PORTLAND, Maine – Capt. James McPherson, commander Coast Guard Sector Northern New England, will present the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal to Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Michelle Ross, during a ceremony at Sector Northern New England Friday.
Ross is being recognized for her extensive contributions to the community through her volunteer work with the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) Strandings Program.
Since 2007, Ross has dedicated over 400 hours of personal time to assist the program in assisting stranded marine life, including sea turtles, porpoises, dolphins, seals and whales. These animals often suffer from injuries caused by propeller cuts, beaching, infections, and entanglements.
The DMR Strandings Program is part of the Protected Resources Division of DMR and is responsible for the protection, health, welfare, data collection, monitoring, and management of marine mammal strandings and the prevention of large whale entanglement and injury. Volunteers assist the program in responding to live or dead stranded marine life along the Maine Coast.
The Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal was created by Executive Order in 1993 and is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who demonstrate exemplary service to their local communities by dedicating significant personal time and effort toward volunteer work.
