ALCOAST 122/19 - APR 2019 2018 CDR RAY EVANS OUTSTANDING COXSWAIN TROPHY ANNOUNCEMENT

united states coast guard

R 160714 APR 19
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-7//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS//N01650//
ALCOAST 122/19
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ: 2018 CDR RAY EVANS OUTSTANDING COXSWAIN TROPHY ANNOUNCEMENT
1. I am pleased to announce BM2 Eric Thornton of Station Barnegat Light as the
winner of the 2018 CDR Ray Evans Outstanding Coxswain Trophy. This prestigious
annual award recognizes a Coast Guard coxswain who demonstrates sustained superior
performance, exceptional boat handling skills, and exemplary leadership. BM2 Thornton's
hard work and leadership were evident while performing high risk missions in a highly
dynamic operating area. His example is a standard to emulate for boat forces professionals
throughout the service. BM2 Thornton is a certified 47-foot Motor Lifeboat (MLB) Surfman,
29-foot Response Boat Small II (RB-S II) Coxswain, 24-foot Special Purpose Craft-Shallow
Water (SPC-SW) Coxswain, Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE)/Living Marine Resource (LMR)
Boarding Officer, Station Officer of the Day (OOD) and Rescue and Survival (R&S) Systems
Petty Officer. During 2018, BM2 Thornton amassed 305 underway hours during 156 individual
sorties, and prosecuted 23 search and rescue cases as coxswain. Serving as a Boarding Officer,
he conducted 43 LMR and 125 recreational boating safety boardings. Petty Officer Thornton
managed an annual R&S budget of $42,000 and was directly responsible for the maintenance,
procurement, and issuance/training of each members gear, totaling $132,000. During several
noteworthy cases, BM2 Thornton demonstrated leadership and superior boat handling skills
during heavy weather and also displayed mature judgement, adaptability, and agility while
conducting Coast Guard operations. For the full narrative of his accomplishments please
visit the Boat Forces website:
https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/cg731/SitePages/Coxswain%20Trophy%20Award.aspx/.
2. Each year it is extremely difficult to select only one recipient from the superb group
of petty officers who are nominated for this award. I am pleased with the number of
exceptional quality nomination packages that were submitted and commend all those who
took time to acknowledge the many outstanding coxswains we have throughout the Boat Forces
community. The following are the 2018 CDR Ray Evans Outstanding Coxswain trophy nominees:
    BM1 Caleb Paramo - CGC HAMILTON
    BM1 Charles Dawkins - SMTC
    BM1 Jeremy Swearer - CGC MOHAWK
    BM1 Joshua Cain - PSU 308
    BM2 Brittany Reagle - CGC MONOMOY
    BM2 Marc Belizaire - STA Miami Beach
    BM2 Ryan Owen - CGC ROBERT YERED
    BM2 Timothy O'Brien - STA Alexandria Bay
    BM2 Trace Johnson - STA South Portland
    BM2 Wade Tyler - STA Calumet Harbor
    BM2 William Diepenbrock - CGC TAHOMA
    BM3 Donovan Antalik - CGC ALEX HALEY
3. Presentation of the 2018 CDR Ray Evans Outstanding Coxswain Trophy will be coordinated
via SEPCOR.
4. RDML Michael P. Ryan, Assistant Commandant for Capability, sends.
5. Internet release is authorized.