On Monday afternoon I had the privilege of presenting the 2010 Inspirational Leadership Awards and recognizing our two Elite Athletes of the Year in an outstanding ceremony at Coast Guard Headquarters. These distinguished women and men set a high standard for excellence and serve as an example for all. I enjoyed the opportunity to congratulate each of them and meet their family and friends. I encourage everyone to take a minute to consider their remarkable performance:
Elite Athletes of the Year:
LT Allison Middleton from Training Center Yorktown, Virginia, distinguished herself by participating in the All-Armed Forces Softball Championship and was selected as the first Coast Guard member to participate in the All-Tournament USA Armed Forces Women’s softball team, placing second nationally at the Amateur Softball Association of America Championship. She maintained an amazing .575 batting average and an outstanding fielding average.
MST2 Peter Calori from Sector Guam distinguished himself by winning the gold medal in Guam’s 2009 Outrigger Canoe Long Distance Race in the Iron Man Division over a distance of 27 miles, and won first place in the Men’s Open Long Distance Offshore Race in Micronesia. These milestones earned his selection to the Guam National Outrigger Paddling Team and a spot in the 2010 South Pacific Games.
Inspirational Leadership Awards:
Mr. James McReynolds, Commander of Flotilla 37 in Biloxi and Ocean Springs, Mississippi, was awarded the Commodore Charles S. Greanoff Inspirational Leadership Award as an outstanding leader from our Auxiliary workforce. Upon election as Flotilla Commander, he set an unparalleled pace to rejuvenate a flotilla that had minimal membership and was on the brink of disestablishment due to the tremendous losses from Hurricane Katrina. Initiating a highly successful outreach and recruiting campaign, he led the steady revitalization of the Flotilla, established training programs to rapidly qualify Auxiliarists and nearly doubled Flotilla membership in less than a year.
Mr. Jerome Popiel of the Ninth Coast Guard District in Cleveland, OH, was awarded the George R. Putnam Inspirational Leadership Award as an outstanding leader from our civilian workforce. Ascending to the position of Ninth District Incident Management Branch Chief, an unexpected vacancy of an O-6 billet, he demonstrated extraordinary program management, leadership, and judgment. He bolstered the District Command Center training program for efficient and methodical qualification of duty officers during a critical period of high turn-over. He personally mentored every new member through the qualification process. His personal commitment and professionalism won command recognition for national best practices and inspired his subordinates, peers and superiors.
MKC Michael Petras of CGC VALIANT was awarded the Master Chief Angela McShan Inspirational Leadership Award as an outstanding leader from our Chief Petty Officer workforce. His expertise and professionalism aboard VALIANT were instrumental in executing the cutter’s critical training programs to respond to any contingency. During a multi-day search for survivors from a wrecked Haitian sail freighter, MKC Petras volunteered to relieve fatigued boat crew members and to recover the remains of several Haitians so they could be returned home. Demonstrating extraordinary leadership and strong moral character, Chief Petras embodied the Guardian ethos which inspired his subordinates to pursue continued education, advancement, and continued sea duty.
CDR Diane Durham, Commanding Officer of CGC FORWARD, was awarded the Captain John G. Witherspoon Inspirational Leadership Award as an outstanding leader from our officer workforce. CDR Durham created a command climate that fostered success by encouraging shipmates to be prepared, exceed standards, and continually improve. Demonstrating strong leadership, she inspired her crew to perform and excel through one of the most challenging years in the cutter's history; a year marked by providing care, comfort and support during the stressful challenge of a shipmate's serious illness, a rewarding rescue that saved the lives of three mariners, and critical cooperation with Panama to build partnerships and improve mission execution for drug interdiction. In January, 2010, CDR Durham led FORWARD as the first cutter on scene following the devastating earthquake in Haiti.
Congratulations to all of the awardees. Each exemplifies the Coast Guard's Core Values of Honor, Respect and Devotion to Duty!
Semper Paratus,
VADM David Pekoske
