Sector Ohio Valley. Newsletter. From the Sector Commander

Transcription

1 Sector Ohio Valley U N I T E D S T A T E S C O A S T G U A R D I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : Newsletter V O L U M E 1, I S S U E 3 F A L L Chief s Indoc 2 From the Sector Commander Change of Command 4 Apex Change of Command 5 Cinci Aux 6 Feds Feed Families 2015 LE Training and Dragon Boats Meet your teammates Health and Wellness Nashville training and Chena crew Greetings from Louisville! It s been another challenging and busy marine event season throughout Sector Ohio Valley. I would like to extend a special thanks, and appreciation to those of you who played a part in making the MLB All-Star Game and Riverfest in Cincinnati safe and secure events. Each of these events required extensive planning, exceptional execution and cooperation at the local, state and federal level. We realize the impact that river closures and marine events can have on commercial traffic. We balance a number of competing interests to ensure safety and security while minimizing unnecessary impact to waterway users. We also aim to inform you early and often when waterway impacts will occur. To that end, we will be publishing a list of marine events on our homep o r t s i t e h t t p s : / / homeport.uscg.mil. I encourage you to access this site and check it frequently throughout the marine event season. I also encourage you to participate in the rule making process. Every time a new safety or security zone is established, it is published in the federal register. Any member of the public may submit comments about a federal rule-making. If you have feedback, please let us know, and if you would like to publish a comment in the federal register, we can help facilitate that as well. Our Planning Department has just finished updating the Waterways Action Plan! Thank you to those of you who reviewed and provided feedback during this plan update. We received a number of fruitful and substantive comments. We were pleased to host the Eighth District Commander, Rear Admiral David Callahan in Louisville and Cincinnati at the end of October. Many thanks to the Louisville Propeller club for hosting the Admiral and providing him the opportunity to address a wide range of maritime representatives and port partners. He heard your concerns about the availability of ATON and the age of the inland river bouy tender fleet loud and clear. He is documenting these needs and is taking steps to document the need for ensuring funding for these important programs in a challenging federal budget cycle. Finally, I m pleased to announce that we ll be hosting an Industry Day here in Louisville on January 27, I hope to see you then. This Newsletter contains just a snapshot of some of the great work happening by the Coast Guard men and woman that make up Sector Ohio Valley. From Pittsburgh to Chattanooga to Paducah and along the banks of the Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland and Mississippi Rivers, we strive to serve with and alongside each of you. Thank you for your support. Semper Paratus. ~CAPT Richard Timme To ensure that this newsletter continues to serve your needs, we welcome feedback. You can the coordinator at: Chad.a.yeamans@uscg.mil

2 P A G E 2 Welcome, Chief! Chief s Call to Indoctrination Traditions are a custom or belief that is a longestablished action or pattern of behavior in a community or group of people, often one that has been handed down from generation to generation. As with many fabled professions, going to sea is steeped in history and nautical traditions. One long standing tradition that is practiced yearly after advancement to the pay grade of E7 or Chief Petty Officer, is our Chief s Call to Indoctrination (CCTI). The modernized CCTI is a relevant professional development process that encourages leadership and networking. The CCTI has an established Professional Qualification Standard (PQS) that requires completion exemplifying the need to be not only a technical expert in specialty knowledge, but how to successfully achieve positive unit cohesion. Working on a diverse team with different skill sets, leadership qualities, and conquering geographic boundaries are some of the obstacles in completing the PQS. Many of the objectives that Prospective Chief Petty Officer s are tasked with are designed to focus on multi-tasking, remembering your humble beginnings, and understanding that all obstacles should be viewed as opportunity. The relationship between junior Officer and Chief is also forged as each prospective Chief Petty Officer requests an officer to work thru portions of the process as a part of team building exercises and community outreach. This partnership strengthens the chain of command and builds a long lasting cohesion among the participants. Another key component to this tradition is the CPO Charge Book and its history. During World War II, Commanding Officers were authorized to advance and promote deserving and qualified sailors to the highest enlisted rate of Chief Petty Officer. The determination of deserving and qualified could be difficult for the Commanding Officer. The situation also presented challenges to the sailor who aspired to attain the CPO rate. How best to prepare? How to plan and track preparation? How to best display your qualifications? From these dilemmas sprang the original charge books.

3 Chief s Call to Indoctrination Cont... Ships professional libraries were generally nonexistent or poorly stocked and much had to be learned directly from conversations with the previous Chiefs themselves and taken down to be studied later. In addition to the technical aspects of the various enlisted ratings, Chief Petty Officers also talked to the junior members about leadership, accountability, supporting the chain of command, and other professional subject matter often using personal experiences to illustrate how something should, or should not be done. The collection of notes and study material eventually came to be called by some a Charge Book perhaps because the Petty Officers who kept them were their charges; entrusted to their care for professional development or perhaps because the entries included charges (authoritative instructions or tasking of a directive nature). Today's Charge Book then is a great tradition that has its roots in a magnificent period of our history. The Chiefs have preserved it and have returned it to its original purpose. Today's Charge Book is not entertainment nor a vessel for hazing. It is a valid and valuable learning tool. It is treated with respect and as a badge of honor by all concerned. When CPO Indoctrination season is over, it becomes a treasured keepsake and the repository for the accumulation of the most precious career photos and mementos. At the conclusion of the eight week process is the pinning ceremony. It s a formal affair with a dinner and a guest speaker where family is encouraged to attend. The new CPO s will have a significant influential person in their life pin a salty anchor on one collar, that was donated by previously indoctrinated Chief s, and one new anchor on the other collar. The ceremony also recognizes the commitment of family member s who have shared their Chief with the service for years leading up to this milestone. In closing I offer the current Master Chief of the Coast Guards own words: The fact of the matter is that the CCTI is a traditional rites of passage process that is sanctioned by the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard and the Commandant, and in most arenas it is an encouraged event. MCPO Steve Cantrell

4 V O L U M E 1, I S S U E 3 New Commanding Officer in Pittsburgh! P A G E 4 From Left to Right: CDR Leon McClain, CAPT Richard Timme, CDR Lindsay Weaver On Monday, July 20, 2015, Commander Lindsay Weaver-Marcenelle successfully completed her three-year tour as Commanding Officer of Marine Safety Unit Pittsburgh and transferred command to Commander Leon McClain Jr. The ceremonial Change of Command occurred at the Heinz History Center on Monday July 20 and served to formally recognize Commander Weaver-Marcenelle for her accomplishments as Captain of the Port Pittsburgh, as well as to welcome Commander McClain as the new Commanding Officer. Commander Weaver-Marcenelle also celebrated her retirement after 25 years of dedicated service to the U.S. Coast Guard. Commander McClain makes his way to Pittsburgh bringing with him an extensive background in Marine Safety. He reports to Marine Safety Unit Pittsburgh from the Coast Guard Personnel Service Center s Officer Personnel Management Division in Arlington, Virginia where he served as a Marine Safety Assignment Officer in Washington D.C. Prior to this assignment, Commander McClain served as the Executive Officer of Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles from

5 P A G E 5 Collision on the Mississippi On the night of September 2, 2015, Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley received notification of a collision between two towboats at mile marker 937 Lower Mississippi River near Columbus, Kentucky. MSU Paducah immediately dispatched two sets of Incident Investigators, Barge Inspectors, and a Pollution Responder to the scene, and closed the river to all traffic. The collision damaged three hazardous cargo barges, including the catastrophic failure of a starboard cargo tank on the APEX3508, allowing approximately 120,588 gallons of clarified slurry oil to enter the water. Information provided on the Material Safety Data Sheet indicated that the clarified slurry oil had a specific gravity typically known to sink in fresh water. The unified command (USCG MSU Paducah, Inland Marine and the Commonwealth of Kentucky) established the Incident Command Post at the Paducah Convention Center. Lack of adequate meeting facilities, cell phone reception, hotel facilities, and access to internet made establishment near the scene difficult. By the evening of September 3 rd, Coast Guard assistance arrived in the format of IMAT staff, Atlantic and Gulf Strike team members, and many Coast Guard personnel from throughout Sector Ohio Valley. The damaged APEX 3508 with boom deployed On-scene responders found only light oil sheen and no shoreline impacts. With the assistance of McCracken County, Kentucky and the City of Metropolis side scan sonar boats, two anomalies were identified towards the left descending bank near the crash site. On-site testing confirmed the presence of oil. Once the determination was made that the product was unlikely to be affected by passing traffic, the river was reopened on the evening of September 4th under the guidance of a Maritime Transportation System Recovery expert, headed by a towing vessel industry representative. The unified command, in consultation with the invaluable NOAA scientific support coordinator and technical specialists, approved removal of the product from the river by environmental clam shell. The sophisticated dredging equipment allowed precise removal material to a depth of 6 inches from a specifically tracked position in accordance with geographical grids laid out by the technical specialists. Recovery operations commenced September 14 th and concluded September 25 th, recovering approximately 3,392 tons of dewatered oily sediment. The incident is classified as a Major Inland Spill and Major Marine Casualty and is under investigation by Coast Guard investigators and the National Transportation Safety Board. S E C T O R O H I O V A L L E Y

6 V O L U M E 1, I S S U E 3 P A G E 6 Auxiliary in the Spotlight for MSD Cincinnati At MSD Cincinnati, the U.S. Coast Guard is fortunate to have a special group of highly motivated, intelligent, and passionate members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. On any given day, you will find a Coast Guard Auxiliarist digging deep into the regulations and training to assist active personnel conduct pollution responses, vessel inspections, or diligently gearing up for a boat patrol on the Ohio River. Over the last year alone, two Cincinnati Auxiliarists obtained the Assistant T-Boat Examiner qualification. Two other Auxiliarists qualified as Auxiliary Assistant Facility Inspectors, and seven members qualified as Auxiliary Assistant Uninspected Towing Vessel Examiners. When asked why he continues to pursue qualifications in the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Mr. Robert Clancy said, I continue showing up because at the end of the day I always feel I ve made a real impact on something. And a fellow Auxiliarist, Mr. LaRue Turner added, I wanted to be a part of something, and I knew I couldn t do that without putting in the hours. Both Auxiliary members are fine examples and have truly fostered a strong relationship amongst the Auxiliary and Active Duty forces at MSD Cincinnati. The expertise of the Auxiliary does not end at inspections and river patrols. The Auxiliary assists MSD Cincinnati during large marine events such as the recent MLB All-Star Game and the WEBN Riverfest. During each event, the Auxiliary teamed up with active duty, reserve and local agencies to ensure the safety and security of the public, the environment, and maritime infrastructure by providing additional assets and resources on the water and monitoring port camera systems and radio communications. Coast Guard Auxiliary personnel essentially double MSD Cincinnati s capability and capacity. The Coast Guard Auxiliary at MSD Cincinnati have set high expectations for mission support in a wide variety of Coast Guard mission areas. They reflect the Coast Guard s core values of honor, respect and devotion to duty well. Bravo Zulu for donating your time, energy and talent so well. Thank you. CG Auxiliarist LaRue Turner working alongside CWO Kevin Cador of MSD Cincinnati

7 P A G E 7 Feds Feed Families 2015 From left to right: YN2 Kyle Vrabel, MST3 Maciej Tarnawski, MST1 Terence LaFollette, MST3 Adam Krukowski The U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Huntington participated in the 2015 Feds Feed Families Food Drive, part of the Presidential initiative United We Serve, which encourages federal agencies to participate in local community service activities. The food drive was organized by and amongst the unit; who wanted to help the community in any way they could! Petty Officer 3 rd class Maciej Tarnawski, along with three other Petty Officers, were eager to drop off the donations at the local Facing Hunger Foodbank. The unit donated 609 pounds to be distributed amongst the Foodbanks 17 country service area. Their donation will supply 508 meals throughout West Virginia, where nearly 1 in 6 individuals struggle with hunger on a daily basis. Food insecurity has many different faces but having donations given by local community members greatly help alleviate the struggle for those who may need a helping hand. When food can be supplied, individuals may be able to thrive in areas that were once difficult. Facing Hunger Foodbank is thankful for the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit s generous donation. S E C T O R O H I O V A L L E Y

8 P A G E 8 Puddle Pirates at Paducah Dragon Boat Races On September 19, 2015 seventeen members and family of MSU Paducah, team name Puddle Pirates, crewed a 41- foot long dragon boat for the fourth annual Dragon Boat Festival on the Paducah waterfront. A total of twenty-five teams raced in heats of three teams each. Each boat carried sixteen paddlers with a team drummer in front whose job was to keep the team in sync. To ensure safety and avoid collisions the race organizers provide a professional steersman to guide the boat. MSU Paducah s first two heat race times earned them a spot in a third heat, where they were narrowly edged out for a trophy by The Mighty Mariners, a team crewed by AEP River Operations. MSU Paducah s overall rank at the end of the day was eighth place, a respectable standing for the first-time participants. Crews from four Division Eight Auxiliary platforms and the unit s 25 foot RB-S provided safety zone enforcement and moral support for the paddlers. Training Law Enforcement for the Next Generation On Wednesday, October 7 th, 2015 Coast Guard MSU Huntington joined area law enforcement, intelligence and facility security officers in a special training event sponsored by the West Virginia National Guard, the West Virginia Sheriff s Association, and the West Virginia Chiefs of Police Association. The Next Generation series provided enhanced training, focus and discussion on national security threats, regional intelligence sharing practices and cooperative industry and government agency efforts to help identify, report and investigate suspicious and criminal activities in the area. The featured presenter, Mr. David Morton, is a national level speaker and authority on the very popular and controversial subject of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Drones). West Virginia State Police Sergeant Jim Light provided a demonstration and highlighted a new officer safety feature of the West Virginia Intelligence Exchange (WVIX) database system. Additionally, Captain Bill Walker, Director of the West Virginia National Guard J-2 Intelligence Unit presented enhanced training on the potential for intelligence gathering using social media outlets. A panel of representatives from the Homeland Security Investigations branch of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Postal Service was convened for a question and answer session which covered a broad range of national and regional security topics. S E C T O R O H I O V A L L E Y

9 V O L U M E 1, I S S U E 3 Meet your teammates from MSD Cincinnati!!! P A G E 9 MSTC Dustin Fitzgerald Dustin Fitzgerald was born in New Albany, IN and grew up in Louisville, KY. Dustin enlisted in the Coast Guard in June His first assignment was to the CGC JARVIS in Honolulu, HI, where he had a short five month stint before receiving orders to MST A-School. After graduating, he went to the Gulf Strike Team where he spent four and half years responding to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ike, and Gustav and many oil discharges and hazardous material releases. Three years later he went to Sector New Orleans IMD as a First Class. Once he made MSTC in 2015, he was transferred to MSD Cincinnati. 1) Describe yourself in 3 words. A Human Being 2) Married? Children? No, No 3) What is your favorite food? I can t say no to pizza 4) TV show you can t miss? Game of Thrones 5) Best advice you ve ever gotten? Tomorrow is a new day 6) What is your dream CG job? Activities Europe MST2 Gregory Spring Gregory Spring was born in Glendale, Arizona. He has been active duty in the Coast Guard for over 9 years. He was previously stationed at Sector Mobile in Alabama, and before that at Sector San Juan in Puerto Rico. Greg is married with two small children at home. Most recently, Greg graduated college with a degree in Criminal Justice. Greg enjoys doing everything outdoors on the weekends. 1) Describe yourself in 3 words. Quiet, Loving, Father 2) Married? Children? Yes, Yes; 2 kids 3 and 1.5 3) What is your favorite food? Spicy food 4) TV show you can t miss? The Walking Dead 5) Best advice you ve ever gotten? Never let anyone tell you that you cant do something. 6) What is your dream CG job? Port State Control in Hawaii/Alaska

10 P A G E 10 Health and Wellness ME1 Fischer Going the Distance! ME1 Frank Fisher is one of Sector Ohio Valley s most active and prolific athletes. This year, his 2015 race season started in August when he traveled to Boulder, Colorado for the Ironman Boulder Triathlon. The race is nestled at the foot of the Flatirons in the Rocky Mountains and consists of pronounced climbs, two 40-mile loops along the Boulder Creek Trail and finishes in downtown Boulder. It was an incredible yet imposing experience and ME1 did not get the results he was looking for. A combination of heat and high altitude took its toll, and he had to spend some time in the medical tent after transition 2. But ME1 grit his teeth and was able to finish the race regardless! His next race was the Road Home Half-Marathon. He finished 3rd overall with a time of 1:27:34. A few weeks later he finished 3rd overall again in the Adam s Mill Covered Bridge Half-Marathon in Indiana. He then competed in the Ironman Louisville Triathlon. He adjusted his strategy this time, and by going more conservative on the bike portion was able to finish the marathon strong with an overall time of 11 hours and 3 minutes. Awesome! But ME1 wasn t done yet. A marathon the week after Ironman was maybe not the smartest thing I ve ever done, ME1 said during an interview. He ran the Oklahoma City Marathon with a friend in just under 4 hours on October 18, exactly 1 week after completing Ironman Louisville! He took 2 weeks off and was ready to compete again, traveling to Lake Havasu, Arizona for the Half- Ironman Triathlon where he finished 2nd overall! ME1 ran one more time on November 14, enduring the Rough Trail Ultra marathon, where he once again defied the odds by completing the 31 mile run with a 6000 ft elevation gain in 6 hours and 41 minutes! Congratulations to ME1 Fisher on his incredible achievements and good luck next year! MSU Huntington members run the Marshall Half Marathon! Congratulations to LT Colleen Smith and MK2 Jason Thorne for finishing the Marshall University Half- Marathon on November 1st, Known for being flat and fast, the organizers for the Marshall University s Marathon/Half-Marathon refer to the race as being the perfect qualifier for the Boston Marathon. Starting at the University s Cam Henderson Center, the race is mainly on the city s streets with a few gentle hills. The runners pass through downtown Huntington, including Harris Riverfront Park and the Memorial Arch. In tribute to the football team, the course finishes at the Thunder Herd s goal line of Marshall s Joan C. Edwards Stadium where runners carry a football the last 100 yards!

11 V O L U M E 1, I S S U E 1 P A G E 11 MSD Nashville conducts Waterways Management Training With an AOR of almost 1,000 river miles, MSD Nashville regularly partners with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Nashville District and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to jointly address waterway management issues and events on the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers. In most inland river zones, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manage both the locks and dams, including everything from vessel traffic to the amount of flow through the dam. However, on the Tennessee River TVA controls the river flow and the USACE manages the locks. This slight but significant difference means that in times of high/low water or in emergency response, we must ensure that both agencies are involved in all the decisions. Not long ago the Coast Guard recognized the significant value of Waterways Management skills and created the Waterways Management C-school to assist in the development, proficiency and effectiveness of members in waterways management billets. Like many units, MSD Nashville lacks a waterways management billet, yet annually the crew processes around 70 marine events, 17 of which require a complete river closure and significant coordination with the sponsors, the state, county and local law enforcement as well as one of four Coast Guard Auxiliary Divisions. Seasonally, the MSD receives requests for everything from the simplest waterway closure for a fireworks show to large, multi-faceted events like two IRONMAN triathlons which involve everything from inspected passenger vessels, paddlers, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and commercial industry support. These events run from early April until November, and include thousands of swimmers, rowers, and boats throughout the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. MSD Nashville continuously trains its members to be able to receive, process, and plan Coast Guard actions necessary to facilitate these events safely. MSD Nashville visited Old Hickory Lock and Dam to learn more about their operations and develop a better relationship with USACE/TVA for future river closures and marine events. From the Cutter Fleet. On Thursday November 5th, crewmembers of the CGC CHENA were honored at the annual Hickman Chamber of Commerce dinner. The Coast Guard received honorable mention as Business of the Year for volunteer work in the local community. Those in attendance were Chief Brodeur, SN Vaughan, SN Donahue, SN Patrick, and Chief Stott The crew of the CHENA remains an active positive influence within Hickman, KY and the surrounding communities year round. Members from CHENA also attended a Veteran s Day program at Lake Road Elementary, where they had breakfast with the kids and were recognized during the ceremony.

12 Contacts Sector Ohio Valley Command Center 600 Martin Luther King Jr Pl RM 409-D Emergency: Louisville, KY FAX: Main: (502) Command Duty Officer FAX: (502) Cell: Prevention Dept Head CDR Molly Wike Response Dept Head CDR Chris Williammee Logistics Dept Head LCDR Jason Dunn Senior Reserve Officer CDR Chris Phelan Planning Chief LCDR Lyle Kessler Intelligence Officer Mr. Darrell Eaton Command Center Chief LT Chris Pince Marine Safety Unit Pittsburgh 1041 Washington Pike Ste 300, Bridgeville, PA Commanding Officer CDR Leon McClain Executive Officer LCDR Patrick Burkett Duty Officer FAX Marine Safety Unit Huntington 95 Peyton St, Barboursville, WV Commanding Officer CDR Tanya Giles Executive Officer LCDR Robert Webb Duty Officer FAX Marine Safety Unit Paducah 225 Tully St, Paducah KY Commanding Officer CDR Mark Sawyer Executive Officer LCDR Heather Stratton Duty Officer FAX To report oil spills, hazardous material releases or suspicious activities, call the National Response Center: at (800) Commander CAPT Richard Timme Deputy Commander CDR Eric Denley Command Senior Chief OSCS Chris Burkhart Marine Safety Detachment Cincinnati Supervisor LT Kelley Edwards Duty Officer FAX: Marine Safety Detachment Nashville Supervisor LCDR Douglas Salik Duty Officer FAX USCGC CHENA (WLR-75409) 503 Hall St, Hickman KY Officer In Charge BMCM Rob Harlacher FAX USCGC CHIPPEWA (WLR-75404) 700 Coast Guard Rd, Buchanan TN Officer In Charge BMCM Charles Carter FAX USCGC CIMMARON (WLR-65502) 700 Coast Guard Rd, Buchanan TN Officer In Charge BMCS John Williams FAX USCGC OBION (WLR-65503) 201 Coast Guard Lane, Owensboro KY Officer In Charge BMCM Joshua Goldman FAX USCGC OSAGE (WLR-65505) 300 McKown Lane, Sewickley PA Officer In Charge BMCS Robert McQueary FAX USCGC OUACHITA (WLR-65501) 3551 Old Harrison Pike, Chattanooga TN Officer In Charge BMCS Sean McMahon FAX