ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Coast Guard 17th District 2013 Enlisted Petty Officer of the Year is Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Taylor, a Melrose, Fla., native serving as the engineering petty officer at Coast Guard Station Ketchikan, Alaska.
Taylor’s nomination came as a result of his outstanding work maintaining Station Ketchikan’s 47- and 25-foot smallboats and the time he has devoted to his shipmates and the community of Ketchikan.
“Petty Officer Taylor flawlessly manages his duties as the engineering petty officer,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Kevinn Smith, commanding officer, Station Ketchikan. “His work ensures Station Ketchikan has top performing assets able to respond to mariners in distress and he is fully engaged in the mentorship and care for his subordinates, better preparing the next generation of petty officers for leading in the Coast Guard.”
Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Taylor displays a commemorative plate given to him by the Armed Forces YMCA of Alaska during a ceremony honoring his nomination as the U.S. Coast Guard’s 17th District 2013 Enlisted Petty Officer of the Year in Anchorage, Alaska, Feb. 14, 2014. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Shawn Eggert.
Besides serving as co-chair of the Leadership Diversity Advisory Committee for all Ketchikan units, Taylor personally mentored 40 of his shipmates in physical fitness as Station Ketchikan’s unit health promotion coordinator, managed a five-day training period for 22 students of the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps and served as an active member of the Coast Guard Enlisted Association. However, Taylor’s time wasn’t solely devoted to aiding his shipmates.
“Petty Officer Taylor spends an enormous amount of time improving the community of Ketchikan through his many volunteer activities,” said Smith. “As an active member of many organizations, he leads by example and is truly leaving Ketchikan better than he found it.”
In addition to his many contributions to the Coast Guard, Taylor found time to join the Ketchikan Rotary and the South Tongass Volunteer Fire Department. His dedication to serving the community also inspired him to volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ketchikan and the Partnership in Education program. Taylor also organized several roadside cleanups, recovering 2,000 pounds of trash from the Ketchikan roadway.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be selected from among the many great Coast Guard men and women who serve in this challenging environment,” said Taylor. “I’m very lucky to serve alongside the outstanding crew at Station Ketchikan that has made this job so rewarding.”
