Coast Guard Meritorious Advancement in Sitka, Alaska

 

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Alaska Contact: 17th District Public Affairs Office: (907) 463-2065 After Hours: (907) 209-8731 17th District online newsroom

Coast Guard Meritorious Advancement in Sitka, Alaska

 

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JUNEAU, Alaska – The Coast Guard meritoriously advanced a marine science technician during a ceremony at Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Sitka, Thursday.

Rear Adm. Nathan Moore the 17th Coast Guard District commander, meritoriously advanced Petty Officer 2nd Class Allysia Helton, a marine science technician from MSD Sitka, to Petty Officer 1st Class in recognition of her outstanding contributions and accomplishments both on and off-duty. 

Helton was recognized for consistently performing at a level far exceeding her rank, and for being a committed leader within the Coast Guard and throughout the maritime community. As a junior member at a remote, four-person unit, she sought out additional responsibilities and excelled in roles normally reserved for junior officers and chief petty officers.

Helton served as a facility inspector, container inspector, fishing vessel examiner, and foreign passenger vessel inspector. She acted as a federal on-scene coordinator representative and supervised government-led recovery operations following three high-profile vessel-sinking incidents, collaborating with port partners and industry stakeholders to mitigate the amount of oil discharged.

Helton oversaw spill response contractors to remove 2,500 gallons of oil products, and accounted for $275K of response operations costs. She also completed over one hundred vessel compliance examinations, which is the workload normally performed by a full-time civilian fishing vessel examiner.

Additionally, she helped establish the Coast Guard Air Station Sitka leadership diversity advisory committee and volunteered to assume the role of secretary. She designed and posted information materials to bring awareness to African American History Month, and contributions of African American Coast Guard members, honoring their service and sacrifice to their country. She also developed promotional materials encouraged participation in a domestic violence awareness event.

"Petty Officer Helton is incredibly deserving of this advancement," said Rear Adm. Nathan Moore, 17^th Coast Guard District commander. "She is an outstanding performer and has implemented many positive changes at MSD Sitka and in the community.”

The Meritorious Advancement Program is a talent-management program designed to recognize superior performance and exceptional adherence to Coast Guard core values that, in an advancement authority’s judgment, clearly warrant advancement. The Coast Guard’s meritorious advancement program began in 2018. 

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