART 5:

The Treasury Department’s Annual Report for

Fiscal Year 1937 stated:

The relief force, besides rescuing 839 persons

from peril, transported 67,613 refugees to safety,

afforded transportation to thousands of Red

Cross officials and relief workers, saved 1,993

head of livestock, carried mails, towed disabled

boats and floating buildings to safety, helped to

restore telephone and telegraph service, aided

in preventing looting, and otherwise extended all

aid within its power to be of assistance.

This 1937 relief operation marked a milestone in

the Coast Guard’s tradition of response to natural

disasters and served as precursor to the service’s

humanitarian response to hurricanes Katrina and

Rita in 2005.


47

U.S. COAST GUARD INFORMATION

AUXILIARY

48 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

FORGOTTEN

AVIATION

HISTORY

DISCOVERED

AUXILIARY

By: Joseph Feldman, AUXPA3 &

Matthew Thompson, AUXPA1

Tucked away in a closet at United States

Coast Guard Air Station Miami was an

unassuming cabinet. This long-forgotten

cabinet was full of secrets that had not

seen the light of day in years until Auxiliarist

Joseph Feldman opened its dusty doors in

October of 2023. What Mr. Feldman found in

that cabinet may have been one of the most

significant discoveries in Coast Guard aviation

and Air Station Miami history.

Mr. Feldman has been Coast Guard Air Station

Miami’s resident public affairs specialist and

social media manager since the fall of 2020.

Since his appointment, he has sought historic

images to add to the variety of content for Air

Station Miami’s social media platforms. Within

the forgotten cabinet, Mr. Feldman discovered

what he needed for his mission, multiple VHS

Within the forgotten

cabinet, Mr. Feldman

discovered what he

needed for his mission,

multiple VHS and

cassette tapes with

significant footage of

search and rescue cases

and hundreds of photo

negatives, prints, and

projector slides.

Top: MIAMI – Two U.S. Coast Guard HU-16 Albatrosses, one with experimental livery, fly in formation over

Miami in 1985. (Miami Herald photo)

Bottom: MIAMI – United States Coast Guard flying boats ACAMAR, Amphibian SIRIUS, and flying boat

ARCTURUS, from the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami, flying in formation over the USCGC Pandora (WPC-

113), a recently commissioned Thetis-Class Cutter, in December 1934. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)



49


AUXILIARY

and cassette tapes with signifi cant footage

of search and rescue cases and hundreds of

photo negatives, prints, and projector slides.

Some were more than 20 years old; others,

including photos of the air station’s transition

from the HH-52 Seaguard to the Eurocopter

MH-65 Dolphin in 1985, had never been seen.

In addition to the forgotten images tucked

away in the closet, Mr. Feldman found other

lost treasures, including the air station’s old

camcorder and a public affairs fi lm camera

from 1982, which still had a roll of fi lm inside.

Mr. Feldman took it upon himself to restore the

camera, enlisting the assistance of the MH-

65 maintenance shop to extract a corroded

battery.

Amazingly, the old camera fi red right up with

a fresh set of batteries. Inspired by this fi nd

and taking note of a social media trend to

bring back fi lm photography, Mr. Feldman

has incorporated fi lm photography into Air

Station Miami’s social media pages, setting

a noticeable trend with unit takeovers on the

Coast Guard Instagram page with other units

sharing fi lm photos.

In February of 2024, Air Station Miami’s

command master chief found additional

images, some dating back to the unit’s fi rst

Top: MIAMI – Coast Guard

Auxiliarist Joseph Feldman,

AUXPA3, holding a 1950s

framed photo of a U.S. Coast

Guard Air Station Miami

Grumman HU-16 Albatross

seaplane taking off from the

water with a visible plume of

exhaust from Jet Assisted

Take Off (JATO) rockets. (U.S.

Coast Guard photo)

Bottom: Feldman, AUXPA3,

catalogs lost aviation photos

that were found in 2023 inside

a forgotten cabinet at the

U.S. Coast Guard Air Station

Miami. (U.S. Coast Guard

photo)

Mr. Feldman

found other

lost treasures,

including the

air station’s old

camcorder and

a public affairs

film camera from

1982, which still

had a roll of film

inside.

50 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

AUXILIARY

aircraft in the 1930s, tucked away in several

folders deep in his desk. In addition to that

fi nd, which comprised of more than 1,000

photos, Mr. Feldman discovered another

fi le cabinet full of VHS tapes with even more

case footage. He researched equipment and

coordinated the photo preservation with the

Coast Guard Foundation and Coast Guard

Aviation Association. Working with a local

camera store, Mr. Feldman processed and

digitized the images for all to see.

The task of acquiring a video conversion kit

to process the tapes and preserve the photos

was completed, but Mr. Feldman decided he



51


AUXILIARY

wasn’t quite fi nished with his research. He

turned to the internet to comb web-based

databases and archives to see if he could

locate Air Station Miami-specifi c images.

This search proved to be highly successful

with Mr. Feldman locating video of the unit

in the National Archives dating back to as

early as 1935 and test fl ight footage of their

first aircraft taken in 1931. He also acquired

several photos off eBay, with the earliest

taken in 1933.

In the summer of 2024, Mr. Feldman came

across the Wolfson Archives, a Miami-

Dade College repository for home videos

and other fi lm and video collections. This

archive contained 70 years of Air Station

Miami footage, dating back to a fl ight of

the station’s second permanent helicopter

in 1951. Since that discovery, Mr. Feldman

has been working with the college’s

archivist to process more videos that have

not been uploaded. With his sight set

on the centennial of Air Station Miami in

2032, Mr. Feldman has gotten a head start

on acquiring images and videos for the

commemoration.

Since sharing the images on social media,

Mr. Feldman’s shipmates and the public have

learned about the proud history of Air Station

Miami and Coast Guard Aviation. He has been

able to reunite veterans and family members

with former co-workers and has been able to

source more footage and stories, bringing

the photos to life. Mr. Feldman says he does

not expect to slow down his research and

continues to fi nd more images with the aid of

veterans and civilian photographers, giving

him the most comprehensive visual history

collection of any aviation unit in the service.

MIAMI – A Eurocopter HH-65A Dolphin sits on the

ramp at the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami

with an older Sikorsky H-52 Seaguard amphibious

helicopter parked in the background. The new

Dolphins replaced the older Seaguards at Air Station

Miami in 1985. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

52 WINTER 2025

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53

U.S. COAST GUARD INFORMATION ACTIVE DUTY

GHOST SHIP

CARROLL A.

DEERING

By Karl Baarslag, Author, The Coast Guard to the Rescue

The following essay is adapted from a chapter in the

Karl Baarslag's book The Coast Guard to the Rescue.

(New York: Farrar & Rinehart, 1937)

54 WINTER 2025

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ACTIVE DUTY

Occasionally, a ship coming ashore

presents the Coast Guardsmen

with a perfect murder or pirate

mystery. The five-masted schooner Carroll

A. Deering grounded on outer Diamond

Shoal in January 1921. The mystery

surrounding the disappearance of its crew

of 11 or 12 men has never been solved

although the Department of Justice had

been called in to investigate rumors of

“piracy.”

At 8 a.m. of Jan. 31, 1921, the look-out man

at Hatteras Inlet Station reported a large

five-masted schooner aground on the outer

shoals. All sails were set but the ship, which

was heading offshore, was not making

any headway. Curiously, the ship flew

no distress signals. A motor lifeboat was

launched at 10 a.m., and the surfmen were

alongside the mysterious vessel at 11:30.

The schooner, evidently a new and able

ship, was fast in a nest of boiling breakers,

and the surfmen could approach no nearer

than a quarter of a mile.

The vessel was stripped of all its boats and

a ladder hung over the side. The surfmen

circled the schooner for nearly two hours

but saw no sign of life—not even a dog.

Satisfied that the ship was deserted, they

returned to their station speculating as

The mystery surrounding

the disappearance of THE

crew of 11 or 12 men has

never been solved ...



55


to what had happened to the crew. No

rockets, flares, or other distress signals

had been seen during the night and the

deserted wreck carried no signal flags to

indicate any trouble. Had the vessel been

abandoned offshore by her crew and then

drifted ashore by itself? Had the crew

hurriedly deserted the ship when it brought

up in the breakers on the outer shoals only

to die in the surf or to be carried offshore?

Stormy weather prevented the surfmen

from revisiting the mysterious stranger

until 6 a.m. of February 4. Closer approach

enabled them to make out the name Carroll

A. Deering on the stern and sideboards.

The schooner was still intact and quite high

out of the water. Had the crew remained

aboard, they would all have been saved.

The lifesavers returned to their station

and notified the ship’s owners. It was then

learned that the Deering was a Bath-built

schooner of 2,114 tons and less than a year

old. It had left Rio de Janeiro the previous

December bound for Norfolk via Barbados.

On that same day in February, Capt.

James Carlson of the wrecking tug Rescue

boarded the mystery ship, which, for the

previous five days, had been the sole

topic of burning interest along the Hatteras

coast.

Dark and bloody tales of piracy were being

noised abroad. Captain Carlson, the first

man to put foot aboard the Deering, found

the ship deep in the greedy sands off

56 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

Hatteras. The deck was undulating like a

serpent, and heavy seas were breeching

over the wreck and sweeping through

ports, doors, and companionways. Both

boats were missing; the falls trailed away

over the side. The wheel, rudder, rudder

housing, and other gear were all smashed.

Both running lights were still burning, as

were two red lights in the rigging.

The wreckers carefully examined the

cabins and belowdecks space and found

and sand would have removed all traces of

fight or murder. The navigating charts were

found in the captain’s bathroom which lent

credence to the rumor that the master had

died and been buried at sea before the

Deering stranded. The mate had evidently

used the captain’s room and kept his charts

in the bathroom.

The salvagers removed all usable sails,

furniture, flags, lanterns, an expensive and

well-stocked medicine chest, and all other

ACTIVE DUTY

The deck was undulating

like a serpent and heavy

seas were breeching over

the wreck and sweeping

through ports, doors, and

companionways.

only three half-starved cats. All the ship’s

papers, nautical instruments, chronometer,

as well as good clothing were missing.

However, the ship’s stores, signal flags,

and much other gear was still untouched

and intact. Several pots were still on the

stove indicating that the crew had eaten

a leisurely meal of soup, spareribs, and

coffee before abandoning their ship. The

beds were unmade—the pots and dishes

unwashed. There was neither evidence of

foul play nor any disturbance. This signified

very little as four days of scouring by sea

gear. These were sold at public auction.

A Bible belonging to Captain Wormel was

sent to his daughter. The wreckers left the

Deering stripped of everything removable,

and the abandoned wreck was left to brood

in solitude and mystery on the outer shoals

of Hatteras. After three weeks of pounding

on the shoals, the sturdy Deering finally

went to pieces.

On March 21, the cutter Seminole found

the stern of the Deering 12 miles east of

Hatteras. The wreckage, which consisted



57


of the poop deck, counter, port side,

afterhouse, and house deck measured

about 75 by 30 feet. The name of the

mystery ship was still visible on the port

bulwarks. The Seminole tried to tow the

derelict into Hatteras Cove, but strong

currents and northwest winds frustrated

the attempt, and the wreckage was finally

blown to bits using five guncotton mines

and destroyed as a menace to navigation.

A bottle came ashore at Buxton, North

Carolina, and on a soiled piece of paper

was scrawled the following message:

“Deering captured by oil burning boat

something like chaser. Taking off everything

… handcuffing crew. Crew hiding all over

ship. No chance to make escape. Finder

please notify headqts. Deering.”

The message was forwarded to the

Department of Justice. Secret Service

agents went to work along the coast and

months were spent running down every little

clue. Shipping registers were searched,

and sailors’ boardinghouses were combed

for possible leads. The piracy rumors

persisted.

The government finally established that the

Deering had signed on her crew at Norfolk,

Virginia, for a voyage to Lewes, Delaware,

and then to South America. Captain William

Merritt, the boat’s master, had reported

crew trouble and left the schooner at Lewes

under plea of ill health. Captain Willis “Old

Man” Wormel, a fine type of old shipmaster,

who was practically retired, was induced

to make the voyage. The Deering had

gone to South America and had cleared

from Rio de Janeiro for the United States.

The schooner stopped at Bridgetown,

Barbados, on her way to Norfolk. Captain

Wormel complained to the agents about

his crew and remarked that he was in poor

health. The crew consisted of an American

mate and engineer, a Finnish boatswain, a

steward, and six Danish sailors. Cafe talk

at Barbados recalled that the mate had

threatened to “get” the old man before the

ship reached Norfolk. Only three deserted

cats know what happened to the crew of the

mystery ship Carroll A. Deering.

This article was

published on MyCG.

For more great Coast

Guard stories, visit

www.mycg.uscg.mil

58 WINTER 2025

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59

RESERVE

POSEIDON’S

DOMAIN:

MULTI-UNIT TRAINING EXERCISE

HELD IN PUERTO RICO

Story by: Chief Warrant Officer Anastasia Devlin, Reservist magazine


All photos: Coast Guard Reserve crews from three Port Security Units and Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron (MSRON) conduct

exercise “Poseidon’s Domain” along the northeast coast of Puerto Rico from April 8-25, 2024. The exercise trained crews from PSUs 305, 307,

309 and MSRON on functions in support of national defense and homeland security missions. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd

Class Jamie Emery)

60 WINTER 2025

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RESERVE

Last April, Coast Guard Reserve crews

from multiple port security units spent

almost three weeks on the northeast coast

of Puerto Rico as part of the exercise

Poseidon’s Domain.

The exercise, which incorporated crews from

Port Security Units (PSU) 305, 307 and 309,

as well as Maritime Expeditionary Security

Squadron 10 (MSRON-10), focused on

operations in support of their national defense

and homeland security missions. Poseidon’s

Domain also incorporated members of the

Army Reserve 432nd Transportation Company,

Marine Corps Combat Logistics Regiment 45,

the Customs and Border Protection-Air and

Marine Operations’ Fajardo Marine Unit, and

Maritime Surveillance Division FURA.

PSUs, comprising mainly reservists with a few

active-duty support personnel, provide antiterrorism

force protection support through

harbor and port defense, protection of high

value assets, expeditionary security, sea lines

of communications, and coastal surveillance.

For the last 20 years, these types of units

focused on support to Joint Task Force

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and other types of

Department of Defense missions that require

adaptive force packages, or small, specialized

contingents.

The exercise in Puerto Rico was a full, multi-unit

mobilization.

Planning for Poseidon’s Domain began in

July 2023. It was the culmination of a threephased

approach designed to test the

logistical and mobility capabilities of PSUs

YOU CAN DRIVE EVERYWHERE IN THE

48, BUT YOU CAN’T DRIVE ACROSS

THE POND.



61

RESERVE

when operating outside the U.S., the ability to

conduct operations in austere environments,

and the structural integration of multiple PSUs

in responding to an event.

Puerto Rico was chosen specifically as it

provides all the characteristics of operating

outside of the United States without requiring

the additional diplomatic and administrative

challenges of an outside the continental United

States deployment.

“You can drive everywhere in the 48, but you

can’t drive across the pond,” said Cmdr. Todd

Remusat, who was the commanding officer of

PSU 309 out of Port Clinton, Ohio, at the time of

the exercise.

“Part of the PSUs being expeditionary requires

the ability to move our equipment—sending 300

tons of cargo, boats, armory, comms, tents …

literally everything including the kitchen sink is

going,” said Remusat. “We can’t take that skill

for granted—just like seamanship and range

training, it needs to be tested.”

Cmdr. John Elkins, the commanding officer of

PSU 305 out of Fort Eustice, Virginia, agreed.

“One of the biggest things was the proficiency

portion,” said Elkins. “Taking what they put

together in training and applying it to some

real-world problems, then seeing how our folks

adapt to the situation at hand.”

Pre-staging for the exercise began in mid-

March with advance teams bringing gear,

supplies, and equipment; the full crew arrived

April 7.

Originally designed to occur over multiple

locations on the island, the exercise shifted

to a joint task force-style command structure,

integrating more than 250 Coast Guard and

Navy personnel from multiple units at a location

provided by Puerto Rico’s Army National Guard

on the old naval base at Roosevelt Roads.

“We also showed how we work with our DoD

partners,” said exercise planner Lt. Matt Patrlja.


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(U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jamie Emery)

RESERVE

“In fact, a lot of our logistics wouldn’t have

been possible without the Puerto Rico National

Guard. They were a huge help to Chief Petty

Officer Shawn Spicer and our mobility team

when it came to setting up logistics in the area,

especially fueling platforms.”

On the first night, tents were swamped by the

wet weather, and the PSUs worked together

to shift locations, establishing a comfortable

“tent city” for the crew. This included a

tactical operations center for security and

communication, a working space with tables

and computers for the crew, and logistical

spaces for food, supplies, engineering, armory,

and medical staff.

Early on, the JTF structure (comprising leaders

from all three PSUs) realized one of the

drawbacks to the austere environment was

the lack of solid internet access and cell phone

signal.

Part of the PSUs being

expeditionary requires the

ability to move our equipment—

sending 300 tons of cargo, boats,

armory, comms, tents … literally

everything including the kitchen

sink is going.

“It was certainly a less-than-desirable

communications environment,” said Patrlja.

“It showed us we needed to go back to the

last century a little bit to figure out how to

communicate—that the conveniences we’re

used to might not always be there. We had

some growing pains, but the task force learned

how to adapt really, really quickly to accomplish

our mission comms without our normal tools.”

Comms were passed via runner, with posted

duty schedules and daily musters, harkening

back to the early deployments of PSUs.



63


RESERVE

The crews took it in stride and began organizing

traditional opposition force drills, establishment

of an entry control point, and interagency and

local communication.

“You have to understand,” said Elkins, “it

doesn’t matter how much planning you do, you

have to be able to adjust to the environment

you’re presented with, even if that means

completely re-racking your plan.”

While the planners dealt with many

complications, sometimes it was the little things

that became eye-openers.

“It rained almost every single day; we were

there during the wet season,” said Patrlja,

“so seeing how our equipment holds up in a

tropical environment was a big learning point

and something for future planners to keep in

mind, as in, ‘how do we keep our equipment

dry enough to function properly in extreme

weather environments?’”

The exercise built upon itself, establishing the

location and plan during the first week (“crawl”

phase). During the second week, JTF crews

worked on training, organizing themselves

along the traditional dividing lines of waterside

and shoreside, as well as unmanned aerial

system operations engineering, logistics, and

support personnel (“walk” phase).

The final week culminated in a three-day “run”

phase, including one 24-hour operation (ECP

and point-defense drills) and two days of

waterside underway gun shoots and security

zone protection tactics. Crews also spent time

providing an embarked security team on one

of the auto-carrier ferries, testing EST and HVA

protection capabilities.

As a result, collectively, more than 200 total

qualifications were issued.

“We have to have a way of stepping outside our

comfort zone and looking toward the future,”

said Patrlja. “The PSU model is designed to be

(U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jamie Emery)

64 WINTER 2025

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self-sustaining, and we’re working to identify

what gaps exist now so we can fix them and

be ready when we’re called. We’re making sure

we’re ready for whatever that next environment

will be.”

Part of this model of training was bringing in

senior petty officers to assist with exercise

planning and execution of Poseidon’s Domain.

In this manner, midgrade enlisted leaders

also had more involvement and professional

development, but they could help identify

problems and work through difficult challenges.

“They have a vested interest; they know exactly

what kind and what level of training they need in

order to execute the mission better,” said Patrlja.

“By having our petty officers participate in the

planning, we’re getting more quality training so

our force can be more proficient.”

Included as part of the exercise, the participants

took time to visit and engage with the local

community. They hosted a Coast Guard

recruiting event on the island of Vieques with

one of the schools, participated in a fun run

in Cieba, and met with the local government

officials in both cities to thank them for their

support.

“We appreciated the support and hospitality

of the people and communities of Puerto

Rico as we trained to maintain our readiness

capabilities,” said Lt. Cmdr. Ydania M. Matos,

logistics chief for PSU 307 out of Clearwater,

Florida.

The exercise is just one of several in the last few

years that have brought the PSUs back to the

basics of being an expeditionary unit.

Elkins and Remusat said testing the crews’

ability to move in 96 hours and be selfsustaining

in a new location was good training

for new and seasoned members.

RESERVE

Elkins noted how the members of different units

learned a lot from each other.

“While everyone follows the manuals and

instructions, there are still different ways of

accomplishing the same training, and every

group does it a little bit differently depending

on where they’re at,” he said. “They were able

to take little pieces of what each unit does well

and incorporate it into their own plans. They

made each other better by learning from each

other. Same for Maritime Expeditionary Security

Squadron’s (MSRON) tactics and learning

about the EST mission. Everyone was put in a

position where we had to work together, and we

ended up benefitting because of that.”

He said at the end of the day, all PSU and DoD

personnel were working toward the same goal.

“We train in different locations, but we all have

to be ready to work together at any time,” said

Elkins. “Of course we have pride in our own

units, and we like to wave our own unit flags,

but this exercise proved we’re also ready to

show up as one team.”



65

U.S. COAST GUARD RETIREE INFORMATION RETIREMENTS

RETIREMENTS

ABOLD, SHANE

ALLEN, JORDAN

ALLRED, GEORGE

ALTENDORF, JEREME

ANDZELIK, JOHN

ARDAN, JONATHAN

ARNDT, STEVEN

ARNETT, ADAM

ASHMORE, TERA

ASHTON, MATTHEW

ASPURU, LEONARDO

AUMENT, CHRISTOPHER

AUSTIN, JEFFREY

AVANT, TRAVIS

BABCOCK, ANTHONY

BACHTEL, BRIAN

BAKER, AMY

BALDWIN, NATIVIA

BANGS, ANTOINETTE

BARNES, KALEENA

BARNETT, CRYSTAL

BARNETT, STEPHEN

BASINGER, SCOTT

BASTEK, IAN

BAUMAN, MARK

BAYNE, CHARLES

BEACHAM, JOHN

BEAR, JACOB

BEARD, TIMOTHY

BEASLEY, STEVEN

BEATTIE, CHRISTOPHER

BEAUDOIN, MARIAH

BELANGER, HANNAH

BELISLE, CHRISTOPHER

BENNETT, CONOR

USCG

BMCS

BM2

LT

CDR

OSC

LCDR

SK2

BM1

CSC

MKC

DCC

CDR

MLES4

OSCS

LT

CDR

LT

YN1

CDR

MSTC

LCDR

MST1

MSTCS

CAPT

BMC

AETC

LT

GM1

MECM

BMCM

MKCM

LT

LTJG

AST1

BMCS

10-01-2024

11-08-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-20-2024

11-06-2024

11-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-25-2024

11-01-2024

09-27-2024

10-01-2024

09-05-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-08-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

BENNETT, JESSE

BENSON, KAILIE

BERKEL, BENJAMIN

BERMAN, JUSTIN

BERNADT, TIMOTHY

BERRY, ROBERT

BIRBILAS, RICHARD

BLACKMAN, BELINDA

BLACKWOOD, SHANE

BLANCHARD, MATTHEW

BLANCHARD, WALTER

BLEACHER, JARRETT

BLOODSWORTH, MACK

BOBONIS, ROBERTO

BODEY, NOAH

BORJA, ISREAL

BORJA, JEREMY

BOSWELL, MICHAEL

BOUCHARD, PATRICK

BOWERS, DELBERT

BOWLING, JAMES

BOWSER, DAVID

BOYER, ROBERT

BOYSON, HOLLY

BRADLEY, JOSHUA

BRADLEY, STEPHEN

BRAMLETT, MITCHELL

BRAUCCI, RICHARD

BRENNAN, MICHAEL

BREWER, JASON

BREWLEY, KELVIN

BRIGGS, JOHN

BRISBY, BOBBY

BROWN, ADAM

BROWN, JOSHUA

AETCS

CAPT

MSSE3

MK2

CDR

DC1

LCDR

OSC

ENG4

OSC

MST1

CDR

ETC

BMC

BM2

OS1

OSS3

YNC

BMCM

MKCS

FSC

MKC

GMC

YN1

SN

ETC

SKC

MSSD4

MSTC

GMC

SK1

LCDR

IVC

ENG2

MK2

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-08-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

09-23-2024

11-18-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-28-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

11-08-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-08-2024

10-01-2024

09-15-2024

10-01-2024

11-07-2024

11-01-2024

10-22-2024

66 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

!

BROWN, KATIE

BROWN, RANDALL

BRUMMETT, JOHN

BRYANT, WILLIAM

BUCHANAN, COLBY

BURNETT, JACOB

BUSH, GARETT

CAHILLY, DAVID

CAIN, JOSHUA

CAIN, ROBERT

CALAMETTI, CASSIE

CALDWELL, KENSUKE

CALHOUN, DAMIN

CALHOUN, SCOTT

CAMACHO, SCOTT

CAMPBELL, JEREMIAH

CARLIN, KATHRYN

CARROLL, SHANE

CARSON, SUSAN

CARSWELL, JOHN

CARTER, SHANNON

CARVALHO, ZAQUAWN

CASTILLO, PALOMITA

CHANCE, JONATHAN

CIMAROSSA, NICHOLAS

CLAIR, BRADLEY

CLARK, GARY

CLARK, SEAN

CLENDENEN, RYAN

CLINE, WILLIAM

COFFMAN, JOSEPH

COMISKEY, JOHN

CONE, CHRISTOPHER

COOK, ELISHA

COOK, TORY

COREANO, MICHAEL

CORNELISON, BRANDON

COUZINS, SAMUEL

COX, JONATHAN

CRAWFORD, ERIC

CRAY, TYRONE

CROISSANT, EDWARD

CROSTHWAIT, MICHAEL

CRUICKSHANK, CAMERON

CUEVA, BERT

CULLEN, JAMES

CUMMINGS, DAVID

CURLEY, JOSEPH

It's been noted that some CG Reserve retirees in RET-2 status (awaiting pay) are missing from this list. Efforts are underway

to include all RET-2 retirees in future issues.

OSC

CAPT

ENG4

ENG3

LCDR

AET1

HSCS

DCCM

LCDR

AMTCM

LCDR

AET1

AETCS

CAPT

MK1

ETC

BM1

OSCM

HSCS

SK1

WEPS3

OS1

HSCS

ENG4

BMC

MECM

BOSN4

AMTC

BMCS

MKC

CDR

ISCS

BOSN4

LCDR

AET1

CS1

MKCS

EM1

CDR

MKC

SKC

MLES3

ETC

OSCS

SKCS

CDR

AET1

MEC

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

09-04-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-10-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

09-20-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-04-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

09-23-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-04-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

CURTIS, PAUL

DAMES, MICHAEL

DE CECCO, ASTRID

DEBERARD, TERESS

DECENA, BIEN

DEITZ, JOURDAN

DELGADO LOPEZ, LUIS

DELGADO, JAVIER

DEMELLO, JEREMY

DEMMING, JUSTIN

DENNING, KELLY

DERMOTT, WILLIAM

DEVINE, CHRISTOPHER

DIAZ, WILLIE

DIPAOLA, JACOB

DITCH, MICHAEL

DIXON, DANIEL

DONAHUE, DAVID

DONOVAN, DANIEL

DORCHAK, ROBERT

DOWELL, JEFFREY

DOWNES, HAROLD


BOSN4

BMC

IS1

MSTC

CDR

YN1

YN1

CAPT

CSCM

YN1

CAPT

AETC

AMT1

MST1

MKC

EMC

HSCM

ETCM

CDR

OS1

MK1

DC1

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-13-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

09-30-2024

09-22-2024

10-01-2024

09-15-2024


RETIREMENTS

67


DOWNING, MICHAEL

DRESCHER, ROBERT

DRESCHER, ROBERT

DREW, REBECCA

DRIES, RICHARD

DUBAY, DAVID

DUNN, KEEGAN

EAKER, CHARLES

EAST, BOBBI

EMMONS, MICHAEL

ESCOBEDO, MIGUEL

ESCOLA, ANDREW

ESTES, ISAIAH

EVANS, MARY

FAIRLEY-PALMER, ZION

FARAH, KENNETH

FAULKNER, MICHAEL

FERGUSON, DAVID

FERGUSON, JOEL

FIELDS, JOSHUA

FIESTE, JASON

FINKELSON, DUSTIN

FISCHER, THOMAS

FISHER, CLIFFORD

FITZPATRICK, KEVIN

FLANNERY, PRICE

FLEISHER, CURRY

FLEMING, AURORA

FLORENTINO, AMY

FLOYD, CHRISTOPHER

FLYNN, MATTHEW

FOLEY, DANIEL

FONVILLE, MATTHEW

FORAN, JOSEPH

FREEMAN, MARK

FRERICHS, NATHAN

FURLONG, MATTHEW

GARNER, BRIANNA

GARNER, LUCAS

GARRETSON, SHANNAN

GARRISON, MATTHEW

GASKINS, JULIA

GATES, MARVIN

GAZVODA, LUDWIG

GEREAU, MICHAEL

GIBSON, CRAIG

GILL, MICHAEL

GILL, RICHARD

GONZALEZ SERRANO, RAIZA

GOODMAN, SEAN

GORMLEY, EVANGELINE

BM1

MKC

MKC

CAPT

YNC

CAPT

OS3

GMC

OSS2

BMC

MK2

GMC

IT1

YNC

ME2

MST1

CDR

BOSN3

CDR

OS1

MK2

BOSN3

ENG4

AMTCS

MK1

MK1

BM1

CAPT

CAPT

CDR

OS2

BMC

BOSN3

ENG2

BMC

MSTC

CAPT

IS3

MSTCS

MSTCM

MEC

YN2

LCDR

CDR

LCDR

GMC

MKCM

LCDR

CS2

AST2

CDR

10-01-2024

11-06-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-18-2024

10-01-2024

10-16-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-08-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-10-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-21-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-08-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-10-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

09-09-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-11-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-09-2024

11-01-2024

11-18-2024

10-01-2024

GOSIER, JOHNOLIVER

GOVERTSEN, HANS

GRAHAM, WAYNE

GRANT, GERALD

GREER, SPENCER

GREINEISEN, JUSTIN

GRIBBLE, JAMES

GRIFFIN, MICHAEL

GUARDIOLA, FELIPE

GUEST, STEPHEN

GULDIN, MICHAEL

GULLY, MATTHEW

GUNNING, JASON

GURNOVICH, KEVIN

HADLEY, LAURA

HAMPTON, GREGORY

HAMPTON, KEVIN

HANLEY, DAVIS

HANNAH, LUSHAN

HANSON, RYAN

HARREL, VICTORIA

HATHAWAY, CHAD

HAUSNER, JASON

HAVELIN, ERIC

HAWN, WILLIAM

HAYES, JEREME

HEBERT, WILLIAM

HEMENWAY, ROBERT

HENDRICKS, JENNIFER

HENDRICKS, SCOTTY

BMC

CAPT

MK3

PERS2

BOSN3

MKC

BMCS

LCDR

LCDR

INV2

CAPT

CDR

CAPT

MKC

MST1

EMC

OSC

MK1

CAPT

MSTC

OS2

AETCS

MK3

CS1

LCDR

YN2

ME1

ME1

BMC

OSC

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-17-2024

10-01-2024

11-24-2024

10-01-2024

10-02-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-02-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

09-15-2024

10-01-2024

10-31-2024

09-26-2024

10-01-2024

11-19-2024

10-01-2024

09-06-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

68 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

HERMS, CHRISTIE

HEYOB, ERIC

HIEB, JEFFREY

HILTON, SAMANTHA

HINIS, JEREMY

HJERSTEDT, MICHAEL

HODGIN, MEREDITH

HOFER, VALERIE

HOFFMAN, CORY

HOLOBINKO, JASON

HOOPER, MATTHEW

HOOVER, JO

HOPTON, CHRISTOPHER

HORRIGHS, CRAIG

HOWARD, HARRY

HUDMAN, ARTHUR

HUDSON, CHRISTOPHER

HUFFORD, LANCE

HUMPHRIES, JASON

HUTTS, JASON

HVOZDA, MICHAEL

HYZAK, GLENN

IGOE, PETER

IRWIN, JUSTIN

JACOBS, MELISSA

JENKINS, PHILLIP

JENKINS, RYAN

JENNESS, JOSHUA

JOCA, ANDREW

JOHANNESSEN, BRANDON

MED2

BMC

LT

BM1

MKC

CDR

HS1

MEC

LCDR

BMC

MSTC

MSTC

BMC

GMC

MSTC

CDR

MKC

ENG4

ME1

MECM

PACM

MLES3

CDR

BMCM

PERS4

EM1

AMT1

MKCS

CAPT

AMT2

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-26-2024

11-18-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

09-26-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

09-20-2024

JOHNSON, KILEY

JOHNSON, MARQUES

JOHNSON, PAUL

JONES, PAUL

JONES, RAVEN

JORDAN, DANIEL

JORGENSEN, MARK

KANE, KALANIKAPU

KATILIUS, RONALD

KATSUKI, GLENN

KAUS, PETER

KAVANAUGH, CHRISTOPHER

KEELEY, JOHN

KEEMAN, SEAN

KEISKER, JUSTIN

KELLEY, JEREMIAH

KENNEDY, ANDREW

KENSHALO, KRYSTAL

KEOMAKA, FREDERICK

KEPLINGER, CHRISTOPHER

KHALIL, IBRAHIM

KING, JAMES

KING, SHANELL

KINSMAN, MATTHEW

KIRKENDALL, BRIAN

KLEISS, JOSEPH

KLIMOWICZ, MARK

KLOPP, MICHAEL

KOCOLLARINICKO, ANDA

KOENIG, TONYA

KOTT, JEFFREY

KOZACEK, ROBERT

KOZORA, ERIK

KRUCZEK, MATTHEW

KRUITHOFF, CY

LANGAN, DEYON

LAUB, MATTHEW

LEACH, CHRISTINA

LEICHENAUER, MARK

LEITINGER, DAVID

LEWALLEN, ETHAN

LEWIS, JEFFERY

LICHTENFELS, TRISHA

LINDER, JACOB

LINDNER-MALDONADO, MICHAEL

LITTEN, DANIEL

LIZAMA, KELLY

LOPEZ, CARLOS

LOPEZ, DAYRON

LOSEGO, JACQUELINE

LOVE, MICHAEL

GMC

SKCM

AMT1

BMC

OS2

ME1

CDR

MKC

AETC

LCDR

EM2

MSSE3

IV1

MSSE4

DC3

AMTC

LCDR

CDR

BM1

DIV4

CAPT

ELC2

CAPT

BMCS

ASTCS

BM1

ME1

BM1

IS1

ISC

ET1

MKC

BMC

EMC

BMCS

AMTC

ASTCS

ME1

AMTCM

MSTC

LCDR

BMC

PERS2

AMTCM

MEC

MKC

YNC

ENG2

BM1

CDR

BMCM

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

11-05-2024

10-01-2024

10-07-2024

10-01-2024

10-30-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-11-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-18-2024

10-03-2024

10-27-2024

10-01-2024

11-06-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-10-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-11-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-03-2024

10-01-2024


RETIREMENTS


69


LUNA, SHAWN-PATRICK

LUNDGREN, MICHAEL

LYNCH, CHRISTOPHER

LYNN, RONALD

MACCAFERRI, DAVID

MACCALLUM, TODD

MAHONEY, CAROLYN

MALDONADO, JASON

MANGONI, ANTHONY

MANOW, TODD

MARIA, GIOVANNY

MARRERO, HECTOR

MARTIN, PHYLLIP

MARTINEZ-SCHOVILLE, MICHAEL

MARTIS, JOSE

MASSETTI, DEAN

MCBRIDE, SCOTT

MCCABE, BRIAN

MCFARLAND, DALE

MCKEE, RANDOLPH

MCKENZIE, BRADLEY

MCKINSTRY, WILLIAM

MCSORLEY, BRIAN

MEALEY, MICHAEL

MEDDAUGH, JEFFREY

MEESE, JOSHUA

MELE, MICHAEL

MELVIN, JOHN

MENZE, JEANINE

MESEC, CODY

METCALF, ENOCH

MEYER, JEFFREY

MEYER, MATTHEW

MILLARD, BROOKE

MILLER, BRIAN

MILLS, RYAN

MIN, JODI

MIX, CHRISTOPHER

MOLINA, RICHARD

MONTGOMERY, JOHNNY

MONTGOMERY, MATTHEW

MOORE, BRYAN

MOORHOUSE, ROBIE

MORAN, JOANNA

MOREHOUSE, ADAM

MORGAN, THOMAS

MORRIS, BENJAMIN

MORRIS, PAUL

MOSKAL, FELICIA

MOYER, DAVID

MOZINGO, JASON

IS2

MSSD4

AST1

MKC

CDR

SKC

LCDR

ISM2

MSTC

MSTC

CMSC

ME2

BM1

DC1

CAPT

PS1

CDR

ENG4

CDR

GMCS

MKC

CDR

CAPT

MK1

IT1

ENG4

SK2

EMC

CDR

AET1

MECM

PERS4

GMC

CDR

LCDR

MKC

CDR

AMTC

MK1

MEC

BMC

CDR

MSSE4

MSTC

LCDR

CDR

ASTC

CAPT

HS1

MKCS

WEPS2

09-23-2024

10-01-2024

11-08-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

09-04-2024

11-01-2024

10-04-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-03-2024

11-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-06-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-29-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-06-2024

10-01-2024

11-08-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

11-15-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

09-19-2024

10-01-2024

11-07-2024

11-18-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

MOZLEY, ANDREW

MULKUSKY, JEREMY

MUNIZ, LUIS

MURPHY, ASHLEY

MURPHY, MICHAEL

MURPHY, TIMOTHY

MURRAY, BENJAMIN

MYERS, KENNETH

NEILSON, MICHAEL

NEWTON, TRAVIS

NIEL, JOHN

NIELSEN, JEOFFREY

NILSEN, MICHAEL

NOLAN, KELLEE

NORDHAUSEN, MICHAEL

NORTHCOTT, CHARLES

NORWOOD, TESSE

NUNEMAKER, MICAH

NUNEZ, SALVADOR

OBARSKI, WAYNE

OBRIEN, PETER

OCEGUERA, JEFFREY

O'CONNOR, MARGARET

OKONCZAK, ERIK

OLIVAREZ, NICOLAS

ORTIZ, ARMANDO

OUTLAW, REGGIE

OVERALL, GREGORY

OWENS, JEREMY

OWNBY, SCOTT

PALELLI, MICHAEL

PALMER, CARRIE

PAQUETTE, JEFFREY

PATRIZIO, CARLO

PEACOCK, PHILLIP

PENA, ANTHONY

PENUELA, ESTEVEN

PEOPLES, JEREMY

PEREZ, ABRAHAM

PEREZFOURNIER, FERNANDO

PETERS, BRIAN

PETRIK, JAMES

PIERCE, GABRIEL

PINERO, JORGE

POINDEXTER, MARK

POLASKI, MICHELLE

PORTER, JONATHAN

POTTER, ROBERT

POULOS, GABRIELA

POWERS, CORINNE

PRIETO, ERIC

BM1

BM1

MED3

MSTC

DC1

BMC

F&S2

MKC

BMC

MKC

AST1

OSS3

BMCS

CDR

CDR

BMCM

BMC

EMCS

BMC

MKC

BM1

MEC

GM2

MKC

EMC

EMC

OS1

YNCS

HSC

BMC

BM1

OSC

ENG4

BMC

OS1

ET1

EM1

BM1

MK2

ISS4

MEC

ENG4

ITC

AETC

MEC

F&S4

MKCS

CAPT

FN

LT

MKC

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

09-24-2024

10-22-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-22-2024

11-05-2024

10-01-2024

09-22-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

09-21-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-18-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

70 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

RETIREMENTS

PRIOR, BRANDON

PUHL, BRIAN

RAMOS, WILBERTO

RANDOLPH, CHERYL

RANGLE, JESSE

REUBEN, KENNETH

REYNOLDS, ANTHONY

RICAPITO, RALPH

RICE, JOHN

RIEMAN, MICHAEL

RITCHISON, JACOB

RITTER, JEFFREY

RIVERA, MICHAEL

ROBERTS, MICHAEL

ROBERTSON, WILLIAM

ROBINSON, MARK

ROCKEFELLER, CHARLES

RODANHISLER, TRENT

RODRIGUEZ, CHRISTOPHER

ROE, JASON

ROJAS, SILVESTRE

ROLON, JOSUE

ROMERO, CHRISTOPHER

ROSARIO, CARLOS

ROSE, KENNETH

ROSS, CORBIN

ROSSETTI, JOHNA

ROTHDEUTSCH, ANDREW

ROUNSAVALL, KYLE

DCCM

AET1

GMCM

YNC

LCDR

MKC

INV4

MKCS

MSTCS

ENG4

MK1

BOSN3

ME1

MEC

GMCM

MKC

MSSE2

MK2

CDR

ETC

ME1

YN1

DC1

IS2

GMC

BMCM

CDR

MKCM

GM1

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-13-2024

11-05-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

09-21-2024

11-06-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

ROWTON, BRIAN

ROZYCKI, JOSEPH

RYAN, SHAUN

SANCHEZ, MARCO

SANDERS, JENNIFER

SANTACANA, CESAR

SANTOS, GARRETT

SAVACOOL, KARL

SAWYER, JUSTIN

SAYLES, JOSHUA

SCHAFFER, CHRISTOPHER

SCHROEDER, JESSICA

SCHULTE, JAMES

SCOTT, ALEXIS

SCOTT, ANTHONY

SCOTT, JEFFREY

SHARP, YAHYA

SHEAHAN, MICHAEL

SHERWOOD, COREY

SHIH, KENNETH

SHORES, DIANA

SHORT, CHRISTOPHER

SHORT, GRATTEN

SHUGARS, JACK

SIMMONS, RENEE

SIMOLON, MATTHEW

SIMONDS, THOMAS

SINCLAIR, ANDREW

SISON, CHRISTOPHER


CSCS

LCDR

EMC

CS1

SKC

MSTC

CDR

LCDR

MSTC

GM2

CAPT

YNCM

DCCS

LCDR

LCDR

EM1

AMTC

BMC

MK2

MST1

MSTC

DCCS

SN

MK1

YN1

CSCM

BMC

LCDR

SKC

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

09-13-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

09-15-2024

10-01-2024

11-22-2024

10-01-2024

10-10-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024


71


SLAVINSKI, STACY

SMART, JOSEPH

SMITH, JERRY

SMITH, JOHN

SMITH, RUSSELL

SMITH, TYREL

SOSA, DOUGLAS

SOX, DANNY

SPAIN, MICHAEL

SPARKS, MICHAEL

SPURGEON, JAMEY

STACHURA, BRYAN

STANCIL, NICHOLAS

STARNES, MICHAEL

STEBBINS, JOHN

STEPHENSON, NATHAN

STEWART, MATTHEW

STEWART, PATRICK

STOCKWELL, JENNIFER

STOKES, STEPHEN

STRAHLENDORF, JEFFREY

STREMEL, NEAL

STRONG, ANGELA

STUKUS, PAUL

STUTT, RACHEL

SURBER, DONALD

SUTTON, NICHOLAS

SWAIN, DAVID

SWEETMAN, JAMES

SWEETMAN, KEVIN

TATOM, DOUGLAS

TAYLOR, CHRISTOPHER

THOMAS, WILFRED

TOLLIVER, ANTONIO

TRACY, JONATHAN

TRAPPEN, PETER

TRINIDAD, HALEY

TRIONE, JACOB

TROUP, TODD

TUCCIARONE, GRANT

TYUS, J

!

ALONZO, PEARL

ARMES, SHAWN

ARNETT, ANN

BEGAY, LEATRICE

BETZ, JAMES

OSCS

AET2

CDR

MKC

BOSN4

CS1

MEC

GM2

F&S3

BOSN4

DCCM

MSTC

CS2

CDR

ELC4

MKC

MEC

BMC

CAPT

BMC

MKC

AET1

CSC

CAPT

CDR

ME1

MECS

ITC

OSCS

OSS2

YNC

BMC

MSSE4

YN2

BOSN4

AETCS

SN

MSTC

CAPT

MKC

BM1

10-01-2024

10-06-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-03-2024

10-01-2024

10-21-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-21-2024

10-11-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-22-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

09-21-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-08-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

UBERSTINE, MAX

UNDERWOOD, DANNY

UNDERWOOD, JUSTIN

URIBE, ELLIOTT

VAIL, MATTHEW

VAN GINKEL, MATTHEW

VARITES, MATTHEW

VEGA, CHRISTOPHER

VIEZCA, ADOLFO

VLASAK, NICHOLAS

WAKELEE, SAMANTHA

WALLACE, ANNA

WALSH, CHARLES

WARSKY, WILLIAM

WATKINS, RICHARD

WATLAND, ANDREW

WATSON, EVAN

WAYMIRE, CHRISTOPHER

WEBB, CHARLES

WEBER, JOSHUA

WEIST, KYLE

WELLS, PATRICK

WEST, ADRIAN

WIGGIN, DUANE

WILCOX, JUSTIN

WILLIAMS, DEBBIE

WILSON, JOSEPH

WIMBERLY, DEAN

WINTERS, ANDREW

WISSMANN, ERIK

WOLFE, CHRISTOPHER

WOLNER, CHRISTOPHER

WOMACK, FRANK

WOOD, BRANDON

WOOD, TRENTON

WOODMAN, CALEB

WOODRUFF, RICHARD

YEE, GARY

YONKE, STEPHEN

ZITTA, DUANE

ZYGMUNTOWICZ, EVA

BM1

F&S2

SKC

AMT2

BM1

CDR

BMC

ME1

CDR

LCDR

CADET

DC3

CDR

SK1

LCDR

MKCS

MSTC

ENG4

CAPT

YN1

CDR

SKC

CAPT

BOSN2

MKC

MEC

MSTC

ET3

HSC

ITCS

CAPT

AETC

DCCS

MKC

YN1

EMC

MKCS

SK1

MK1

LCDR

MST3

USCG & USPHS are addressing errors in USPHS ranks due to differences in permanent and temporary ranks. Corrected

ranks are denoted with an asterisk.

USPHS

CDR

CAPT

CAPT

LCDR

LT

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

BRITTON, PATRICK

BROWN, DARLENE

BROWN, SUSAN

DARNELL, RACHEL

DAVIS, JANICE

CDR

CAPT

CAPT

CDR

CAPT

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-10-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-03-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-15-2024

10-04-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-16-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-19-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

72 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

FIELDS, STEPHEN

FLORES, LISA

FOUNTAIN HANNA, MONIQUE

FRAZER, CHRISTOPHER

GARCIA, PATRICIO

GOODE, BRANT

GUSTAFSON, JEREMY

HAMPTON EBERSOLE, REBECCA

HOREIS, TOMMY

HU, SALLY

HUNTER-THOMAS, SERINA

JACKSON, DAVID

JAGER, SARA

KELSCH, DIANA

KILPATRICK, TERRY

KULICK, CORRINNE

LEBLANC, CASON

LEE, HYON-ZU

MARTINSON, MATHEW

MCCONNELL, KENDRA

JOHNSON, ERIC

NOAA

MANSOUR, JASON

MURPHY, PATRICK

LCDR

CDR

CDR

LCDR

CDR

CAPT

CDR

LCDR

CDR

CAPT

CAPT

LCDR

CDR

CAPT

CAPT

CAPT

CDR

CAPT

CAPT

CDR

CAPT

CAPT

CAPT

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

MCMAHAN, SEAN

MEYERS, WILLIAM

MUNIZ, JAVIER

MURRAY, TIMOTHY

OLSON, MATTHEW

OVERTON, LEVON

OYEWO, SUNDAY

PARMLEY, JEREMY

PAYNE, ANGELA

PERSIMMON, HOSUN

SAINI, SANDEEP

SALIBA, JOUHAYNA

SCHWARTZ, KEITH

SPANN, CURTIS

STUCKEY, CHAD

THOMAS-WILSON, VANESSA

THOMPSON, SUSAN

VAILLANCOURT, JULIENNE

YAZZIE, BRIAN

COAST GUARD TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

PROGRAM (TAP)

CDR

CDR

CDR

CAPT

CDR

LCDR

LCDR

CDR

CAPT

CDR

CAPT

CAPT

CDR

CAPT

CDR

CAPT

CAPT

CAPT

LCDR

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

11-01-2024

11-01-2024

11-01-2024

10-01-2024

TAP prepares Service Members separating or retiring from the Coast Guard for their transition to

civilian life. All eligible SMs are required to complete the standardized components of the TAP.

These components are 1) Pre-separation Counseling and 2) the Transition Seminar, encompassing

the Transition Goals, Plans, and Success (GPS) core curriculum.

dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Assistant-Commandant-for-Human-Resources-CG-1/Health-

Safety-and-Work-Life-CG-11/Office-of-Work-Life-CG-111/Transition-Assistance-Program/

TRYING TO CONNECT WITH A FELLOW

USCG, USPHS, OR NOAA RETIREE?

If you need help connecting with a USCG, USPHS, or NOAA

retiree, you may provide the individual’s name (and rank/

paygrade if known), along with your contact information to:

Robert Hinds, CG Retiree Services

e-mail: Robert.C.Hinds@uscg.mil

phone: 202-475-5451

(An attempt to contact the individual and provide

your contact information will be made by email)

DO NOT SEND PERSONAL IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION (PII), SUCH

AS SSN, EMPID, THROUGH PUBLIC E-MAIL (E.G. AOL, G-MAIL, ETC.)

RETIREMENTS



73

TAPS

TAPS

DEPENDENT TAPS: To place a Dependent TAPS notice in The Retiree Newsletter, provide the dependent’s

name, relationship to retiree, date of passing, and city/state to Robert Hinds at: Robert.C.Hinds@uscg.mil or

phone: 202-475-5451.

USCG

ALVARADO, JUAN

PORTSMOUTH, VA

BM2

RET. 11-01-1994

TAPS 11-05-2024

BERNARD, GERARD

BELCHERTOWN, MA

F&S3

RET. 08-01-1997

TAPS 08-18-2024


ARMER, ROBERT

SILETZ, OR

ARMSTRONG, DENNIS

ELIZABETH CITY, NC

ASIS, ASTOR

SEBRING, FL

ASTON, ROBERT

SAGINAW, TX

BAILEY, JAMES

SOUTH POINT, OH

BAKER, KENNETH

SCITUATE, MA

BALDRIDGE, BOBBY

PORT ISABEL, TX

BARKAN, JAN

COLUMBIA, SC

BEACH, BENJAMIN

SITKA, AK

BEAL, CARL

LITCHFIELD, ME

BECK, THEODORE

GREENTOWN, PA

CWO3

YNCM

SKCM

MKC

YN2

MKC

MKC

PERS3

CAPT

CWO4

MED3

RET. 11-01-1987

TAPS 09-05-2024

RET. 01-01-1986

TAPS 09-01-2024

RET. 09-01-1984

TAPS 10-11-2024

RET. 01-01-1997

TAPS 09-25-2024

RET. 10-06-1989

TAPS 08-12-2024

RET. 06-12-1998

TAPS 10-02-2024

RET. 11-03-1992

TAPS 10-28-2024

RET. 11-01-1996

TAPS 07-23-2024

RET. 11-01-1982

TAPS 09-24-2024

RET. 08-01-1987

TAPS 09-06-2024

RET. 04-01-1995

TAPS 10-08-2024

BLACK, CARL

LYNDEN, WA

BOLAND, JEFFRY

MONT BELVIEU, TX

BOND, CLYDE

MIDDLEBURG, FL

BOOTHE, DAVID

PITTSBORO, NC

BOZEMAN, CHARLIE

CRESTVIEW, FL

BRADLEY, PATRICK

HAINES FALLS, NY

BRATCHER, NORVAL

MCMINNVILLE, OR

BROCK, SHANTAY

NORWALK, CT

BRYAN, DENNIS

WILMINGTON, NC

BUDREAU, LAWRENCE

ANDERSON, SC

BUFFINGTON, WADE

SPRING HILL, FL

INV4

MSSE4

EMC

CAPT

WEPS4

BM1

MST2

YN1

CWO4

CDR

BM2

RET. 02-01-2012

TAPS 10-17-2024

RET. 07-05-2024

TAPS 07-04-2024

RET. 08-29-1998

TAPS 08-07-2024

RET. 02-15-1998

TAPS 09-01-2024

RET. 09-01-1991

TAPS 10-13-2024

RET. 01-26-2011

TAPS 10-18-2024

RET. 07-14-2020

TAPS 08-26-2024

RET. 07-21-2019

TAPS 09-09-2024

RET. 08-01-1990

TAPS 10-31-2024

RET. 04-13-1995

TAPS 11-04-2024

RET. 04-09-1959

TAPS 09-14-2024

74 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

BURGER, JOHN

RIDGE SPRING, SC

LCDR

RET. 05-01-1984

TAPS 10-14-2024

ERNSBERGER, STEVEN

FONTANA, CA

SA

RET. 01-18-1972

TAPS 08-22-2024

TAPS

BURTON, THEODORE

SUPRISE, AZ

CWO4

RET. 04-01-1983

TAPS 10-06-2024

ESLICK, DAVID

WETUMKA, OK

CWO4

RET. 11-01-1980

TAPS 09-01-2024

BUTLER, DON

POST FALLS, ID

AD1

RET. 07-01-1974

TAPS 09-08-2024

FARLEY, WALTER

VANCOUVER, WA

BMC

RET. 08-01-1980

TAPS 10-02-2024

CALHOUN, DEREK

RUSKIN, FL

MKC

RET. 03-11-2019

TAPS 07-31-2024

FARRELL, PATRICK

CLEVELAND, OH

CWO2

RET. 04-01-1990

TAPS 09-05-2024

CAMP, LARRY

MYRTLE BCH, SC

CWO3

RET. 10-01-1979

TAPS 10-13-2024

FECKER, STEVEN

SALISBURY, MD

AVI3

RET. 07-01-2006

TAPS 10-30-2024

CARONONGAN, ROBERT

SAINT PETERSBURG, FL

FSC

RET. 12-01-1978

TAPS 09-13-2024

FITZGERALD, JAMES

MARYVILLE, TN

AMTC

RET. 08-01-2010

TAPS 08-18-2024

CASSIOLI, RICHARD

SOULSBYVILLE, CA

LCDR

RET. 10-06-2000

TAPS 10-27-2024

FLORO, NAPOLEON

SUISUN CITY, CA

SKCS

RET. 12-01-1984

TAPS 07-02-2024

CAUDELL, RANDALL

MILLSBORO, DE

CWO3

RET. 10-01-1984

TAPS 09-03-2024

FRASER, ROBERT

CAMDEN, NC

RMCM

RET. 08-01-1989

TAPS 07-24-2024

CHAPMAN, RONALD

WINTER PARK, FL

CWO4

RET. 07-01-1987

TAPS 08-27-2024

FRIEDLIN, BRADLY

HAYES, VA

MKC

RET. 11-01-2010

TAPS 08-23-2024

CHEMELLO, GIOVANNI

TRAVERSE CITY, MI

CLANTON, JOE

FRUITVALE, TX

CLAUSEN, PATRICIA

PHILOMATH, OR

DAVIDSON, WILLIAM

FREDERICKSBURG, VA

DAVIS, CARLOS

WILMINGTON, NC

DAVIS, ROBERT

MOBILE, AL

DUNCAN, RONALD

TAYLORSVILLE, KY

EDWARDS, RANSOM

CAMAS VALLEY, OR

ELLIS, JAMES

SCHERTZ, TX

EMMONS, MICHAEL

SAN ANTONIO, TX

ENGELHARDT, ROBERT

KENMORE, NY

ADCM

YNC

YNC

PS3

HSCS

BMC

HS1

CWO2

ATC

YN3

HS2

RET. 10-01-1978

TAPS 08-15-2024

RET. 11-01-1989

TAPS 10-03-2024

RET. 11-10-2001

TAPS 10-11-2024

RET. 07-19-2007

TAPS 09-30-2024

RET. 01-01-1971

TAPS 09-23-2024

RET. 09-01-1985

TAPS 09-22-2024

RET. 12-01-2013

TAPS 09-13-2024

RET. 09-01-1987

TAPS 07-29-2024

RET. 05-01-1986

TAPS 10-05-2024

RET. 01-21-1977

TAPS 08-06-2024

RET. 06-25-1984

TAPS 07-05-2024

FRITZ, JOSEPH

SUNSET BEACH, NC

GARLING, STEVEN

KERNERSVILLE, NC

GECZIK, JAMES

ORMOND BEACH, FL

GELLERT, HAROLD

SAN ANTONIO, TX

GESCH, DON

TACOMA, WA

GODWIN, BRADLEY

KETCHIKAN, AK

GORDON, KEVIN

RIVERSIDE, CA

GREENLEE, MICHAEL

WINDSOR, CA

GREGORY, DAVID

ROSEBURG, OR

GRIFFIN, CARROLL

HORNBECK, LA

GROMBACHER, FRED

TUCSON, AZ

PS1

AE1

BM3

LCDR

CWO2

SKCS

HSCS

ETC

ATCS

CWO2

CWO2

RET. 12-13-2005

TAPS 10-19-2024

RET. 08-01-1993

TAPS 10-05-2024

RET. 02-07-1989

TAPS 07-29-2024

RET. 08-01-1974

TAPS 07-18-2024

RET. 08-01-1970

TAPS 09-18-2024

RET. 05-08-2024

TAPS 09-20-2024

RET. 08-01-2004

TAPS 10-10-2024

RET. 09-01-2007

TAPS 09-22-2024

RET. 10-01-1987

TAPS 10-24-2024

RET. 07-01-1983

TAPS 09-08-2024

RET. 08-01-1966

TAPS 08-11-2024



75

TAPS

HALL, DOUGLAS

CANADA, CA

AM1

RET. 10-01-1973

TAPS 08-14-2024

HOFFMAN, GORDON

SUN CITY WEST, AZ

CDR

RET. 02-25-1997

TAPS 09-04-2024

HALL, RICHARD

ROANOKE, TX

LCDR

RET. 05-01-2006

TAPS 07-06-2024

HOUDE, ALBERT

NEW BEDFORD, MA

BMC

RET. 05-01-1982

TAPS 10-07-2024

HAMILTON, THOMAS

OLDSMAR, FL

AEC

RET. 08-04-1993

TAPS 07-25-2024

HOWARD, STANLEY

FORT WORTH, TX

AEC

RET. 11-01-1995

TAPS 10-05-2024

HANSEN, RALPH

RICHMOND HILL, GA

AVI4

RET. 08-01-1996

TAPS 10-22-2024

HUGHES, JAMES

LARGO, FL

FS1

RET. 09-01-2003

TAPS 09-27-2024

HANSON, DAVID

HOLLISTER, CA

ASM1

RET. 03-01-1978

TAPS 08-03-2024

HUGHES, WILBUR

AFTON, VA

BMC

RET. 02-01-1988

TAPS 09-14-2024

HAREMZA, LEONARD

PORT HURON, MI

ST1

RET. 05-08-1999

TAPS 09-04-2024

HUNTELMAN, MARK

RALEIGH, NC

ETCS

RET. 02-01-2010

TAPS 09-19-2024

HASKINS, JOSEPH

GLOUCESTER, MA

BM1

RET. 10-01-2015

TAPS 08-11-2024

HUNTER, RONALD

ROCHESTER, MN

ETCS

RET. 10-01-1983

TAPS 09-12-2024

HATCHER, KEVIN

SEATTLE, WA

AVT1

RET. 08-29-2003

TAPS 09-02-2024

JACOBS, MARTIN

WESTON, FL

CDR

RET. 07-02-1989

TAPS 09-18-2024

HEBERT, BRIAN

GOOSE CREEK, SC

FN

RET. 03-29-1979

TAPS 08-17-2024

JAEGER, THOMAS

LAS VEGAS, NV

TCC

RET. 04-01-1995

TAPS 07-27-2024


HERNANDEZ, DANIEL

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MN

HEYDE, JOHN

MONTGOMERY, TX

AD2

MKC

RET. 08-01-1975

TAPS 08-21-2024

RET. 06-28-1995

TAPS 08-03-2024

JAVIER, JOSE

REDMOND, WA

JINNETT, ARTHUR

DISCOVERY BAY, CA

FSC

BM2

RET. 08-01-1976

TAPS 10-24-2024

RET. 01-02-2007

TAPS 11-08-2024

76 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

JOHNSON, CLYDE

KEIZER, OR

ENCS

RET. 12-01-1964

TAPS 07-20-2024

LIVINGSTONE, WALTER

MIAMI, FL

CDR

RET. 05-31-1989

TAPS 08-31-2024

TAPS

JOHNSON, JEFFERY

JACKSONVILLE, FL

YN2

RET. 05-01-1999

TAPS 11-05-2024

LOWE, DOUGLAS

PROVO, UT

ETCM

RET. 08-01-1996

TAPS 10-12-2024

JONES, GREG

COLVILLE, WA

MKCM

RET. 07-01-2015

TAPS 09-29-2024

LOWRY, DOUGLAS

WASILLA, AK

MK1

RET. 10-19-2011

TAPS 10-19-2024

JONES, LEONARD

FERNDALE, MD

SKC

RET. 03-01-1993

TAPS 09-04-2024

LYNCH, ROBERT

TRENTON, IL

PSC

RET. 04-15-1993

TAPS 07-31-2024

JORDAN, LARRY

LOMPOC, CA

CWO3

RET. 04-01-1977

TAPS 09-08-2024

MACDONALD, JOHN

PORT CHARLOTTE, FL

LCDR

RET. 04-01-1981

TAPS 09-26-2024

JOSEPHS, MANUEL

E FALMOUTH, MA

CDR

RET. 10-01-1978

TAPS 08-06-2024

MANIA, DANIEL

SNYDER, NY

CAPT

RET. 07-01-1982

TAPS 08-22-2024

KANE, JOHN

MEMPHIS, TN

DC1

RET. 08-13-1989

TAPS 07-26-2024

MARCOTTE, TIMOTHY

WILMINGTON, NC

TTC

RET. 11-01-1999

TAPS 09-17-2024

KAYFUS, DAVID

DELAND, FL

BMC

RET. 12-04-2011

TAPS 10-21-2024

MAVIS, ROGER

EASLEY, SC

BMC

RET. 08-01-1997

TAPS 07-30-2024

KELLY, VINCENT

FT MYERS, FL

CWO3

RET. 11-28-1981

TAPS 07-24-2024

MAY, BOBBY

HANOVER, PA

YN1

RET. 07-01-1993

TAPS 09-25-2024

KENDALL, NEIL

GARDEN CITY, ID

KENNEDY, WAYNE

SUFFOLK, VA

KING, FRANKLIN

LACEY, WA

KOCHANSKI, ERIC

CELEBRATION, FL

KRISTIANSEN, KARL

COHASSET, MA

KROGER, ROGER

LAS VEGAS, NV

LALLIER, ROBERT

LAKEWOOD, OH

LAMASCUS, ROGER

SANTA CRUISE, CA

LEAHY, MICHAEL

ST AUGUSTINE, FL

LEHL, RICHARD

VERO BEACH, FL

LESECH, RONALD

STURGEON BAY, WI

CAPT

PS1

LCDR

MST1

BMCS

EMCM

LCDR

MKCS

CAPT

BMC

BM1

RET. 07-01-1988

TAPS 09-23-2024

RET. 02-28-2005

TAPS 09-28-2024

RET. 03-18-1987

TAPS 07-30-2024

RET. 05-12-2013

TAPS 09-27-2024

RET. 05-01-1989

TAPS 09-09-2024

RET. 07-01-1976

TAPS 08-08-2024

RET. 12-07-2013

TAPS 10-04-2024

RET. 04-01-1977

TAPS 08-14-2024

RET. 05-17-1998

TAPS 09-16-2024

RET. 10-01-1973

TAPS 08-28-2024

RET. 07-01-1980

TAPS 08-23-2024

MCCARTHY, FRANCIS

CLAYTON, DE

MCCHESNEY, JAMES

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ

MCCLEARY, TRAVIS

BROOKINGS, OR

MCDONALD, JAMES

CARY, NC

MCDONALD, NELSON

EAST JORDAN, MI

MCFARLAND, MICHAEL

SPRING BRANCH, TX

MCGUIRE, JOSEPH

HOMOSASSA, FL

MCINTIRE, TERRY

CAMDEN, NC

MEAD, RICHARD

ORLANDO, FL

MEADS, CHRISTOPHER

TAMPA, FL

MEEHAN, BRIAN

SACKETS HARBOR, NY

CWO4

BMC

DC2

CAPT

MED4

BMC

STCS

AMTCM

CAPT

AET1

BM1

RET. 05-01-1984

TAPS 08-26-2024

RET. 08-31-2024

TAPS 08-31-2024

RET. 10-01-2015

TAPS 07-17-2024

RET. 07-01-1989

TAPS 08-05-2024

RET. 12-01-1994

TAPS 10-10-2024

RET. 08-07-2014

TAPS 10-01-2024

RET. 10-01-1987

TAPS 10-25-2024

RET. 08-01-2007

TAPS 09-04-2024

RET. 08-01-1998

TAPS 10-08-2024

RET. 09-01-2007

TAPS 10-07-2024

RET. 05-01-2022

TAPS 10-12-2024



77

TAPS

MELLO, ANTHONY

W WAREHAM, MA

BMC

RET. 07-01-1992

TAPS 09-07-2024

PEARSON, L

CORNVILLE, AZ

FA

RET. 10-15-1962

TAPS 07-17-2024

MERTZ, HARRY

THE VILLAGES, FL

FS1

RET. 08-03-1976

TAPS 10-26-2024

PERRY, ALFRED

ASBURY, IA

CWO4

RET. 04-01-1985

TAPS 10-02-2024

MILLER, STEVEN

PLAINS, MT

QM1

RET. 09-01-1997

TAPS 07-30-2024

PORTER, TODD

CHESAPEAKE, VA

LT

RET. 07-01-2013

TAPS 09-07-2024

MITCHELL, JOHN

MULBERRY, FL

YNCM

RET. 10-01-1982

TAPS 08-02-2024

POTTS, JOHN

LAUREL, MD

LCDR

RET. 07-15-1982

TAPS 08-25-2024

MOHR, JAMES

CORVALLIS, OR

HSCM

RET. 12-16-2003

TAPS 08-08-2024

PYNE, CHARLES

DANVERS, MA

CDR

RET. 09-21-1994

TAPS 09-09-2024

MONTGOMERY, BOBBY

BRIGHTON, TN

FS1

RET. 02-28-1995

TAPS 10-08-2024

RAMIREZ, BERNARD

FOOTHILL RANCH, CA

ENG4

RET. 08-01-2000

TAPS 09-09-2024

MORAN, PAUL

JOHNS ISLAND, SC

PSS4

RET. 06-21-2003

TAPS 09-15-2024

RASICO, NICHOLAS

LINCOLN, CA

LT

RET. 09-01-2006

TAPS 08-21-2024

MUIR, HARVEY

MESA, AZ

AMTC

RET. 08-01-2002

TAPS 07-16-2024

RAYMOND, ROBERT

FLORIDA CITY, FL

HSC

RET. 02-01-1990

TAPS 09-04-2024

NADEAU, CLAYTON

ODUM, GA

FS1

RET. 10-01-1981

TAPS 07-16-2024

RECKTENWALL, RONALD

CHESTERTON, IN

MK1

RET. 01-21-2008

TAPS 10-21-2024


NAGY, WILLIAM

BLOOMSBURG, PA

NEWMAN, KENNETH

WASILLA, AK

NICOLAI, LEONARD

ENGLEWOOD, FL

NOLAN, THOMAS

NIANTIC, CT

OCKRASSA, EUGENE

GLENDALE, AZ

OESCHGER, DAVID

BENTON, IL

ORNDORF, THOMAS

OLDSMAR, FL

OTNOTT, CHARLES

GULFPORT, MI

PALMER, MONTE

ON, AK

PARISH, WILLIAM

CHARLOTTE, NC

PEARCE, CARL

GRAWN, MI

BOSN4

ASM1

BM2

CDR

CWO3

CWO4

LCDR

TCC

CWO4

CDR

CAPT

RET. 07-09-1996

TAPS 09-03-2024

RET. 05-01-1994

TAPS 10-03-2024

RET. 03-04-2008

TAPS 09-15-2024

RET. 09-01-1978

TAPS 08-11-2024

RET. 08-01-1969

TAPS 08-03-2024

RET. 09-01-1976

TAPS 10-22-2024

RET. 10-04-2002

TAPS 10-11-2024

RET. 09-01-1995

TAPS 10-16-2024

RET. 12-29-1983

TAPS 07-30-2024

RET. 08-01-1977

TAPS 08-31-2024

RET. 08-01-1991

TAPS 08-28-2024

REYNOLDS, MERVIN

GRESHAM, OR

RILEY, FREDERICK

TUCKERTON, NJ

ROBERTS, LEATON

JUPITER, FL

RODGERS, HAROLD

SALLISAW, OK

ROGERS, JULIAN

PORT WASHINGTON, WI

RYAN, BARRY

HOMER, NY

RYAN, ROGER

NORTHPORT, AL

SANDVIG, KEVIN

RUSKIN, FL

SARCHIAPONE, DAMIAN

PHILADELPHIA, PA

SCHMIDT, ROBERT

WILLIAMSBURG, VA

SCHNEIDER, HARRY

MORENO VALLEY, CA

MMCS

RMC

BM1

BMCM

SKCM

BOSN3

LCDR

F&S2

CWO4

LCDR

QMCM

RET. 04-01-1972

TAPS 09-25-2024

RET. 09-01-1978

TAPS 08-29-2024

RET. 11-01-1972

TAPS 10-04-2024

RET. 09-01-1986

TAPS 08-31-2024

RET. 02-22-1991

TAPS 09-09-2024

RET. 01-19-2008

TAPS 08-28-2024

RET. 07-01-1989

TAPS 07-27-2024

RET. 09-01-2000

TAPS 09-10-2024

RET. 07-01-1980

TAPS 09-15-2024

RET. 02-16-2001

TAPS 09-30-2024

RET. 05-01-1978

TAPS 08-22-2024

78 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

SCHWARTZ, MICHAEL

NORTH BEND, OR

ETC

RET. 03-01-1988

TAPS 08-07-2024

SULLIVAN, JAMES

WATERLOO, SC

PS1

RET. 01-01-2007

TAPS 09-27-2024

TAPS

SCOTT, JOHN

MILTON, FL

LCDR

RET. 08-01-2016

TAPS 10-26-2024

SUTHERLAND, JAMES

GOODHART, MI

CDR

RET. 03-01-1987

TAPS 09-02-2024

SCOTT, ROSCOE

BRUNSWICK, ME

F&S3

RET. 11-29-2012

TAPS 08-26-2024

SWAINE, BERTRAM

LEOMINSTER, MA

BMCS

RET. 12-09-2008

TAPS 10-08-2024

SEIBOLD, DOUGLAS

CENTER LINE, MI

BMCM

RET. 10-01-1991

TAPS 09-24-2024

SZUMINSKI, JEROME

N FORT MYERS, FL

PSS2

RET. 07-12-2000

TAPS 08-13-2024

SHECKLER, CHARLES

PEKIN, IL

CDR

RET. 07-31-1990

TAPS 10-04-2024

TAFT, THACHER

SUFFOLK, VA

ENG4

RET. 06-01-2008

TAPS 09-17-2024

SHEPHERD, CLINTON

MIAMI, FL

SN

RET. 01-18-1980

TAPS 06-30-2024

TATTERSHALL, ALBERT

MILFORD, OH

BOSN2

RET. 06-13-1997

TAPS 09-25-2024

SIMMONS, DANA

ST GEORGE, ME

MK1

RET. 06-25-1996

TAPS 10-24-2024

TAYLOR, EDWARD

PITTSBURG, PA

CDR

RET. 07-21-1989

TAPS 10-23-2024

SKIPPER, ARTHUR

OAK ISLAND, NC

BMCM

RET. 11-01-1978

TAPS 08-17-2024

TAYLOR, FREDERICK

PARMA, OH

ENCS

RET. 03-01-1970

TAPS 09-27-2024

SKIPPER, JOHN

MOBILE, AL

SK1

RET. 11-10-2011

TAPS 09-13-2024

TAYLOR, PAUL

PORT ORCHARD, WA

CAPT

RET. 05-01-1989

TAPS 09-16-2024

SMITH, DONALD

BALTIMORE, MD

SMITH, FRANK

RANDOLPH, MA

SMITH, GERALD

GRAND HAVEN, MI

SMITHSON, BILLY

GROTON, CT

SOLIS, MANUEL

CRP CHRISTI, TX

SORENSEN, RUSSELL

SEATTLE, WA

SPARACINO, RICHARD

HANOVER, PA

SPENCER, MICHAEL

ROCKY POINT, NC

STANLEY, MICHAEL

OAKLAND, CA

STEINHAUSER, MICHAEL

BILLINGS, MT

STRYMINSKI, THADDEUS

NEWARK, DE

QMC

QM1

CDR

GMC

MK2

CAPT

LCDR

MKC

LT

BMC

DCC

RET. 07-01-1990

TAPS 10-18-2024

RET. 07-01-1977

TAPS 09-11-2024

RET. 12-03-1992

TAPS 10-27-2024

RET. 08-01-1980

TAPS 11-01-2024

RET. 09-11-2001

TAPS 07-17-2024

RET. 12-11-1992

TAPS 08-11-2024

RET. 10-01-2000

TAPS 10-20-2024

RET. 04-01-1996

TAPS 09-29-2024

RET. 03-24-1986

TAPS 09-08-2024

RET. 04-16-1991

TAPS 10-11-2024

RET. 07-01-2014

TAPS 10-08-2024

URONIS, RICHARD

BOURNE, MA

VALENTINE, KIM

KELLEYS ISLAND, OH

VOCELLE, JAMES

MADISON, FL

WARD, THEODORE

OLYMPIA, WA

WEEKS, GARY

TITUSVILLE, FL

WELLER, DOUGLAS

VIRGINIA BCH, VA

WENTZ, THOR

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA

WILDING, JOHN

SOMERSET, MA

WILKINSON, DAVID

BRYSON CITY, NC

WILLIAMSON, WALLACE

SLIDELL, LA

WILLIS, SIDNEY

MOBILE, AL

OSCM

LCDR

MKCS

ENCS

AT1

F&S2

ASTC

DC1

DCCS

LCDR

GMC

RET. 01-01-2013

TAPS 09-11-2024

RET. 06-24-2011

TAPS 09-30-2024

RET. 06-04-2013

TAPS 10-26-2024

RET. 05-01-1969

TAPS 09-01-2024

RET. 09-01-1996

TAPS 08-30-2024

RET. 07-01-1998

TAPS 09-07-2024

RET. 09-01-2012

TAPS 09-12-2024

RET. 03-14-2008

TAPS 07-30-2024

RET. 08-01-1996

TAPS 09-15-2024

RET. 01-04-1991

TAPS 09-12-2024

RET. 02-01-1987

TAPS 09-17-2024



79

TAPS

WILLSON, JIMMIE

PRESTON, CT

MKC

RET. 04-01-1974

TAPS 10-30-2024

WOODALL, GLEN

DEER ISLAND, OR

BMC

RET. 11-01-1979

TAPS 11-13-2024

WOJNAR, THEODORE

VIRGINIA BCH, VA

RADM

RET. 07-01-1988

TAPS 10-16-2024

ZANOLLI, GERALD

DULUTH, GA

CAPT

RET. 07-01-1993

TAPS 09-02-2024

USPHS

BUCKHOLD, DELWIN

THREE RIVERS, MI

CAPT

RET. 04-01-1988

TAPS 10-08-2024

HILL, DONALD

SILVER SPRING, MD

CAPT

RET. 07-01-1990

TAPS 07-26-2024

CAMPBELL, DONALD

DUNEDIN, FL

CAPT

RET. 07-01-2004

TAPS 11-07-2024

LESSING, MELVIN

BETHANY BEACH, DE

CAPT

RET. 01-01-2001

TAPS 07-26-2024

DIETZ, VANCE

ATLANTA, GA

CAPT

RET. 04-01-2009

TAPS 09-22-2024

MEYER, PETER

TAKOMA PARK, MD

CDR

RET. 02-01-2019

TAPS 08-18-2024

EBERT, JAMES

Sierra Vista, AZ

CAPT

RET. 03-01-1998

TAPS 10-09-2024

MITCHELL, FRANK

ATLANTA, GA

CAPT

RET. 02-01-1995

TAPS 10-13-2024

GALLIN, JOHN

CHEVY CHASE, MD

CAPT

RET. 09-01-1997

TAPS 10-10-2024

MOORE, JOHN

LAS VEGAS, NV

CAPT

RET. 09-01-2000

TAPS 10-06-2024

GRIGDESBY, JAMES

Aberdeen, MD

CAPT

RET. 09-01-1986

TAPS 10-02-2024

PATRIE, LEWIS

ARDEN, NC

CAPT

RET. 08-01-1980

TAPS 10-19-2024


HARLOWE, JOHN

TAMPA, FL

HEROLD, MARIE

SILVER SPRING, MD

HETHERINGTON, RICHARD

WINTER HAVEN, FL

HICKMAN, H

OCEAN CITY, MD

HILBORN, LESTER

SEVIERVILLE, TN

NOAA

GENZLINGER, LOWELL

BOULDER, CO

MCCALLISTER, MICHAEL

EVERETT, WA

MEYER, MICHAEL

KETTERING, OH

CAPT

CAPT

CAPT

CAPT

CAPT

CAPT

CAPT

LCDR

RET. 09-01-1986

TAPS 09-24-2024

RET. 07-01-1984

TAPS 06-30-2024

RET. 10-01-1989

TAPS 08-19-2024

RET. 07-01-1978

TAPS 07-21-2024

RET. 09-01-1982

TAPS 07-19-2024

RET. 11-01-1989

TAPS 10-18-2024

RET. 01-01-1996

TAPS 08-24-2024

RET. 10-01-1992

TAPS 10-27-2024

RODES, CHARLES

CARY, NC

SHULL, LINDA

SEQUIM, WA

SMITH, GEORGE

PORTSMOUTH, VA

TOLEDO, ANN

IGNACIO, CO

YATSCO, JAMES

MT PLEASANT, SC

CAPT

CAPT

CAPT

CDR

CAPT

RET. 09-01-1988

TAPS 08-05-2024

RET. 08-01-2002

TAPS 10-22-2024

RET. 05-01-1998

TAPS 08-09-2024

RET. 02-01-2015

TAPS 08-30-2024

RET. 08-01-1991

TAPS 09-18-2024

80 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

DEPENDENT TAPS

TAPS

PATRICIA ZELENAK

PARKLAND, FL

WIFE OF CAPT GREGORY ALEXANDER, USPHS (RET.)

09-04-2024

MARY C. JACKSON

MARIETTA, GA

WIFE OF RMCM JESSE W. JACKSON, USCG (RET.)

10-09-2024

MARY F. GOVIN

ROCK HILL, SC

WIFE OF AD1 JOHN M. GOVIN, USCG (RET.)

11-19-2024

LINDA MARIE OLSEN

GRASS VALLEY, CA

WIFE OF LT ROBERT OLSEN, USCG (RET.)

10-17-2024

MARILYN P. KRULISH

HADLOCK, WA

WIFE OF CDR ROBERT C. KRULISH, USCG (RET.)

09-01-2024

PATRICIA LYNN NOVARO

IVOR, VA

WIFE OF LCDR JOHN NOVARO, NOAA (RET.)

10-23-2024

GUADALUPE ROSARIO ZAPATA

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX

WIFE OF YNC ADAN ZAPATA, SR., USCG (RET.)

01-26-2024

FARRIS “KAREN” O’NEAL

MIDDLEBURG, FL

WIFE OF MKC KENNETH O’NEAL, USCG (RET.)

10-05-2024

MARYLN P. (KELLY) FALLON

ROCHESTER, NY

VICKI PAULINE BEIERSCHMITT-KNEPPER

CLOVIS, CA

DEBRA W. BESANCON

COVINGTON, LA

DIANA GAY HUETHER

NOVATO, CA

VERA GITTA PARSLEY

LEANDER, TX

ANN M. LAWRENCE

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA

JUDITH MOLDENHAUER

SPRINGFIELD, MO

MARJORIE (MAGGIE) HAND

LONGVIEW, TX

TESSIE GARABILES VERANO

SUISUN, CA

MARTA BEGIS

ROCKVILLE, MD

WIFE OF CWO4 BRIAN FALLON, USCGR (RET.)

WIFE OF SN GARY KNEPPER, USCG (RET.)

WIFE OF RUSSELL A. BESANCON, USCG (RET.)

WIFE OF MKC BOBBY L. HUETHER, USCG (RET.)

WIFE OF SKC RAYMOND PARSLEY, USCG (RET.)

WIFE OF CAPT THOMAS LAWRENCE, USCG (RET.)

WIFE OF BMC ARNOLD R. MOLDENHAUER, USCG (RET.)

WIFE OF CWO3 DONALD HAND, USCG (RET.)

WIFE OF HSCS JOEL VERANO, USCG (RET.)

WIFE OF CAPT JAMES M. BEGIS, USCG (RET.)

10-05-2024

02-18-2024

08-31-2024

09-05-2024

10-23-204

10-23-2024

08-08-2024

07-03-2024

09-18-2024

11-27-2024



81

U.S. COAST GUARD RETIREE INFORMATION CHAPLAIN'S CORNER

AN OPPORTUNITY

TO REFLECT

ON SPIRITUAL

RESILIENCE

AS

we embark on a new year,

Coast Guard members, past

and present, have a unique

opportunity to reflect on their

spiritual resilience and set

meaningful goals for the months

ahead. Spiritual resilience is a cornerstone of

overall well-being, providing the inner strength to

navigate life's challenges both on and off duty.

The Coast Guard's Strengthening Service Culture

initiative recognizes the vital role that values and

culture play in shaping our daily behaviors and

interactions. We have celebrated and embraced

our core values of honor, respect, and devotion

to duty for over 30 years. These values are not

just part of our professional lives, but they also

serve as guiding principles for our spiritual

resilience. Spiritual resilience goes beyond

religious affiliation. It encompasses finding

meaning and purpose, cultivating inner peace,

and developing a strong moral compass. For

Coast Guard members who face unique stressors

and demands, nurturing this aspect of wellness is

crucial for long-term success and fulfillment.

Setting spiritual goals for the new year can

take many forms. Perhaps it's dedicating time

for daily reflection or meditation. Maybe it's

reconnecting with a faith community or exploring

new philosophical perspectives. For others, it

might involve volunteering or finding ways to

serve that align with deeply held values. Just

as physical fitness requires consistent training,

spiritual resilience is built through regular practice.

Small, achievable goals often lead to the most

sustainable growth. However, we understand

82 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

that it can be challenging to maintain a regular

spiritual practice in the midst of demanding

duties. Consider starting with a commitment

to gratitude—taking a moment each day to

appreciate your life's and service's positive

aspects. This can be a simple yet powerful way

to stay connected to your spiritual goals, even in

the busiest times.

As you set your spiritual goals, draw inspiration

from the Coast Guard's rich tradition of service

and sacrifice. Your efforts to strengthen your

inner core will benefit you personally and ripple

outward, positively impacting your fellow Coasties,

your family, and the communities you serve. The

new year brings fresh opportunities for growth

and renewal. By prioritizing spiritual resilience,

you're investing in your ability to weather storms,

both literal and metaphorical. You're reinforcing

the foundation that allows you to stand strong in

the face of adversity and lead with compassion

and integrity.

As you chart your course for the year ahead,

remember that spiritual resilience is a journey, not

a destination. Embrace the process, be patient

with yourself, and know that every

step forward strengthens not

just you, but the entire Coast

Guard family. Here's to a year of

growth, purpose, and unwavering

resilience.

LCDR Lloyd Wicker,

TRACEN Yorktown, Command

Chaplain

U.S. COAST GUARD RETIREE INFORMATION CHAPLAIN'S CORNER


83

PUMPKIN SPICE AND


NATIONAL CAPITOL

REGION CHAPTER

OF THE WOMEN’S

LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE

Pumpkin Spice

& Professional

Advice

On a beautiful fall Friday in October

2024, the National Capitol Region

Chapter of the Women’s Leadership

Initiative hosted a speed mentoring

event. What made this event special was

that it featured Coast Guard retirees who

came in person to Headquarters to share

their experiences, advice, and Coast Guard

spirit with the group.

Aptly named “Pumpkin Spice and Professional

Advice” by the lead coordinators, LCDR Emily

Rowan and LCDR Virginia Buys, the event

kicked off with pumpkin spice flavored coffee

and fall themed treats while the mentors

and participants checked in. With a mentor

assigned to each table, groups of mentees

(totaling around 50) visited four tables for

BY: Meridena Kauffman (NPFC)

Meridena.D.Kauffman2@uscg.mil

about 20 minutes each, spending the time

getting to know each other and discussing

topics such as career development, work

life balance, overcoming challenges, time

management, diversity and inclusion, and

navigating transitions. Then, Erica Mohr

(CDR, retired) led the entire group through a

short exercise called “Making it Stick.”

To close out a great event, the commandant

stopped by to share some remarks and spend

a few minutes with the entire group. We thank

our Coast Guard retirees for their enthusiasm

and commitment to developing current and

future Coast Guard leaders.

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL MENTORS

• CDR Camilla Bosanquet, USCG (Ret.)

• Ms. Katie Burkhardt, former USN

84 WINTER 2025

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• SES Holly Haverstick

• RADM Michael Haycock, USCG (Ret.)

• CAPT John Luce, USCG (Ret.)

• CDR Erica Mohr, USCG (Ret.)

• VADM Sally Brice O'Hara, USCG (Ret.)

• MCPOCG Vincent Patton, USCG (Ret.)

• BMCM Alyson Pulkkinen, USCG (Ret.)

• CAPT Jennifer Sinclair, USCG (Ret.)

• CDR Andrea Smith, USCG (Ret.)

• SES Amber Stein

• CAPT Craig Swirbliss, USCG (Ret.)

• VADM Paul Thomas, USCG (Ret.)

• CAPT Jennifer Williams, USCG (Ret.)

• CAPT Lane McClelland, USCG (Ret.)

More information about WLI can be found on the website USCGA Alumni Community -

USCG Women's Leadership Initiative:

\https://www.cgaalumni.org/s/1043/21/interior.aspx?sid=1043&gid=1&pgid=5076

U.S. COAST GUARD RETIREE INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL ADVICE


85


CG RUGBY

COAST

GUARD

RUGBY

It has been a great fall season for Coast Guard

Rugby. The highlight of the fall season was the

performance of the Coast Guard Academy

Women’s Rugby Team who rambled through a

highly successful regular season, which included

a great win over Norwich (67-7). The Norwich win

was streamed on the Rugby Network as part of

the Friday Night Lights series, and fans cheered

on the Bears from all corners of the globe, even

an old rugger in Singapore.

After the successful season, the Bears moved on

to the Conference Championship tournament and

then the National Championship Tournament.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE

COAST GUARD ACADEMY

WOMEN’S RUGBY TEAM

WITH THEIR THIRD-PLACE

FINISH IN THE DIVISION II

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

TOURNAMENT

On November 10, the Bears faced the Wildcats

of the University of New Hampshire for the

Conference Championship. The early season

match with UNH was a nail biter with CGA taking

the win 12-5 and the Bears started the Conference

Championship fast and controlled the pace of the

game resulting in a 43-15 win to advance to the

National Collegiate Rugby DII Eastern Region.

On November 17, the Bears took on the Blue Hens

of Delaware in the round of 16 and advanced with

a 48-12 dominating win.

The next day, the Bears then took on the Stags of

Fairfield University in the quarter finals. Fairfield

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was a tough opponent but the Bears, with a stout

defense, defeated Fairfield 17-15 to advance to

semifinals in Houston, Texas.

On December 7, the Bears took the pitch with

their nemesis (since 2015), the Brewers of Vassar

College. The Bears fought a hard match but came

up a bit short against Vassar who went on to win

the National Championship.

The following day, the Bears took on the Bearcats

of University of Cincinnati for third place. The

Bears put the tough match with Vassar behind

them and returned to the pitch determined to bring

home the third-place hardware. The Bears did not

disappoint, their impressive performance thrilled

their fans as they took down the Bearcats by a

score of 29-7.

SAVE THE DATE!

IN OTHER NEWS:

LTJG Jordan Day was selected to compete on

the USA Pioneers, a select side, in the first ever

Rugby League America’s World Cup Qualifier. She

competed against another USA team, the Hawks,

along with sides from Canada and Jamaica.

YNC Alex Vinkavich and Matt McDaniels (CG

Veteran) were selected for the Combined Services

15’s Select team to compete in the UK against the

British Royal Army and the Royal Air Force.

The Coast Guard Rugby Foundation have

designed a limited-edition CG Rugby Jersey to

celebrate the 235th anniversary of the founding of

the U.S. Coast Guard. Proceeds of this fundraiser

go to the Coast Guard Men’s and Women’s Rugby

teams as they prepare for the annual Armed

Forces Rugby Championships. To order your

limited-edition jersey, click here:

https://login.commonsku.com/shop/dccdcc78-

e473-40ca-aabb-0d43a3d0ae7f

In order to provide support for our young Coast

Guard ruggers as they continue to represent

the service and compete for the Armed Forces

Rugby Championship, visit the Coast Guard

Rugby Foundation website on how to donate or

get involved in their other support efforts.

www.cgrugbyfoundation.org

CGA Homecoming Sept 19-21, 2025, where we will celebrate the 50th and 25th

anniversary of the CGA Men’s and Women’s rugby teams.

U.S. COAST GUARD RETIREE INFORMATION CG RUGBY


87

WORK-LIFE


TRANSITION

ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Coast Guard Active-Duty and Reserve members and their spouses

transitioning back to civilian life and Retirees and/or caregivers

are highly encouraged to check-out and take full advantage of the

TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM at: https://tapevents.mil/

Every year, approximately 200,000 men and women leave U.S. military service and return to life as

civilians, a process known as the military to civilian transition. The Transition Assistance Program (TAP)

provides information, tools, and training to ensure Service members, their spouses and/or caregivers

are prepared for the next step in civilian life.

The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is the result of an interagency partnership between the

Departments of Defense (DoD), Labor (DOL), Veterans Affairs (VA), Education (ED), Homeland

Security (DHS), Small Business Administration (SBA), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM),

in conjunction with the Military Departments who execute TAP.

The TAP curriculum is an outcome-based curriculum that transforms the way the military prepares

Service members for transition back to civilian life. The curriculum is designed to provide service

members with the resources, tools, services,

and skill-building training needed to meet

Career Readiness Standards (CRS). Shortly

before departing the military, Service

members demonstrate achievement of

these standards to their command through

a verification process called Capstone. This

process includes an opportunity to connect

Service members who may need additional

assistance to agency partners who provide

them with additional support.

Military to civilian transition occurs within

a complex and dynamic network of

relationships, programs, services, and

benefits, which includes transition planning

and assistance efforts by individual Service

branches, the interagency TAP partnership,

and community resources delivered through

local government, private industry, and

nonprofit organizations.

TAX SEASON

2025

Tax forms will be mailed out in early January 2025. As a reminder, it takes time for the Postal Service

to deliver paper copies, so please be patient and wait until February 15 before inquiring about missing

forms. Any requests for duplicates will be referred to Direct Access (DA) Self-Service, where you can

obtain your forms online. If you did not update your mailing address in time and it went to a wrong

address, you will need to get access through Self-Service to obtain a copy.

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USCG RETIREE MENTORING & TRANSITION

ASSISTANCE NETWORK!

RADM Jeff Hathaway, USCG (Ret.)

CG National Retiree Council Co-Chair

hathaway.cgnrc@aol.com

Your USCG National Retiree Council is sponsoring this program to maintain a searchable database

for our retiree community (and those soon to retire) to both request and offer personal mentoring and

advice in a variety of areas. Thinking about relocating to a particular geographic area but would like

insights from those that are living there? Find some help here. Wondering how to start a small business?

You can find a mentor here.

We are using a software service called Member Planet to host our registration process and database. It

is both secure, easy to use and offers great flexibility. Once submitted, your registration is automatically

forwarded to Mr. Bob Hinds, USCG Retiree Services Program Manager. He validates your eligibility then

grants access to the database.

We hope that the USCG retiree community finds this program useful. Prior pilot programs showed a

demand for such a program but lacked an easily accessible database maintained in the public domain.

VISIT http://www.uscgretireenetwork.org/ TO LEARN MORE AND ENROLL!

A big thank you to our

Capital Area Retiree

Council for originally

promoting a retiree

mentoring program and

sponsoring the first

"proof of concept" pilot

program!

U.S. COAST GUARD RETIREE INFORMATION RETIREE NETWORKING


89

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IT’S TIME TO VERIFY YOUR

BENEFICIARY DESIGNATIONS

It is important that PPC/RAS has your most accurate and up-to-date information on file in Direct

Access because your beneficiary designations generally determine who receives funds after your

death. Please always review and update your beneficiary designations whenever you experience a

major life event, such as a birth, marriage, divorce, or death in the family.

Unfortunately, there have been some recent cases when, because of a divorce and remarriage

that we didn’t know about, PPC/RAS had to pay the person (for example, a former spouse) who

was listed in the deceased retiree’s DA account, rather than the preferred beneficiary. Please

ensure your account is up-to-date and actually reflects your current wishes.

The easiest way to view or update your beneficiary designations is to follow these steps:

1. Log on to your DA Self-Service account at https://hcm.direct-access.us/

2. Select the “Self Service” tab.

3. Find “View My Final Pay Beneficiary” and follow the steps.

If you encounter problems, please call us at (866) 772-8724 or e-mail us at:

PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil

Here’s How…

COAST GUARD RETIRED RESERVE MEMBERS IN

RET-2 STATUS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO

SET-UP, ACCESS, UPDATE YOUR CG DIRECT ACCESS

(DA) SELF-SERVICE ACCOUNT

1. Access PPC website at: https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/ppc/ras/gp/

2. Click on and sign in at https://hcm.direct-access.uscg.mil/

3. You’ll be prompted to enter your User ID, which is your Employee ID (EMPLID), and your

Password.

4. If you’ve already set up your password and don’t recall it, press “Forgot My Password” and you’ll

be given a password hint and, if needed, prompted to have a new password sent to the e-mail

address you provided to set up your account. Once you log in, you’ll have to change it.

5. If you’ve don’t know your EMPID and/or haven’t already set up your account with a password,

you will need to contact PPC/Customer Care at: 866-772-8724.

!

It is Particularly Important to

KEEP YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION UPDATED IN DA

Allowing the Coast Guard to Keep You and Your Family

Informed on Matters of Importance

U.S. COAST GUARD RETIREE INFORMATION PPC-RAS


91


HOW TO REPORT

A DEATH

https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/ppc/ras/

Please report the passing of your loved one via e-mail to ppc-dg-customercare@uscg.mil or by

phone at 866-772-8724 (business hours are: Monday - Friday 7:30 (am) to 4:00 (pm) central time)

See VERY helpful quick reference at Survivor's Guide Trifold Brochure (10/2024): https://www.

dcms.uscg.mil/Portals/10/CG-1/PPC/RAS/Survivor's%20Guide%20Trifold%20(Oct%202024).

pdf?ver=3XaunKBjym0IRIJpQYO37g%3d%3d, and on facing page.

REPORTING THE DEATH OF A RETIREE, ANNUITANT, or FORMER SPOUSE (who is receiving

pay) Please provide the following information when reporting the death of a retiree, annuitant, or

former spouse (who is receiving pay)

Deceased Persons Information:

1. Employee ID number or /SSN:

2. Full Name:

3. Date of Death:

4. Type of death: (Natural Causes or Homicide)

5. Location of Death (City & State)

6. Type of Burial (Buried/Cremated/Sea Burial)

7. Location of burial (City & State)

Reporting Person Information:

1. Name:

2. Relationship to deceased:

3. Phone:

4. E-mail:

5. Mailing Address:

Once you have the Death Certificate please email it to ppc-dg-customercare@uscg.mil.

REPORTING THE DEATH OF A DEPENDENT (SPOUSE, PARENT, INSURABLE INTEREST or

CHILD who is not receiving pay)

Please provide the following information when reporting the death of a dependent:

1. Death Certificate (Dependent deaths cannot be processed without the death certificate)

2. DD Form 2656-6, Survivor Benefit Plan Election Change Certificate, (if the person is on your

Survivor Benefit Plan)

3. CG Form 3600, Designation of Beneficiary for Payment of Unpaid Retired Pay, (if the person

is listed as a Final Pay Beneficiary)

PPC RAS will contact you to confirm receipt of your report and/or supporting documents. This

information will be given to the pay team who processes the passing of your loved one. We generally

process these requests within 30 days of receipt, however incomplete or missing information or

supporting documents will delay the processing.

92 WINTER 2025

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93

OTHER IMPORTANT RESOURCES

USCG PAY & PERSONNEL CENTER

RETIREE AND ANNUITANT SERVICES (PPC-RAS)

4 WAYS TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR RETIRED

PAY ACCOUNT

With our improved tools, you can manage your account easily and when it is most

convenient for you.

WEBSITE

Site address: www.dcms.uscg.mil/ppc/ras/

On the website you can:

• Get important updates

• Get information on accessing Direct Access (“DA”) Self-Service;

• View and download forms and packets

• Get answers to frequently-asked questions (FAQs)

Site address: https://hcm.direct-access.uscg.mil/

Helpful Guides are located at www.dcms.uscg.mil/ppc/ras/gp/

You can do the following in DA Self-Service (with nearly immediate results):


SELF-SERVE

EMAIL

PHONE

POSTAL

MAIL

• View Payslip

• View/Print Year End Forms

• View/Change Phone Numbers

• View/Print 1099R

• View/Change Mailing & Email

Address

• Change EFT/Direct Deposit

1099Rs are mailed to your address in DA. Helpful information is also

sent via email.

Email us at: ppc-dg-customercare@uscg.mil

• Email us questions or requests. We track/respond to all.

• Submit forms (e. g. W-4 for Taxes). We track/respond to all.

• Avoid waiting for mailed documents to be delivered to us.

• Avoid having to call.

Call us at: 866-772-8724

• Change Delivery Options

• Change Voluntary Deductions

• View Final Pay Beneficiary

• Change Federal & State Tax

• Print Retired Pay Award Letter

• View Open Debts

If you do not have access to a computer or email, you can submit your

request through US Postal Mail. Our mailing address is:

Commanding Officer

US Coast Guard PPC (RAS)

444 SE Quincy St

Topeka KS 66683-3591

PPC-RAS can process most requests within one or two pay periods.

Remember! Incomplete forms or missing documents may result in a delay in processing your request.

94 WINTER 2025

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COAST GUARD

LEGAL ASSISTANCE

Coast Guard legal assistance attorneys provide advice and counsel regarding personal legal issues to

thousands of service members, dependents and retirees each year at no cost. These issues may involve

family law, estate planning, consumer law, land-lord-tenant relations, immigration or many other topics.

Legal Assistance Program, CI 5801.4F: https://media.defense.gov/2017/Mar/15/2001716717/-1/-

1/0/CI_5801.4F.PDF

Legal Readiness Checklist: www.uscg.mil/Portals/0/Headquarters/Legal/la/Legal%20

Readiness%20Checklist.pdf

Personal Readiness Plan (Personal Identity & Vital Documents; Emergency Information & Powers

of Attorney; Healthcare & Medical Directives; Income, Savings and Investments, and Life Insurance;

Monthly Expenses, Debt, and Credit Reports; Primary Residence, Insurance & Household Services;

Vehicle Information, Insurance, Titles & Documentation; Taxes; Survivor Assistance & Benefits;

Estate Planning & Funeral Instructions): www.uscg.mil/Resources/Legal/LMA/Legal_Assistance/

Personal-Readiness-Plan/

Legal Assistance Attorneys: www.uscg.mil/Resources/Legal/LMA/Legal_Assistance/Find-A-

Legal-Assistance-Lawyer/

1st District Legal: 617-223-8500

7th District Legal: 305-415-6949








13 th PACIFIC AREA ATLANTIC AREA

11 th

17 th

14 th

9 th 1 st

5 th

7 th

8 th


U.S. COAST GUARD RETIREE INFORMATION OTHER IMPORTANT RESOURCES

95


CG NATIONAL RETIREE COUNCIL /

REGIONAL RETIREE COUNCILS & CO-CHAIRS

CGNRC CO-CHAIRS

CAPITAL AREA

CENTRAL GULF COAST

(MOBILE)

CHARLESTON

GREAT LAKES

RADM Meredith Austin

maustincgnrc@gmail.com

MCPOCG Jason Vanderhaden

jvanderhaden@gmail.com

David Bernstein

dberns01@gmail.com

John Milkiewicz

locke45@hotmail.com

Terry Gilbreath

tgilbreath@asdd.com

Charlie Womack

chwomack@gmail.com

Ray Bryant

basecharlestonrrc@gmail.com

Timothy Schneider

basecharlestonrrc@gmail.com

Lorne Thomas

lorne.w.thomas@uscg.mil

James Bach

uw_jimmy@yahoo.com

PENSACOLA, FL &

BALDWIN COUNTY, AL

SAN JUAN, PR

SECTOR OHIO VALLEY

SOUTHWEST

ST. LOUIS

Jeff Rosenberg

cg.rrc.pns@gmail.com

Jose Baltar

uscg.sj.rc@gmail.com

Carlos López

uscg.sj.rc@gmail.com

James Armstrong

james_armstrong@bellsouth.net

Joseph Leonard

jleonard83@aol.com

Eric Pugh

eric.pugh12@outlook.com

Keith Livingstone

bassbolt@yahoo.com

Becky Livingstone

rebalivingstone@att.net

EAST CENTRAL FL

Jim Reynolds

james.reynolds.cg@gmail.com

TAMPA BAY AREA

Don Goldstein

DGoldstein1@tampabay.rr.com

LeRoy Dennison

LeRoy@dennison.com


FIRST CG RETIREES

JACKSONVILLE

HAWAII

KODIAK

MIAMI

NEW ORLEANS

NORTH EAST

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

NORTHWEST

Mike Rosecrans

m.rosecrans@gmail.com

YNCM Bobby Wester

bwester2549@aol.com

Rod Schultz

rschultz369@gmail.com

Anthony Lim

hawaiiretiree.cc@gmail.com

Robert Lachowsky

roblachowsky@yahoo.com

John Whiddon

jbwhiddon52@gmail.com

David Cinalli

david.cinalli@yahoo.com

Marc Fagenbaum

cgrcmiamibeach@gmail.com

Currently Inactive

Kevin Brown

CGRetireeNorthEast@gmail.com

Thomas Hall

tadahall@msn.com

David Swanson

ddswanson@msn.com

RADM Bert Kinghorn

CoChairs@cgretirenw.org

Sean McPhilamy

seanmcphilamy@mac.com

YORKTOWN

Rick Gay

rgay@earthlink.net

David Bunch

dcbunch52@verizon.net

Recouncil@TCYYorktown.ucg.mil

You may elect not to be mailed The

Long Blue Line by accessing your

DA Self-Service account at:

• www.dcms.uscg.mil/ppc/ras/gp/

• Select “Change My Delivery

Options”

• Uncheck the block labeled

“I elect to receive the Retiree

Newsletter by mail.”

You may also contact CG PPC

Customer Care for assistance by

calling 866-772-8724 or by sending

an e-mail to:

PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil

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CG PAY & PERSONNEL CENTER, RETIREE &

ANNUITANT SERVICES (PPC-RAS), DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE &

OTHER IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS & WEBSITES

Directory Assistance and Other Important Phone Numbers & Websites are also accessible at:

dcms.uscg.mil/portals/10/cg-1/ppc/ras/rasdirectory.pdf

Changes to Your DA Account:

• Your retired or annuity payments

• Your retired/annuitant pay slip

• IRS Form 1099-R (reporting taxable income)

• You need to change your home

mailing address (for delivery of retired/

annuitant statement, newsletter, 1099-R,

correspondence)

• Your financial institution or account number

for your direct deposit

• Report a change to your designation of

beneficiary for payment of unpaid retired

pay (Note: use Form *CG PPC-3600

Designation of Beneficiary for Payment of

Unpaid Retired Pay)

For most transactions, you may always use

Direct Access Self-Service:

www.dcms.uscg.mil/ppc/ras

If you cannot use Direct Access Self-Service,

you may make the requests listed above by

e-mail, by phone, by fax, or mailing:

ppc-dg-customercare@uscg.mil

Telephone: (866) 772-8724

Fax: (785) 339-3770

Allotments, SBP Coverage and Beneficiary

Changes If you need to:

• Start, stop, or change an allotment (you

may use Form *CG PPC-7221 Retired

Allotment Authorization Form, fax in the

form or a written request, send us an e-mail

request).

• Report a change to your survivor benefit

plan (SBP) coverage (must be in writing)

• You may e-mail your request to ppc-dgcustomercare@uscg.mil

or mail to:

Commanding Officer (RAS)

USCG Pay & Personnel Center

444 SE Quincy St

Topeka, KS 66683-3591

or fax to (785) 339-3770

(*) Note: Forms are available from the PPC website at:

www.dcms.uscg.mil/ppc/pd/forms/ or directly from the IRS.

Income Tax Withholding Changes

If you need to:

• Start or change the amount of state tax

withholding (customers can e-mail/fax/

postal mail the *IRS Form W-4, or state form.

If using IRS form, indicate that the form is for

state income tax withholding, not federal,

which state it is for and the dollar amount

to be withheld, (minimum amount is $10.00,

no cents)). We cannot withhold state tax for

annuitants.

• Change your federal income tax withholding

(Customers use Form W-4)

• Change exemptions or additional withholding

Federal tax changes must be made by the

Customer (DA Self-Service) or in writing. Form

IRS W-4 must be provided to PPC (RAS) for

action and filing, Please e-mail to:

ppc-dg-customercare@uscg.mil

or mail to:

Commanding Officer (RAS)


444 SE Quincy St

Topeka, KS 66683-3591

(*) Note: Forms are available from the PPC website at: www.

dcms.uscg.mil/ppc/pd/forms/ or directly from the IRS.

Report of Death:

To report the death of a Coast Guard, NOAA

or PHS retiree/annuitant call:

Toll free: 1-866-772-8724

Or e-mail: ppc-dg-customercare@uscg.mil

Or www.dcms.uscg.mil/ppc/ras (web site)

Dependent TAPS:

To place a Dependent TAPS notice in The Retiree

Newsletter, please provide the dependent’s

name, relationship to retiree, date of passing,

and city/state to Robert Hinds at:

Robert.C.Hinds@uscg.mil

phone: 202-475-5451



97



MEDICARE PART B ENROLLMENT IS MANDATORY AT AGE 65

dcms.uscg.mil/Portals/10/CG-1/retiree/docs/pdf/Turning_65_with_MEDICARE.

pdf?ver=2018-09-07-143218-930

When you turn 65, your medical benefits will change. MEDICARE will become your primary medical

coverage and TRICARE pays secondary to MEDICARE. You MUST enroll in MEDICARE PART

B to retain your TRICARE coverage. If you are within 90 days of your 65th birthday, you should

log on to www.ssa.gov or medicare.gov to enroll in MEDICARE PART B. Additional information is

accessible at: tricare.mil/Welcome/Eligibility/MedicareEligible.aspx?sc_database=web or by phone

at 866-773-0404. You may also call the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS)

at 800-538-9552.

OTHER IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS AND WEBSITES

Medical/Dental Benefits/Phone/Websites/

Notes

Eligibility (DEERS)/ID Cards

1-800-538-9552

(TTY/TDD)

1-866-363-2883

www.tricare.mil/deers

In CA: 1-800-334-4162;

In AK & HI 1-800-527-5602

Mail-Order Pharmacy

1-877-363-1303

www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/

Prescriptions/Filling Prescriptions/TMOP

Federal Employee Dental & Vision Insurance

Program (FEDVIP—Retirees)

1-877-888-3337

https://www.benefeds.com/

TRICARE Overseas

1-888-777-8343

www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/overview/

Regions/RegionsNonUS

TRICARE East Region Contractor

1-800-444-5445

TRICARE West Region Contractor

1-888-874-9378

www.tricare.mil/west

TRICARE For Life

1-866-773-0404

www.tricare.mil/tfl/default.cfm

www.tricare.mil/LifeEvents/Retiring

TRICARE Eligibility—Pharmacy

(Medicare info)

1-877-363-1303

www.tricare.mil/ CoveredServices/Pharmacy/

Eligibility.aspx

Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program

(FLTCIP)

NEW!

1-800-LTC-FEDS (1-800-582-3337)

www.LTCFEDS.com

CG Health Benefits Advisor

1-800-942-2422

Veterans Benefits

Phone/Websites/Notes

VA Resource Navigator

https://www.va.gov/files/2024-01/VA%20

Resource%20Navigator.pdf

Department of Veterans Affairs

1-800-827-1000

www.va.gov

Reporting the Death of a Veteran/Retiree to

the VA, 800-827-1000, Press #5, https://www.

va.gov/resources/how-to-report-the-death-ofa-veteran-to-va/

VA Office of Survivors Assistance

https://www.va.gov/survivors/

Insurance Information

1-800-669-8477

www.insurance.va.gov

Veteran’s Group Life Insurance

www.insurance.va.gov/sglisite/vgli/vgli.htm

New VGLI Applications and VGLI

Reinstatements:

OSGLI

PO Box 41618

Philadelphia, PA 19176-9913

1-800-419-1473

Overseas phone (continued on next page)

(973) 548-5699

Overseas fax#

(973) 548-5300

Death and accelerated benefits claims only:

Fax: 1-877-832-4943.

98 WINTER 2025

THE LONG BLUE LINE

All other fax inquiries:

1-800-236-6142

e-mail at: osgli.claims@prudential.com

All other inquiries: osgli.osgli@prudential.com

General Correspondence:

Office of Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance

80 Livingston Avenue

Roseland, NJ 07068-1733

Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents

1-800-827-1000

www.va.gov/opa/publications/benefits_book.asp

VA Pamphlet 80-02-1

Headstones and Markers

1-800-697-6947

www.va.gov/opa/publications/benefits_book.asp

Former Spouse

CG PPC LEGAL

206-815-6626

785-339-3788 (Fax)

PPC-DG-LGL@uscg.mil

FSPA & SBP Informational Pamphlet

https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Portals/10/CG-1/

PPC/Docs/Legal/Uniformed%20Services%20

Former%20Spouse%20Protection%20Act%20

(FSPA).pdf

Former Spouse ID Card and Medical

Information

https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Portals/10/CG-1/

PPC/RAS/FormerSpouseDetermination4IDcards.

pdf?ver=a_wj5dB_

FMVcHvKGRPEkBw%3D%3D#:~:text=The%20

20%2D20%2D15%20rule,if%20they%20do%20

not%20remarry

Additional Important Number and Websites

Final Active Duty Pay

1-866-772-8724

Overseas

www.dcms.uscg.mil/ppc/separations/finalpay/

Commanding Officer (SEP)


444 SE Quincy St.

Topeka, KS 66683-3591

Contact PPC (SEP) for information on severance

pay, separation pay, disability severance pay,

LES’s, IRS Form W-2.

Social Security

1-800-772-1213

www.ssa.gov

Travel Claims

1-866-772-8724

www.dcms.uscg.mil/ppc/travel/

Send final travel claim to:

Commanding Officer (TVL)


444 SE Quincy St.

Topeka, KS 66683-3591

Service Records

(314) 801-0800

www.archives.gov/veterans/military-servicerecords

Write to:

National Personnel Records Center

Military Personnel Records

1 Archives Drive

St. Louis, MO 63138-1002

Veterans or next-of-kin of a deceased veteran

can access www.archives.gov/veterans/

military-service-records to make requests.

All others must write in and include complete

name, rank/grade, SSN, dates of service, and

date of birth of the veteran. DD-214s are also

available via the website

WWII U.S. Merchant Marine Awards and

Decorations

www.maritime.dot.gov/outreach/mariner-medals

Contact - Awards, Flags, Medals

Katrina McRae

Maritime Awards Officer

Office of Sealift Support

1200 NEW JERSEY AVE., SE

WASHINGTON, DC 20590

United States

Email: Katrina.mcrae@dot.gov

Phone: 202-366-3198

Fax: 202-366-2323

Business Hours: 9:00am to 5:00pm ET, M-F

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a

speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access

telecommunications relay services.

CG Social Media Sites

A list of Official CG Social Media Sites including

Facebook and Twitter is accessible at:

http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/official-sites/

CG National Retiree Help Desk

Toll free 1-833-224-6743

email: NRHDesk@gmail.com

Do NOT send Personally Identifiable Information

(e.g. SSN, EMPID) to the CG National Retiree

Help Desk. Visit: https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/

retiree/nrhd-pii/



99

A

GREAT

GIFT FOR

NEW

RETIREES

The Long Blue Line (WINTER 2025)

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