Reservist

ISS3 2017

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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M e 1 John s pada, s ector Boston, selected as 1st d istrict Reserve e nlisted p erson of the Year Petty Officer 1st Class John Spada has been a member of the Coast Guard since 2002, and entered the Reserve after 13 years of honorable service. He organized and led boarding team member (BTM) college for more than 20 BTMs and chaired several BTM member and Boarding Officer (BO) boards. In addition, he screened over 1,500 people on the Boston Harbor Ferry System and completed over 70 BO certified ashore missions. While assigned to Sector Boston's VBST, he was involved in numerous events of national significance including Fourth of July events and the 2016 Boston Marathon surge operations as a result of the Boston Marathon bombing. Spada is commended for volunteering to raise $3,000 for the family of a fallen law enforcement officer and donating food and school supplies to United Way to fill packs for kids in need. He is known for mentoring numerous Homeland Security Investigators on the many benefits of joining the Reserve, as well as providing ferry operational boating safety for locals in his community. Spada demonstrates true leadership, commitment and service to others in all of his actions. — Submitted by Master Chief Rashaun Morris Rear Adm. Steven d . Poulin, Commander, First Coast Guard d istrict, MCPO Jason d . Griffin, 1st d istrict Command Master Chief, and MCPO Rashaun R. Morris, 1st d istrict Reserve Command Master Chief recognize ME1 John Spada as the 2016 1st d istrict Reserve Enlisted Person of the Year. M k 1 v incent g . p etracco, s tation c ape May, selected as 5th d istrict Reserve e nlisted p erson of the Year Petty Officer 1st Class Vincent G. Petracco enlisted in the Coast Guard in April 2007, beginning his career on active duty career at Station Fort Pierce, Fla. Petracco is a Reserve duty section leader, and he has multiple collateral duties including reserve unit health promotion coordinator, reserve law enforcement petty officer, machinery technician (MK) professional development coach and assistant training petty officer. In addition, he served as the only Reserve MK professional development coach at Station Cape May, effectively developing junior members in the MK rating. He certified as Response Boat-Small-II (RB-S) crewmember and Response Boat-Medium (RB-M) engineer within five days during summer 2016, while mentoring four others members to complete their training within 10 days. In his free time, he obtained a bachelor's degree in health and physical education, graduating summa cum laude from Monmouth University, and is five short months from being awarded his doctorate in physical therapy from Rutgers University. Petracco was also awarded the Abdol H lslami, M.D., scholarship for exceptional students pursuing medicine or related fields; accepted for a prestigious clinical residency at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.; and achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.62 in his demanding doctoral program while still maintaining 100 percent Coast Guard readiness. Petracco upholds high physical fitness standards, completing his fifteenth triathlon and countless other road races. His service and commitment are demonstrated in and out of uniform: he engaged with local community members during Coast Guard Community Day at TRACEN Cape May, and he volunteered at the Global Ability Foundation's Rec Fest Philadelphia, where he helped coordinate events for individuals with disabilities. He epitomizes the highest degrees of the Coast Guard's core values of honor, respect and devotion to duty. — Compiled by Cadet 1/c Sydney Vignola MK1 Vincent Petracco, stands on the bow of CG-29293, Station Cape May's R-BS ii Issue 3 • 2017 � RESERVIST 17

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