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Friday, March 29, 2024

Station Los Angeles/Long Beach Reservists Embrace Commandant’s Guiding Principles

On the southern tip of Los Angeles Harbor’s Terminal Island, after driving through a two-mile sea of stacked containers and straight through the center of a federal correctional institution’s fence-lined campus, you will find Coast Guard Base Los Angeles/Long Beach (LA/LB). From the base, you will find scenic views of San Pedro, Los Angeles Harbor and the busy channel that borders the west side of Terminal Island. Among the Coast Guard units, you will find Station LA/LB.  In July, I had an opportunity to spend a few days with the station’s 25 reservists during their two weeks of active duty training (ADT).

Petty Officer 2nd Class Venus Hulst, a boatswains mate at Station LA/LB, described the station’s crew as extraordinarily accommodating and welcoming. This was certainly true of my experience while at the station. Upon arrival, I was immediately greeted by Chief Petty Officer Andrea Tole, Station LA/LB’s senior enlisted reserve advisor (SERA). During our conversations over the next few days, Tole praised the station’s command and active duty crew for their ongoing support of their reserve program, a fact that became more and more evident over the time I spent there. The climate at the station truly supports the idea of duty to people. Petty Officer 3rd Class Tedd Sutton, a boatswains mate at Station LA/LB, agreed.

“The station has been very helpful with family issues,” said Sutton. “They’re also great about assisting with developing individual and common goals, then helping everyone achieve them.”

Be ready
Achieving success in caring for the members, both for their families as well as helping them attain personal certification goals, helps the station be ready for whatever comes their way. Certification and proficiency readiness is the primary goal of any Coast Guard boat forces job. Many of the reservists at LA/LB hold some level of certification that contributes to the overall productivity of the station. More specifically, of the 25 reservists at LA/LB, there are 12 boatcrew members, two coxswains, four boarding officers and three boarding team members.

During the two-week ADT period, both a boarding officer and a boarding team member received their oral boards, a panel of qualified personnel who tests the knowledge of the person seeking the qualification, and became certified. Other members were able to maintain their law enforcement qualifications by completing currency tasks with the help of their active duty counterparts.

Be relevant
Using certifications to perform missions allows Station LA/LB to remain mindful of Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz’s second guiding principal: be relevant. During their ADT, the station’s reservists completed 36 hours underway (10 of which were at night), 29 boardings (including 11 warnings, two violations and one voyage termination) one search and rescue case and executed a multi-agency security zone for Independence Day fireworks at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California. In concert with boats from the Los Angeles and Long Beach Police and Fire Departments, they created and held the security zone perimeter before, during and after the fireworks display. It required communication among the agencies’ assets and a clear understanding of expectations for the mission.

Be responsive
Knowing how to execute Coast Guard missions successfully helps us be responsive. On July 3, while underway on a training mission, a reserve boat crew spotted a sailboat nearing the rocks of the sea wall. As the sailboat began to slam against the rocks, the crew used their training to save the sailboat from any further damage, and they rescued the 81-year-old boat owner from potential injury.

Read more at Compass

Station Los Angeles/Long Beach Reservists Embrace Commandant’s Guiding Principles Homeland Security Today
Homeland Security Today
The Government Technology & Services Coalition's Homeland Security Today (HSToday) is the premier news and information resource for the homeland security community, dedicated to elevating the discussions and insights that can support a safe and secure nation. A non-profit magazine and media platform, HSToday provides readers with the whole story, placing facts and comments in context to inform debate and drive realistic solutions to some of the nation’s most vexing security challenges.
Homeland Security Today
Homeland Security Todayhttp://www.hstoday.us
The Government Technology & Services Coalition's Homeland Security Today (HSToday) is the premier news and information resource for the homeland security community, dedicated to elevating the discussions and insights that can support a safe and secure nation. A non-profit magazine and media platform, HSToday provides readers with the whole story, placing facts and comments in context to inform debate and drive realistic solutions to some of the nation’s most vexing security challenges.

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