Rear Adm. Joel R. Whitehead, Commander Eighth Coast Guard District, presents the Eighth Coast Guard District Reserve Enlisted Person of the Year Award to Petty Officer 2nd Class Jose Garcia, in a ceremony held here today. U.S. Coast Guard photograph by Petty Officer 3rd Class Thomas M. Blue.
NEW ORLEANS – Coast Guard reservist Jose Garcia, a Brownsville, Texas, native, received the Eighth Coast Guard District Reserve Enlisted Person of the Year award, in a ceremony here today.
The REPOY program is designed to recognize exemplary men and women from the reserve enlisted work force from the rank of seaman apprentice through petty officer first class. Only those personnel who demonstrate sustained exceptional standards of proficiency and conduct, and whose military appearance and bearing are consistently impeccable, are nominated for this award.
Garcia, a port security specialist, is currently assigned to Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi, Texas. In the last year Garcia was a key member to the maritime safety of the area, which included conducting more than 289 high interest vessel (HIV) boardings, 89 certain dangerous cargo (CDC) vessel escorts and 13 military out load operations.
Garcia planned the CDC escorts and HIV boarding team drop offs and pick ups through other Coast Guard assets. He also conducted 75 dockside security patrols throughout his area of responsibility to ensure security for the MOL operations many of which were at night and weekends. In addition, Garcia conducted 83 HIV security boardings at all hours of the day and in various weather conditions, some of which required his vertical delivery qualification to deploy to vessels from an HH-65C rescue helicopter when weather restricted small boat operations.
As a Spanish translator, Garcia, often used his skills to translate during boardings, a valuable asset in facilitating communications between the boarding team and vessel’s crews.
Garcia volunteered his personal time to take part in “A salute to the military” ceremonies at Sea World in San Antonio, in a multi-service presentation. He also created job aids to assist other reservists in carrying out their duties more efficiently improving their performance.
As an active member in his Church in Brownsville he regularly participates in various church and community outreach programs. He also participated in flag raising and other military related events at his children’s schools. In addition, he helped plan bi-weekly morale events for his shipmates who were on active duty in Corpus Christi and separated from their homes and families.
BRAVO ZULU Petty Officer Garcia. The Coast Guard family is lucky to have you as a member.
