From coast to coast, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliarists are forgoing their traditional seasonal festivities to help bring a bit of holiday joy to the men and women of the Armed Forces.
At Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, in Florida, members of Flotilla 11-1 are standing watch. Chick and Dee Svoboda are members of the USCG Auxiliary Aviation wing. They are standing by to perform search and rescue, logistical flights and any other duties that need to be done. Last year, the Svobodas were called upon to make fly to the Caribbean to deliver urgently needed parts to a Coast Guard unit.
The Auxiliary’s District 5NR (which covers eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and the entire state of Delaware) launched "Operation Phone Home, providing more than 60,000 minutes for U.S. Coast Guard personnel stationed overseas.
The campaign was inaugurated by then District Commodore Eugene Bentley, of Newton Square, Pennsylvania, who learned of a similar campaign in District 7 in the Southern states. As a former soldier, Bentley says he is very much aware of the plight of our Coast Guard personnel and others now serving in a harm’s way.
"This is something valuable to the well being of our Coast Guardsman away from home, this is a great way to say thank you," said the Commodore. Bentley asked District Rear Commodore RCO Mel Borofsky of Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey to coordinate the program.
Borofsky says other Auxiliarists also recalled their own experiences of standing in line near the front lines or onboard ships to make a brief holiday call home during their own military service decades ago.
A goal of $1,500 was established and more than triple that amount was raised from Auxiliary members in the District to purchase phone cards through the Coast Guard Exchange. They were then shipped to Coast Guard personnel via the supply center in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
"We couldn’t bring all of them home for the holidays, but this is pretty close," said Auxiliarist Mickey deFerrari of Lanoka Harbor, N.J.
In Bradeton, Florida Flotilla 81 was able to purchase phone cards totaling over 3,300 minutes.
At Coast Guard Station Brunswick, in Georgia, the 15 Auxiliary families of Flotilla 10-10 prepared Christmas dinner. The families brought all the fixings: turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, casseroles, mashed potatoes, vegetables, pies, and cakes so that those on and off duty, as well as their families, who are stationed there could have a feast.
Many flotillas around the country, such as Flotilla 13-04 in the Southern California region, participate in Toys for Tots. As in past years, they have delivered toys to the children of the men and women stationed at the Coast Guard base in San Pedro.
The Auxiliary is the civilian component of Coast Guard Forces. Founded in 1939 by an Act of Congress as the US Coast Guard Reserves and re-designated the Auxiliary in 1941. The 38,000 volunteer members donate thousands of hours in support of Coast Guard missions.
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is composed of uniformed, non-military volunteer civilians who assist the Coast Guard in all of its varied missions, except for military and direct law enforcement. These men and women can be found on the nation's waterways, in the air, in classrooms and on the dock, performing Maritime Domain Awareness patrols, safety patrols, vessel safety checks and public education.
