ALCOAST 464/21 - DEC 2021 WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT - 2021 HOPLEY YEATON CUTTER EXCELLENCE AND SUPERIOR CUTTERMAN AWARDS

R 202101Z DEC 21
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 464/21
SSIC 1650
SUBJ: WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT - 2021 HOPLEY YEATON CUTTER EXCELLENCE
AND SUPERIOR CUTTERMAN AWARDS
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 141626Z SEP 21/ALCOAST 336/21
1. The Douglas Munro Chapter of the Surface Navy Association (SNA)
is honored to announce and congratulate the recipients of the 2021
Hopley Yeaton Cutter Excellence and Superior Cutterman Awards. The
winners were selected from an incredibly competitive pool of
nominees.
2. The winners of the Hopley Yeaton Awards for 2021 are:
a. Cutter Excellence Awards
1. Large Cutter: CGC HAMILTON (WMSL 753)
2. Medium Cutter: CGC RESOLUTE (WMEC 620)
3. Small Cutter: CGC ISAAC MAYO (WPC 1112)
b. Superior Cuttermen Awards
1. Officer: LTJG Lauren Kowalski - CGC POLAR STAR (WAGB 10)
2. Enlisted: YN1 Joseph DeVito - CGC RELIANCE (WMEC 615)
3. Cutter Excellence Award (Large) - CGC HAMILTON (WMSL 753):
a. Following her trans-Atlantic escort of the first Fast Response
Cutters bound for service at PATFORSWA, CGC HAMILTON transited the
Bosporus into the Black Sea where she conducted freedom of
navigation patrols and operated and trained with Turkish and
Romanian Naval Forces, the Georgian Coast Guard, and Ukrainian
Maritime Forces. While deployed in the U.S. European Command AOR,
HAMILTON conducted at-sea exercises and port visit engagements with
the navies and coast guard of seven total international allies and
partners; bolstering freedom of navigation in international waters
of the Black Sea and building maritime domain awareness,
cooperation, and interoperability with partner nation navies and
coast guards. As Caribbean maritime migration levels increased to
the highest levels in more than seven years, HAMILTON assumed
command of surface operations in the Windward Pass, directing the
employment of three major and four fast response cutters that
successfully resulted in a dramatic decline in attempts by migrants
to attempt the extremely hazardous voyage at sea.
b. Honorable Mentions for the Large Cutter Award are:
1. CGC MUNRO (WMSL 755)
2. CGC BERTHOLF (WMSL 750)
4. Hopley Yeaton Cutter Excellence Award (Medium) - CGC RESOLUTE
(WMEC 620):
a. In 2021, CGC RESOLUTE safely conducted the largest single-
unit, at-sea migration case in more than a decade (183 migrants,
including 17 children and infants). RESOLUTE led rigorous dockside
and underway trials for the new Cutter Boat-Large acquisition and
delivered expert analysis of safety, compatibility, and suitability
for a wide range of Coast Guard missions. RESOLUTE’s superb
engagement with headquarters program sponsors and naval engineers
supported successful acceptance and roll-out across the entire 210'
WMEC fleet. Highlighting a year with multiple SAR cases, RESOLUTE's
lookout detected people in the water, leading to the rescue of 8
migrants who had been treading water for 24 hours following the
capsizing of their makeshift vessel.
b. Honorable Mentions for the Medium Cutter Award are:
1. CGC LEGARE (WMEC 912)
2. CGC HICKORY (WLB 212)
5. Hopley Yeaton Cutter Excellence Award (Small) - CGC ISAAC MAYO
(WPC 1112):
a. In 2021, CGC ISAAC MAYO conducted 108 at-sea boardings
resulting in the disruption of 3,000 kgs of cocaine valued at $75
million. ISAAC MAYO conducted joint operations with Customs and
Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations during an
operation to deter, detect, interdict, and inspect, targets of
interest in the northern portion of Sector Key West's area of
responsibility. ISAAC MAYO led the way during Operation CHOKE POINT,
an intradepartmental partnership with Customs and Border Patrol and
Homeland Security Investigations, to board and inspect vessels
operating in the Gulf of Mexico. Additionally, ISAAC MAYO developed
a first-ever Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for operating with
a Customs and Border Patrol 45-ft Coastal Intercept Vessel, laying
the foundation for sustained multi-agency asset employment far
beyond historical operating limitations.
b. Honorable Mentions for the Small Cutter Award are:
1. CGC RICHARD ETHERIDGE (WPC 1102)
2. CGC CHARLES MOULTHROPE (WPC 1141)
6. Hopley Yeaton Superior Cutterman Award (Officer) - LTJG Lauren
Kowalski - CGC POLAR STAR (WAGB 10):
a. LTJG Kowalski completed the USCG's Afloat Icebreaker Training
program and demonstrated outstanding professionalism in her role as
USCG liaison officer and ice pilot for three months aboard the HMS
PROTECTOR. In her capacity as ice pilot, she led the ship to set a
new Royal Navy latitude record for surface ships. She managed
operations and tracklines for the nation’s only heavy icebreaker,
planning and navigating the 10,000 nm voyage for the Arctic Winter
West 2021 deployment, through treacherous ice windrows, howling
gales, and 10 days of perpetual winter darkness.
b. Honorable Mentions for the Superior Cutterman Award (Officer)
are:
1. LTJG William Stephens - CGC MAUI (WPB 1304)
2. ENS Matthew Hall - CGC ANACAPA (WPB 1335)
7. Hopley Yeaton Superior Cutterman Award (Enlisted) - YN1 Joseph
Devito - CGC RELIANCE (WMEC 615):
a. YN1 DeVito went beyond the normal duties of a Yeoman afloat
by qualifying as an underway officer of the deck. In addition, YN1
DeVito qualified as boat deck safety, helm and lookout, boatswain
mate of the watch, quartermaster of the watch, on scene leader for
flight operations, detainee watch stander, boarding team member,
force protection officer, .50 cal mount captain, .50 cal gunner,
repair party leader, and inport officer of the deck. As the vice
chairperson of the cutter’s newly formed Leadership and Diversity
Advisory Council, he helped organize multiple events that improved
the unit’s investment in the professional and personal development
of its junior officers and enlisted members. As a Damage Control
Training Team member leading training for Repair III, he trained
more than 100 crew members in damage control. His superb expertise
as a Yeoman resulted in zero discrepancies across 50 line items
during the cutter’s Finance and Administration inspection.
b. Honorable Mentions for the Superior Cutterman Award (Enlisted)
are:
1. BMC Brian Cleversey - CGC RESOLUTE (WMEC 620)
2. BM2 Nancy Worley - CGC HOLLYHOCK (WLB 214)
8. The winners will be recognized at the 2022 SNA National
Symposium.
9. Bravo Zulu and great work to this year's Hopley Yeaton Award
recipients and nominees. This year's nominees were selected by
panels comprised of 61 active duty and retired permanent cuttermen
from the rank of E6 to O8, with a collective 604 years of sea time.
The sheer volume of praiseworthy nominees and high-quality award
write-ups continue to impress. Thank you to all commands that
submitted and reviewed nominations.
10. POC: LT Luke Trautwein at John.L.Trautwein@uscg.mil.
11. RDML Todd C. Wiemers, Assistant Commandant for Capability
(CG-7), sends.
12. Internet release is authorized.