IMAGERY AVAILABLE: Coast Guard names Pacific Southwest active duty, reserve enlisted persons of the year

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 11th District Pacific Southwest Contact: 11th District Public Affairs Office: (510) 437-3325 After Hours: (510) 772-8865 11th District online newsroom

Coast Guard names Pacific Southwest active duty, reserve enlisted persons of the year

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ALAMEDA, Calif. — Two Pacific Southwest-based Coast Guard petty officers were chosen as the 2018 active-duty enlisted person of the year (EPOY) and reserve enlisted person of the year (REPOY) for the 11th Coast Guard District during a ceremony, Friday at Coast Guard Island in Alameda. 

Petty Officer 1st Class Jason McNally, a boatswain’s mate assigned to Coast Guard Station Bodega Bay, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Gould, a boatswain’s mate assigned to Port Security Unit 311 in Los Angeles, were selected as the EPOY and REPOY, respectively.

McNally is being recognized for championing the inaugural Bodega Bay-area search and rescue (SAR) council which brings together 20 agencies to discuss capabilities, communications and response posture. As a result of the SAR council, he organized two multi-agency search and rescue drills that created marked improvements in coordination and execution in life-saving response.

McNally also instructed a comprehensive boat crew member college that certified nine 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crewmembers in less than half the time usually required for similar instruction. McNally also supported his community in the wake of two massive wildfires, organizing a holiday toy drive providing gifts totaling over $500 to local children.

Gould is currently serving at Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where his leadership abilities have been instrumental in the success of the unit’s mission. He directly contributed to Port Security Unit 311’s operational readiness to deploy through his participation on the training team that certified nine crewmembers, 12 underway engineers, 16 tactical crewmembers and two tactical coxswains. Gould consistently volunteered to work on his days off, assuming extra patrols to cover for members who were on leave or conducting required training. 

The EPOY program recognizes exceptional, top-performing men and women in the Coast Guard’s enlisted workforce. These individuals are selected by a panel of senior enlisted members who evaluate each nominee against a set of established criteria that include performance, work ethic, military bearing, standards of conduct and a strong community-service commitment.

The regional winners are eligible for national honors along with their peers from other Coast Guard regions across the nation.

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