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Shipmate of the Week – GMC Jesse MeerscheidtPosted by LT Stephanie Young, Friday, October 25, 2013For many, the morning commute to work involves traffic delays, routine routes and mile upon mile of repetition. But for one Coast Guard member, a morning commute turned into a moment to save a life.Chief Petty Officer Jesse Meerscheidt, a gunner’s mate at Sector Corpus Christi, was driving to work when he witnessed a head-on collision between two vehicles.While he has helped at accident scenes before – assisting passengers in their vehicles until emergency personnel?arrived, directing traffic and calming those on scene – Meerscheidt had never had a crash occur right?in front of him before. When he observed the accident, he knew he had? to act.“I’ve always been an action-oriented kind of person?and chose a life of service – volunteer firefighter, law enforcement officer, Coast Guard – to help others,” said Meerscheidt.As a gunner’s mate, Meerscheidt has taken part in various trainings that have prepared him for the moment. From learning how to stay calm under pressure and controlling the situation as needed at boarding officer school to understanding the priority of fire danger to rescuers and?victims at firefighting training, the skills he learned and honed over time contributed to his ability to respond.Meerscheidt approached the vehicle, now ablaze with its fuel tank and fuel lines exposed, with a fire extinguisher. While he feared for myself and had thoughts of?his family, he kept on until the extinguisher expended all its contents and?stopped. Meerscheidt used all of his fire?extinguisher attempting to put the fire out, but only succeeded in knocking?the fire down.
Olivia Hooker: A SPAR’s StoryPosted by LT Stephanie Young, Tuesday, October 29, 2013At 98 years old, Olivia Hooker recalled her experiences as one of the first African American female members in the Coast Guard SPAR program during World War II. Hooker is a native of White Plains, N.Y., and received her doctorate as a school psychologist. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Ali Flockerzi.Written by by Petty Officer 3rd Class Ali Flockerzi.Her living room boasts of an accomplished life; books, pictures and knickknacks line two walls. The lace curtains are drawn, letting in just enough sunlight to reveal stacks of papers in one corner; a few boxes in another. Some might see clutter and mess, but those who truly know her see a lifetime of achievements and memories.In the center of the room sits a faded couch that is pushed against a wall abundant with shiny plaques, college degrees and family pictures. On that couch, a woman sits ready to tell her story, a smile never far from her lips.“I didn’t know anything about military life,” said Dr. Olivia J. Hooker, her eyes beaming with excitement. “When they told me to go to basic training, I took a trunk with all my luxuries in it. The seven other girls that went when I went all had duffel bags.”At 98 years old, Hooker recalls her experiences as one of the first African American female members in the Coast Guard SPAR program during World War II.On Nov. 23, 1942, legislation approved the implementation of the United States Coast Guard Women’s Reserve; the program known as SPAR – the acronym derived from the translations of the Coast Guard’s motto, ‘Semper Paratus, Always Ready’ – became the foundation for women in the Coast Guard today.
Coast Guard Lady becomes honorary chiefStory and photos by Petty Offier 2nd Class Ayla KelleyLois Bouton has had an eventful year of milestones. The woman affectionately known as the Coast Guard Lady from Rogers, Ark., recently turned 94 and marked her 70th anniversary of joining the U.S. Coast Guard Woman’s Reserve, known as the SPARs – Semper Paratus, Always Ready, and has been writing to members of the Coast Guard worldwide for 40 years. So, when six prospective chief petty officers from St. Louis went to visit her on her birthday, they decided that she was more than worthy of becoming a chief, too. When an enlisted member advances to the rank of E-7, they are not required but highly encouraged to partake in the Chiefs Call to Indoctrination. According to the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, Standing Order One, “the purpose of CCTI is to prepare prospective chief petty officers to perform their roles and responsibilities as a chief petty officer. In addition, this event recognizes the achievement of a significant career milestone. CCTI reinforces the responsibility of all chiefs as leaders and mentors.”As the six PCPOs from St. Louis worked though their two-month process, they decided Lois Bouton was someone who exemplified the Coast Guard core values of honor, respect and devotion to duty by first serving as a radioman in the SPARs during World War II and then writing three to four letters a day, every day for 40 years, totaling more than 40,000 letters to members in the Coast Guard. They reached out to the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, Michael Leavitt, to make the request for her to become an honorary chief, and it was immediately bestowed.During the CCTI acceptance dinner ceremony Oct. 25, to which Bouton was an honored guest, Coast Guard Sector Upper Mississippi River Chaplain Stephen Scott spoke on service. He described how one of the most important aspects of being a chief is always providing a service to the subordinates, supervisors, family, community and country. Bouton served her country out of patriotism during a war and was one of the few who started a path for women to serve in the military. She now serves her extended family of Coast Guardsmen tirelessly with a sincere handwritten letter year after year asking for nothing but perhaps a birthday card in return.
In defense of his countryPosted by LT Stephanie Young, Wednesday, November 13, 2013“By his outstanding leadership, expert planning, and dauntless devotion to duty, he and his courageous comrades undoubtedly saved the lives of many who otherwise would have perished. He gallantly gave up his life in defense of his country.”So ends the Medal of Honor citation for Signalman 1st Class Douglas A. Munro, the only member of the nation’s oldest continuous sea-going service to be awarded America’s highest military honor.Today the Coast Guard paid tribute to this legendary hero, designating its new headquarters the Douglas A. Munro Coast Guard Headquarters Building.The ceremony comes just two days after Veterans Day, a day in which we honor those who have worn the uniform and defended our freedoms. This significance was not lost on U.S. Marine Corps Col. Barney Barnum, a Medal of Honor recipient who attended the ceremony. For him, both Veterans Day and the ceremony served as a perfect time to rededicate “to the principles our great country stands for and what veterans have fought to protect and preserve.”As a Medal of Honor recipient himself, Barnum shared his thoughts on why it is important to educate the public about the dignity and honor behind the Medal of Honor and recipients like Munro.“The Medal of Honor stands for, or represents, the metal of America. It stands for who we are, what we have accomplished and what we are prepared to do to – protect our freedom,” said Barnum. “The Medal of Honor is a reminder of the sacrifices made by veterans to ensure our freedoms prevail.”Munro’s actions at Guadalcanal were critical to evacuating hundreds of Marines to safety, and Barnum drew attention to the close bond the two services share.“The Marine Corps motto is Semper Fidelis – Always Faithful. The Coast Guard motto is Semper Paratus – Always Ready,” said Barnum. “We bond because both services are dedicated to our fellow countrymen.”Retired Coast Guard Reserve Cmdr. Douglas Sheehan, the nephew of Munro, also attended the ceremony. Family members who had traveled from around the country to witness the building’s dedication joined him. Sheehan spoke to the crowd emphasizing how truly remarkable Munro’s actions were in that the highest honor awarded to any Coast Guardsman in the history of the service was awarded to an enlisted man: a first class petty officer.“His actions showed that our core values – honor, respect and devotion to duty – are more than just words,” said Sheehan. Adding that Munro’s bravery should serve as a reminder of “our mission and the people we serve” to future generations of Coast Guard members.With the building’s dedication, the name Munro stands as a connection to Coast Guard history and a challenge to carry on the legacy of one the service’s most revered members.“Petty Officer Munro’s selfless service and sacrifice epitomizes our core values of honor, respect and devotion to duty,” said Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Bob Papp. “His enduring legacy has, and will always continue to, shape future generations of Coast Guardsmen. We are honoring that contribution to our service by dedicating this building to him.”At the ceremony, a bust of Munro – created by John Tuomisto-Bell and sculpted and molded by Tyson Snow – was unveiled. As Munro’s likeness came into view, beams of the afternoon sun hit the bronze bust, illuminating his eyes just so. It was if there was a golden glint in his eyes; a reminder of his legacy and how it shines on.
Remembering Douglas Munro: Cmdr. Douglas SheehanPosted by Christopher Lagan, Tuesday, September 27, 2011For the Coast Guardsman, the name Munro is steeped in honor and history. As the only member of the nation’s longest serving naval service to be awarded the Medal of Honor, Douglas Munro has had Coast Guard cutters named in his honor and buildings at Cape May and the Coast Guard Academy bear his name and likeness. But, for Cmdr. Douglas Sheehan, the name Munro has a different meaning. As the grandson of SPAR Edith Munro, the son of longtime Coast Guard supporter Patricia Sheehan and the nephew of Coast Guard legend Douglas Munro, the name Munro is a connection to Coast Guard history and a challenge to carry on the legacy of one our service’s most revered members. On the 69th anniversary of Munro’s death at Guadalcanal, Sheehan remembers the man in whose memory he was named and asks himself, “Why do we do this?”Written by Cmdr. Douglas Sheehan, U.S. Coast Guard Reserve (ret.)On an average day in the Coast Guard, 12 lives are saved, 64 search and rescue cases are performed and a host of other actions are part of our day. Ours is a service with an abundance of heroes and role models. So why we do we celebrate a single rescue that took place 69 years ago on Sept. 27 every year? Usually, there are more than 50 people who drive for over an hour or more to a tiny cemetery in the landlocked community of Cle Elum, Wash., for a ceremony to remember the story of Douglas Munro.The easy, obvious answer is that Douglas Munro is still, to this day, the only member of the U.S. Coast Guard who has ever been awarded the Medal of Honor. This is certainly special and unique.However, that is probably not the only reason. The fact that almost 500 Marines were saved that day is also a pretty big reason. That’s not only a big number, but you also need to think about the wives, children and grandchildren of those 500 men. My mom died last December, and we had a gathering of friends and family at our house. One of my mom’s very good friends said that if it hadn’t been for her brother, she would not exist. Her dad had been one of the Marines rescued in the evacuation in 1942. In January, there was a ceremony on the Coast Guard Cutter Munro in Kodiak, Alaska, to dedicate a bronze bust of my uncle, which is now a part of their exhibit on the ship. One of the people at the ceremony was a woman from Station Kodiak whose grandfather had been rescued that day.Another special reason that we probably recognize this particular rescue is because my uncle was killed in action that day. Even though few Coast Guardsmen are killed in our rescue operations, it is almost always dangerous, and it is always a very real possibility that someone will die.Something that is rarely mentioned about this event is that the highest honor ever awarded to any Coast Guardsman in the entire history of the service was awarded to an enlisted man: a first class petty officer. Our pay grade, rank and rate are an important part of our jobs, but at the end of the day, what is really important is, what did you really do today? I always smile whenever I read a front page newspaper story about a big rescue operation, and they quote a petty officer from the Coast Guard. I can’t help but think there is some Navy guy reading the article, and thinking, “Man, the Navy would never let a petty officer talk to the press!!!”It continues to surprise me how often I am told by people outside of the Coast Guard, who say after hearing my uncle’s story, “Gee, I didn’t realize that the Coast Guard was involved in World War II.” We have an ongoing battle with public perception about our military readiness missions. If you ask a Marine who was in one of those landing craft at Normandy, “Who would you rather have as your coxswain, A Navy guy or a Coast Guard guy?” I’ve heard some of them say that they if they had a choice, they would prefer the guy with the most experience on small boats – the Coast Guard guy.One of the common misperceptions of this event, like so many others, is that this is all about what happened in a few hours on a single day. The reality is that the action would not have been successful without a great deal of training, practice and a great deal of preparation. This part of what we do doesn’t get much recognition or glory, but without it, we wouldn’t be who we are. That is also worth remembering on Sept. 27, and every other day.I remember asking Admiral [Dwight] Dexter, my uncle’s commanding officer at Guadalcanal, “Douglas Munro and Ray Evans were both first class petty officers, and very good friends. So who was actually in charge?” He just smiled and said, “They were both in charge.” In the Coast Guard, we tend to focus on what needs to be done, and this event underscores that. I think it is totally unfair that one person would live and the other would die, but that is just the way things sometimes work out. I think this all speaks to a reality that we all accept in the Coast Guard.Mike Cooley, a childhood friend of Munro, raised and lowered the flag over Munro's gravesite every day for 40 years.W(MY EDIT: When he could no longer perform that ritual, the Coast Guard asked the Marine Corps if they would supply a Marine guard at the gravesite. The Marine Corps looked into it, recognized who was buried there, and there was a Marine Guard at the gravesite 24x7x365, at least a while ago.)Another important reason we remember today is because we realize that we need to pay some attention to Coast Guard history, just like our sister services. We need to take some time, once in a while, to recognize that if you don’t remember where you have been, you can’t really understand where you are going.We wouldn’t have a ceremony on Sept. 27 if it hadn’t been for Mike Cooley. He came home from World War II alive, and was sad that his boyhood friend did not. He raised and lowered the flag over my uncle’s gravesite every day for 40 years. His actions inspired a lot of people in 1999 to install the light at the gravesite, and to start an annual event. He was the leader of the Douglas Munro Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Cle Elum for many years. His VFW friends were at all the ceremonies: the burial after the war, my grandmother’s burial and at every Sept. 27 ceremony we have had. The next time you meet a member of the VFW, thank them for their service and for their friend, Mike Cooley. He may not have been an official member of the Coast Guard, but his demonstration of Honor, Respect and Devotion to Duty makes him one of us.So, I think the real reason we get together every Sept. 27 is because it reminds us why we do … what we do.
Shipmate of the Week – CWO Thomas Gelwicks Jr.Posted by LT Stephanie Young, Friday, November 15, 2013At the heart of The Citadel, an institution rich with military tradition and leadership since it’s founding in 1842, is its corps of cadets. Amid the sea of grey cadet uniforms on campus is one member who stands out with his Coast Guard blue – Chief Warrant Officer Thomas Gelwicks Jr.Gelwicks is the first Coast Guard officer to be employed at The Citadel and is currently the Bravo Company tactical officer with the Office of the Commandant.How did Gelwicks find his way to the Citadel? It’s where he came from. A Charleston native, there was never any question as to where he wanted to attend college. He started at The Citadel in 1970, graduating in 1974. The Vietnam War ended his senior year and after graduation he worked at the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office and the South Carolina Tax Commission as a revenue officer.As Gelwicks started his career in the civilian world, he was also starting one with the military, enlisting in the Coast Guard Reserve. He credits his father as his inspiration for joining.“My father is the main reason I enlisted … [he] was in the Pacific with the U.S. Navy during WWII and served in the Coast Guard Reserve from 1964 to 1989,” said Gelwicks.Gelwicks worked his way up the ranks in the reserves and became a chief warrant officer in June 1999 and retired in November 2012. With more than 29 years of service, he executed a full range of missions including, Desert Shield and Desert Storm deployments, operations post-Sept. 11, Hurricane Katrina recovery, Deepwater Horizon response and several space shuttle and trident missile operations in Cape Canaveral, Fla.His unique operational experiences make him a standout at The Citadel and his impact on campus has resulted in more awareness for the Coast Guard’s maritime and military missions. There were no Coast Guard-affiliated programs on the campus when he arrived and after several cadets came forward with interest in a program, a Coast Guard club formed.With Gelwicks as the club’s advisor, another Citadel alumni, Bill Riley, helped the club form their own Auxiliary detachment. The Citadel is now one of very few colleges in the nation to support an Auxiliary detachment and for a cadet to be a member of the club they must join the Auxiliary or Reserve.Gelwicks is quick to dismiss any credit for the club’s success, saying it wasn’t him “but my Coast Guard uniform I wear every day that made Coast Guard interest grow on The Citadel campus.”Members of the club disagree. Cadet Christopher Zeller is a petty officer third class in the Coast Guard Reserve and says Gelwicks is a testament to the qualities a great leader should have.“Mr. Gelwicks was my first real mentor with anything related to the Coast Guard,” said Zeller. “Being a grad himself he already knew how the system was supposed to work, and how to accomplish making it through. He was a great help in both areas.”Zeller reflected on moments in which he saw Gelwicks as “being strong and unshakable” and true to his role as a tactical officer “would get on the company’s case about haircuts or uniform standards.”But to Zeller, Gelwicks doesn’t represent the disciplinarian who gets on their case; he’s their inspiration.“Mr. Gelwicks is not just a great asset to the Coast Guard, or to The Citadel, he is what every man should live to be like,” said Zeller. “From having such a strong moral ground, to respecting and upholding traditions, showing leadership by example, listening and considering everyone’s opinion and having the ability to express passion to that extent – these are not just traits of a Citadel graduate, or a retired Coast Guardsman, this is the standard of what a man should try to reach. Mr. Gelwicks has not just reached this standard he has set the bar for it.”
Warrant Officers are no longer active, right? I thought all the branches grandfathered those ranks out years ago, so any holding that rank are likely to be the last of the careerists when they were still available.
Quote from: Libertas on November 18, 2013, 06:55:59 AMWarrant Officers are no longer active, right? I thought all the branches grandfathered those ranks out years ago, so any holding that rank are likely to be the last of the careerists when they were still available.The CG is normally behind in all of these things. As far as I know, CWOs are still good in the CG. I'll research it later, after my dental appointment.
