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
Issue link: https://uscgreservist.epubxp.com/i/386902
Reserve Junior offcer and CWo Award Winners Share a Common Trait Story by PA1 Jennifer Johnson, 7th District Public Affairs Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville captured the spotlight for the 7th District when the 2013 Reserve Junior Officer of the Year and Chief Warrant Officer Michael J. Novosel awards were presented. When two members from the Prevention Department were recognized for their dedication and service, it was also clear they share a common trait. Lt. Cmdr. Christy Curry and Chief Warrant Officer Dean Bunk were recently commended for their distinguished professional accomplishments. The duo agrees the most important portions of their jobs are taking care of their people and being ready to respond wherever the Coast Guard Reserve may need them. Curry said she has also learned taking care of her crew is vitally important and hopes to pass that concept along to members coming up through the ranks. "Take care of your people and be proactive in knowing your profession and managing your own career," she said, adding a bit more advice. "Seek the hard jobs and do them well," she said. Bunk concurs. "I feel exceptionally lucky," he said. "I had leaders concerned about me, my life, and they guided me and I want to share that with them [junior members] now." Curry entered Officer Candidate School in 2003 after graduating from California State University Fullerton, transitioning to the Reserve in 2008. Now a full-time mother of two she relishes her job as the Prevention Reserve Deputy saying it is a tremendous honor to receive the award working alongside her stellar colleagues at Sector Jacksonville. "The Reserve has given me the freedom to focus on my family, raise my kids and have a successful career," she said. In the award Curry was singled out for her dedication to others, spearheading an aggressive campaign to qualify 26 enlisted reservists as pollution responders and container inspectors, and completed this daunting task within one year. By developing a college-type learning structure for her crew, she allowed them to earn their competency qualification quickly, becoming critical resources to their active duty counterparts. They are capable of mobilizing at a moment's notice, she said. Bunk, a firefighter and paramedic with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, transitioned from being a Navy corpsman to the Coast Guard Reserve in 1997. He said he wanted to do something outside his usual line of work. Despite the long hours, Bunk said his drill weekends are fun. "I love being with the people I work with and love serving my country." Among his numerous other achievements, Bunk is most noted for his persistent pursuit of professional development for his crew. During the past year, he developed a job-specific training program resulting in 75 percent of his team earning the qualification of Prevention Duty Officer. In addition, he continually updates the Reserve training plan and standard operating procedure guide in order to accelerate crew competency fulfillment and readiness for deployment. Curry and Bunk are more motivated than ever, continuing to plan Facility Inspector College and Container Training and Assistance Team (CITAT) programs, attain their personal lifelong learning goals and continuing their commitment to community involvement. � aBoVe: 2013 Coast guard Reserve Junior offcer of the Year Lt. Cmdr. Christy Curry and her family. BeLoW: CWo dean Bunk, 2013 Coast guard Reserve Chief Warrant offcer of the Year and Coast guard nominee for the CWo Michael J. novosel award.