SAN DIEGO – Larry Shushan, District 11SR, Flotilla 114-01-01, has earned the Jack Swartz Award for Operational Excellence. The award is handed out by the Joint Harbor Operations Center (JHOC) which operates within a secure center at Sector San Diego. JHOC is responsible for providing situational awareness, information management, and command and control of Coast Guard assets throughout its 4-state Area of Responsibility (AOR) including Southern California, Arizona, and southern portions of Nevada and Utah.

John “Jack” Swartz was a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Navy where he served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. On retiring, he became a charter member of the USCG Auxiliary, serving 28 years and logging over 40,000 hours underway patrolling San Diego waters. The award in his honor was established in 2007. It is handed out twice per year, and decided by nominations submitted and vetted by JHOC leadership.

Shushan is the first Auxiliarist in the history of the Swartz Award to earn it. He serves as a JHOC “Watchstander,” a critical communications function that coordinates the activities of several agencies: the Coast Guard, Harbor Police, California National Guard, Unified Port of San Diego, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, and the U.S. Navy.

As Watchstander, Shushan is stationed in the Communications Unit within JHOC, monitoring VHF Channel 16, and coordinating with agencies on other channels as needed. This may involve “command and control” communication with Coast Guard assets when they are underway, including helicopters, small surface vessels, and cutters. The Watchstander serves as “the voice of Coast Guard Sector San Diego” for mariners, Coast Guard assets, and cooperating agencies.

“Larry is a shining example of the value of the Coast Guard Auxiliary,” said Lt. Rene Maes, Sector Command Center Chief. “Auxiliarists know the local area and can provide the insight that those of us transferring in and out may not have. But more than this, Larry demonstrates that a volunteer force can bring the natural enthusiasm to do even the hardest job. The overarching lesson for me is, don’t hesitate to seek out assistance from the Auxiliary.”

“Being accepted into JHOC has proven to me that the Coast Guard walks the talk,” says Shushan. “We’ve all heard in the Auxiliary the rhetoric about being a force multiplier, and that we’re part of ‘Team Coast Guard.’ My experience proves they mean it quite literally.”

Shushan’s journey to join JHOC required a security clearance, which in itself demands no small measure of patience. The PQS included over 240 hours of study, and hundreds of tasks requiring check-off. This included 16 “break in” watches, a simulation test, and a Board oral exam with the Chief Petty Officer. Shushan finished the requirements in June 2023 and now stands watch in 12-hour shifts about 7 times per month, completing 50 watches so far. He commits nearly as many hours as his full-time active-duty counterparts, offering them valuable time for cross training to other specialties, or spending more time with family.

“We’d love to have more people the caliber of Larry Shushan in our bullpen,” said Maes. If you are an Auxiliarist interested to learn about the opportunity to work within JHOC, contact Larry Shushan at [email protected].