Coast Guard

Senior Chief Damage Controlman (DCCS) Brad Thoma, is a recruiting scout and has been assigned to Navy Special Warfare/ Navy Special Operations (NSW/NSO) since 2021, which is when he started at Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Carolina. This is not his first time working alongside those who select the next generation of elite trained soldiers as he had five years’ experience working with Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT), which is a part of the Coast Guard.

DCCS Thoma is from Muskegon, Michigan, and has been in the military for 24 years and decided to step into the recruiting side to be closer to family.

“When I first got to Carlina, I wanted to make sure that I could support the command in its entirety” said Thoma. “It was brought to my attention that I could help out on the Navy Special Warfare/ Navy Special Operation (NSW/NSO) side of things, and I thought to myself, I love to work out, go high speed and push people to their full potential.”

When asked, what are some characteristics you look for when it comes to candidates for the warrior challenge, Thoma said, “A Navy Seal said it perfectly in a meeting that we had at North Carolina State, he said “the difference between being a seal and not being a seal is that he is a common man with an uncommon desire to succeed.” That is it in a nutshell. Of course, you must be physically and mentally fit.”

Before you can get a contract, you must pass the Physical Standards Test (PST), which the prerequisite to see if you have the basic endurance to take on the challenge. The PST consist of 500-yard combat side stroke, sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups and a mile and a half run, in which you must meet the required numbers. If you pass, you are then considered for a contract. “When you get a contract for the warrior challenge you must have a we not me mentality. The current dropout rate for NSW/NSO is 80% and in the year that I have been here, I have sent out 78 contracts and only had one person finish as a diver. I will get notified about more of them in the coming months” Said Thoma. “If you are not there for the right reasons or to work as a team, it will be difficult to make it out.”

“Whenever I start something, I want to be the best at it. This is the elite, and I want to find the elite and push them, so that they can get the contract that they desire. I wish the person that I am now, would have found the younger me. I know that my journey would have changed and that is what drives me every day. I set out to help those who want to achieve this goal.” Said Thoma.

JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team participated in a Joint Service Drill Exhibition at the National Mall in Washington DC, Oct. 19, 2022, marking the first “Drill Off” in ten years.

During this exhibition, the drill teams of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard competed for the most superlative display of precision, mastery, discipline and teamwork as they undertook simultaneous ceremonial maneuvers. Set against the backdrop of the Lincoln Memorial, these feats of military excellence made a striking impression on both cheering spectators and passers-by from places as far-flung as India and Australia. International tourists who came to sample the wartime speeches of the 16th American president were delighted to serendipitously encounter contemporary martial displays, as well.

Senior Master Sgt. Antonio Lofton, who led the USAF Drill Team Performance, reflected on his team’s work amid reactions from the public. “Today is the result of intense training not only over the last year, but over the last month,” he said. They came out to give a great show today, and that’s what they did. It feels great to be here, back with all the services, after the pandemic.”

Airman 1st Class Eyan Smith agreed. “Our main job is to recruit, retain and inspire. I joined the Air Force, following my sister’s example, and [I’ve learned that] excellence is a habit. It’s a lot of hard work; we came out and gave it all we’ve got. As a result, we get to inspire people both stateside and internationally.”

The U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team has returned from a tour of international military tattoos in Scotland and Switzerland over the summer. Previously the defending champions, they placed third in the Drill Exhibition, which was judged by the “service-agnostic” Capitol Hill Police Drill Team. The Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon won the competition. The next Drill Exhibition is tentatively scheduled for April 2023.

For more information about the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard, please visit: https://www.honorguard.af.mil/.

SANTA RITA, Guam — The Jose D. Leon Guerrero Commercial Port also known as the Port of Guam is among several Western Pacific entities receiving federal grant money through the 2022 Port Security Grant Program to ensure supply chain resiliency within Guam and the Mariana Islands.

Guam will receive $564,218 from the PSGP. The PSGP is one of four grant programs under the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency that focuses on strengthening the nation’s critical transportation security infrastructure.

 

The purpose of the PSGP is to provide the necessary funds for not only state partners but local, territorial, and private sector partners to enhance security measures and resilience to critical maritime infrastructure and build threat readiness.

 

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration also awarded Guam $5.7 million in grants under the America’s Marine Highway Program in early October. The Jose D. Leon Guerrero Commercial Port is Guam’s only deep-water port and receives about 90 percent of the island’s imports. It offers facilities and services to ships of all registries and is striving to develop into the world-class container terminal port of the Western Pacific Region.

“We’re excited for our partners at the Port of Guam, and these awards are very timely. The region we operate in is referred to as the Blue Pacific Continent, highlighting that the ocean connects hundreds of diverse communities,” said Capt. Nick Simmons, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia and the Captain of the Port. “The eyes of the world are focused on this region, and it has never been more obvious how vital our ports are to our way of life — our economic security and prosperity.”

The PSGP is vital to maintaining a modernized and secure port supporting the uninterrupted flow of commerce. Regional health, safety, and prosperity inextricably link to the maritime-enabled flow of goods and services, especially realized within the Pacific Islands. This program is one of the ways the U.S. Coast Guard works with private and public sector partners to secure the regional maritime transportation system from disruption, cyber-enabled or otherwise.

“October is cyber security awareness month which can sound vague but requires our attention. We must safeguard our critical infrastructure from all threats, including those in the digital domain. We are adding capacity here in the Sector, including a cyber security expert, capacity crucial to better supporting our regional partners,” said Simmons.

At the end of September, members from U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam, the Government of Guam, and industry partners conducted a successful annual full-scale maritime security training exercise at the port of Guam. This exercise prepares federal, territorial, and industry Area Maritime Security Committee partners to respond to security threats affecting Guam’s marine transportation system and surrounding critical infrastructure. The scenarios included:

• Simultaneous cyber incidents at several port facilities.

• Coordination of response efforts during an island-wide loss of communications.

• Simulated response to suspected terrorist activity.

• Changes to the maritime security level.

• Establishment of a Unified Command to manage the various response efforts.

“Recently, the Port invited us over to help celebrate their 47th anniversary,” said Simmons. “The main event was a coed team tractor-trailer pull for time. There were seven teams, and the Port Police took the first prize. What heartened me the most was to see our Coast Guard members step in to make a difference when a few teams needed another person. It reflects what we know is true out here, this thing only works if we come together as a team to pull it across the finish line.”

More information regarding the Port Security Grant Program, including who can apply, deadlines, and program requirements can be found through FEMA’s Grant webpage at Port Security Grant Program | FEMA.gov. Additionally, information regarding past PSGP grant recipients can be found on FEMA’s Grant Program Directorate Information Bulletin webpage at Grant Programs Directorate Information Bulletins | FEMA.gov.

For more U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam news, visit us on DVIDS or subscribe! You can also visit us on Facebook and Instagram @USCGForcesMicronesia or on Twitter @USCGFMSG.

-USCG-

KODIAK, Alaska – A Coast Guard Air Station Sitka aircrew rescued a man and his two dogs after his fishing vessel sank in Freshwater Bay, southeast of Hoonah, Alaska, on Wednesday.

The MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew retrieved the individual and his two dogs from shore and safely transported them to awaiting emergency medical services personnel in Juneau.

At 4:48 a.m., Coast Guard Sector Juneau Command Center watchstanders overheard a mayday call from a mariner, who stated that his vessel was going down in the vicinity of Freshwater Bay. The individual confirmed that he and his two dogs were the only ones aboard the vessel before transmission ceased. Coast Guard personnel from Station Juneau, Air Station Sitka and the Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Denman launched to respond to the incident.

Several vessels in the area heard the transmission and provided their antennae height and latitude and longitude coordinates to the Coast Guard crews, which were used to refine a search area.

The aircrew arrived on scene at 7:56 a.m. and easily located the individual on shore, who was found wearing a survival suit and signaling the helo with a flare.

“This demonstrates the importance of coordination and communication between our Coast Guard crews and the local Alaskan vessels who were able to assist us in locating and rescuing the mariner,” said Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Trevor Layman, a duty officer in the Sector Juneau Command Center. “The mariner was well prepared for an emergency and utilized a flare to direct us to his specific location. All these factors allowed us to do our job in an efficient manner to bring the man and his dogs safely home.”

The Bailey Bay, a 33-foot fiberglass fishing vessel, was located by the crew of the Douglas Denman, who arrived on scene and found it submerged. The Douglas Denman launched a small boat crew to inspect the wreckage and reported that the vessel was producing a small sheen.

The vessel reportedly has less than 75 gallons of diesel fuel onboard and is currently sunk in 30 feet of water with minimal sheening. The vessel owner plans to conduct salvage operations.

The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.