Reservist

ISS2 2015

Reservist Magazine is the award-winning official publication of the United States Coast Guard Reserve. Quarterly issues include news and feature articles about the men and women who comprise America's premier national maritime safety and security

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U.S. Coast Guard Reservist Becomes a U.S. Citizen Lt. Cmdr. Kevin M. Tyrrell, 1st District Public Affairs, Reserve Public Affairs Offcer On December 4, 2014, one of the newest members of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, Seaman Stiven Mesa, became a U.S. Citizen. He participated in a Naturalization Ceremony at Faneuil Hall, a building rich with American history located in the heart of Boston, Mass., and a fitting place to welcome the newest citizens of this country. In 2001, Mesa, then only ten years old, moved to the United States from Colombia with his brother and parents. In Colombia, Mesa's mother was a stay-at-home mom and his father worked for a successful graphic design and printing company. After visiting the United States on vacation, they realized that this country could offer many more opportunities than their homeland. While they were successful in Colombia, his parents moved here in the hopes of providing an even better future for their children. Mesa and his family are first generation immigrants and decided to settle in Boston. Mesa's father found work in the service industry to support the family. His mother continued her job as a stay-at-home mom, taking the time to teach herself English while raising her two boys. Mesa first became interested in the uniformed services while in high school. This is where he joined the U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC). After graduating from high school in 2008, Mesa attended a two year theology program, which was sponsored by the Sacred Heart Church in East Boston and paid for by the Archdiocese. After completing the theology program, Mesa worked as a live-in building superintendent in the North End of Boston, overseeing eleven buildings. He often passed by Coast Guard Sector Boston. Mesa said "passing by this Coast Guard base made me curious about what the Coast Guard does. After learning about their many missions, I started wondering how I could be a part of it." In 2011, Mesa was hired by Boston Centers for Youth and Families (BCYF), a department within the City of Boston, as a full time life guard and swim instructor. This new life saving job and his knowledge of the Coast Guard inspired him to find out more about the Reserve Program. Mesa said he wanted to do something that involved the disciplinary requirements of wearing a uniform and wanted to find a way to give thanks to the country that took him and his family in a decade prior. In 2014, after enlisting in the Reserve, Mesa started boot camp at the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, N.J. Mesa said that "boot camp was difficult, but looking back, it was a great experience." He said he is "thankful for being given the opportunity to join such a great organization." Mesa chose to become a yeoman because he feels he can contribute to the overall mission by understanding the inner workings of the Coast Guard and providing an essential service to his fellow Coast Guard shipmates. In the role of a yeoman, Mesa will be able to directly support Coast Guard members and their families, allowing those members to focus on their various missions to get the job done. He will attend the Coast Guard's eight week Yeoman 'A' School program during 2015. For many people, navigating all the steps it takes to become an U.S. citizen can be a daunting task. Mesa successfully accomplished this by setting clear goals and following through every step of the way. Becoming a U.S. citizen will certainly open doors for him and he hopes to eventually get a job in law enforcement. But for now he really enjoys his current position teaching kids to swim and protecting lives in Boston. Seaman Mesa takes great pride in his new citizenship and role as a member of the Coast Guard Reserve. "My family and I are so grateful for the opportunities this country has provided. It's terrific to be able to give something back." � Sometimes, he scrambles well over a hundred feet above deck. Future plans include a move from Central Florida to the Tampa Bay area where he hopes to become more involved with both active duty and Reserve units. Yet he knows he'll be most at home finding a niche that defines his greatest skill - the ability to impart knowledge to others "He's very, very intelligent and he's a good teacher," emphasized Lt. Cmdr. (ret.) Albert Daniels. "As far as teaching goes, he excelled almost instantly, and in a very efficient and effective way." Though accomplished and successful in his Auxiliary and civilian careers, Henkind remains humble, and even a bit modest. "It's an honor and a privilege to be able to serve in the Coast Guard," he said. "I hold it as a matter of pride that I do this," he said. � SN Mesa proudly displays his Citizenship Certifcate. Issue 2 • 2015 � RESERVIST 33

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