ALCOAST 507/23 - DEC 2023 WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT - 2023 HOPLEY YEATON CUTTER EXCELLENCE AND SUPERIOR CUTTERMAN AWARDS

R 201548Z DEC 23 MID600117020587U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 507/23
SSIC 1650
SUBJ: WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT - 2023 HOPLEY YEATON CUTTER EXCELLENCE
AND SUPERIOR CUTTERMAN AWARDS
1. I am honored to announce and congratulate the recipients of the
2023 Hopley Yeaton Cutter Excellence and Superior Cutterman Awards.
The winners were selected from amongst a highly competitive pool of
nominees. The winners of the 2023 Hopley Yeaton Awards are:
    a. Cutter Excellence Award:
        (1) Large Cutter: USCGC BERTHOLF (WMSL 750)
        (2) Medium Cutter: USCGC ALEX HALEY (WMEC 39)
        (3) Small Cutter: USCGC FREDERICK HATCH (WPC 1143)
    b. Superior Cutterman Award:
        (1) Officer: LCDR Dana Prefer - USCGC DEPENDABLE (WMEC 626)
        (2) Enlisted: BM1 Ryan Pros - USCGC JUNIPER (WLB 201)
2. Hopley Yeaton Cutter Excellence Award (Large) - CGC BERTHOLF
(WMSL 750):
    a. BERTHOLF set the standard for international maritime
enforcement action, defense operations, and counter-Illegal,
Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (IUU-F) expertise. BERTHOLF
impressively executed over 27% of all D17 enforcement actions and
fulfilled D17 boarding targets for four fisheries in FY23. BERTHOLF
conducted the first overt transit by a USCG vessel of the Western
Bering Strait IMO route, upholding the freedom of navigation and
international norms; and served as the Service's first WMSL to
execute ARCTIC EDGE exercises, hosting Seal Team 7 and leaders from
Special Operations Command North (SOCNORTH), U.S. Northern Command
(NORTHCOM), and Alaskan Command. While operating in the Eastern
Pacific, BERTHOLF had multiple successful interdictions, seizing
contraband valued at tens of millions of dollars. They also
leveraged our total Intel, DSF, HITRON, and sUAS force packages
to create five successful sea and air interdictions for our maritime
partners, strengthening regional partnerships and governance.
BERTHOLF twice assumed "Composite Warfare Commander"
responsibilities for the entire JIATF-S Joint Operating Area,
expertly directing all joint and international surface, air, and
partner assets throughout the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean.
    b. Honorable Mentions for the Large Cutter Award are:
        (1) USCGC STRATTON (WMSL 752)
        (2) USCGC MUNRO (WMSL 755)
3. Hopley Yeaton Cutter Excellence Award (Medium) -
USCGC ALEX HALEY (WMEC 39):
    a. In 2023 USCGC ALEX HALEY supported strategic objectives
for D17, NORTHCOM, and U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM)
across the Bering Sea and into the Arctic Ocean. ALEX HALEY
partnered with the USN and SOCNORTH to protect the U.S. EEZ and
national interests while expertly executing Operation FRONTIER
SENTINEL. During the high-visibility transit of a Russian/PRC
surface action group across the Aleutians, ALEX HALEY was the
sole USCG unit on scene, coordinated with USN assets to provide
security for the U.S. fishing fleet, and helped provide subject
matter expertise to Navy destroyers operating in the Bering Sea
for the first time. ALEX HALEY law enforcement teams fulfilled
D17 FY23 boarding targets for multiple fisheries, completed a
rare D17 fishing vessel termination, and identified multiple
fisheries violations including uncovering a negative bycatch
retention trend across the fishing fleet. Additionally, ALEX HALEY
and its embarked AVDET assisted three lives during a marathon,
long distance SAR transport and offshore hoist.
    b. Honorable Mentions for the Medium Cutter Award are:
        (1) USCGC VALIANT (WMEC 621)
        (2) USCGC MOHAWK (WMEC 913)
4. Hopley Yeaton Cutter Excellence Award (Small) -
USCGC FREDERICK HATCH (WPC 1143):
    a. USCGC FREDERICK HATCH conducted the first expeditionary
patrol in Micronesia after regional COVID-19 restrictions were
lifted. They enacted bilateral law enforcement agreements with
four Pacific Island partner nations, conducting 19 bilateral
shiprider boardings within their country’s respective EEZs,
reinvigorating regional IUU-F enforcement efforts after a
three-year hiatus. Their deployments included the first-ever
boardings supporting the groundbreaking Federated States of
Micronesia (FSM) Enhanced Shiprider Agreement, allowing USCG
cutters to conduct maritime law enforcement activities on
behalf of FSM, within FSM’s EEZ, without a shiprider physically
present. FREDERICK HATCH's success exercising the broad authority
of the agreement directly led to interest in similar agreements
from other nations. They also responded to a research vessel in
distress with a tropical storm fast-approaching, towing the vessel
over 200NM in 8 ft seas to safety in Saipan, saving five lives.
Additionally, while conducting an IUU-F boarding, one of the
fishermen sustained major injuries from a 12-foot fall onto his
head, losing all movement in his extremities. Cutter personnel
quickly responded, stabilized the patient, and transferred him
to the cutter. Following a nine-hour full speed transit to
Pohnpei, FSM and a challenging restricted waters transit at
midnight, they safely delivered the patient ashore with crewmember
escorts. The crewmembers then stayed at the hospital to assist
the shorthanded staff, helping save the fisherman's life.
    b. Honorable Mentions for the Small Cutter Award are:
        (1) USCGC MANOWAR (WPB 87330)
        (2) USCGC JOSEPH NAPIER (WPC 1115)
5. Hopley Yeaton Superior Cutterman Award (Officer) -
LCDR Dana Prefer - USCGC DEPENDABLE (WMEC 626):
    a. LCDR Prefer helped lead DEPENDABLE through three Migrant
Interdiction Operations (MIO) patrols amidst a historic wave of
illegal migration from Cuba and Haiti. While supporting Operation
VIGILANT SENTRY, DEPENDABLE interdicted 431 migrants and provided
care to over 950 migrants, helping save the lives of many those
making dangerous voyages in unseaworthy craft. The cutter also
saved five lives during a SAR case and notably interdicted 1,100lbs
of marijuana out of the Bahamas, gathering valuable intelligence
associated with this irregular smuggling vector. During each case,
LCDR Prefer supervised the bridge and migrant processing teams,
ensuring all USCG procedures were followed and the evolutions were
conducted safely and effectively. LCDR Prefer demonstrated superior
shiphandling skills while coaching the bridge team for five moorings
with only one operational engine, twice without using available tug
assistance. She also coached junior members through key shiphandling
techniques, including casting, twisting, and using the elements to
appropriately maneuver. Additionally, she completed the underway
portions of Tailored Ships Training Availability on the edges of
Hurricane IAN, riding out 60+ knots of wind at anchor and coaching
junior officers through the night.
    b. Honorable Mentions for the Superior Cutterman Award (Officer)
are:
        (1) LCDR Donald Rudnickas - USCGC POLAR STAR (WAGB 10)
        (2) LT Matthew Nagle - USCGC TERN (WPB 87343)
6. Hopley Yeaton Superior Cutterman Award (Enlisted) - BM1 Ryan Pros
- USCGC JUNIPER (WLB 201):
    a. During nine Aids to Navigation (AToN) patrols BM1 Pros acted
as the Buoy Deck Supervisor or Buoy Deck Safety during 60 buoy
servicing evolutions including 10 dive buoys involving coordination
with Regional Dive Locker Pacific. During CGC JUNIPER's
participation in Operation BLUE PACIFIC, BM1 Pros played a crucial
role in building international partnerships and deterring IUU-F
throughout strategic and remote areas of the Pacific. Working
alongside members from PACIFIC TACLET and a Marine Corps linguist,
BM1 participated in four boardings of foreign fishing vessels.
Furthermore, BM1 Pros worked alongside four shipriders from Fiji
to conduct a joint boarding, strengthening the U.S.’s partnership
with Fiji. Additionally, during a gap in the BMC and BOSN billets,
BM1 Pros fulfilled the role of Deck Department Head for 10 months,
including the 42-day out of hemisphere patrol. He selflessly stepped
into the position, filling a significant leadership gap and carrying
out AToN patrol planning, ordering equipment and supplies, and
supervising deck evolutions. Additionally, while on routine AToN
patrol in August 2023, upon receiving tasking during the devastating
Lahaina, Maui wildfires, BM1 quickly and effectively led the
offloading of all AToN equipment and expertly developed a plan to
load two RBS-II boats with trailers for transport to Kahului, Maui.
The careful execution of this non-standard evolution allowed the
delivery of essential assets to establish and maintain crucial
safety zones around Lahaina Harbor.
    b. Honorable Mentions for the Superior Cutterman Award (Enlisted)
are:
        (1) BMCS Brodie MacDonald - USCGC MANOWAR (WPB 87330)
        (2) OS1 Robert Molina III - USCGC MUNRO (WMSL 755)
7. The winners will be recognized at the 2024 Surface Navy
Association (SNA) National Symposium, which will be held in
Washington, DC from 9-11 January, 2024.
8. Bravo Zulu and many congratulations to this year's Hopley
Yeaton Award winners and nominees. The winners were selected
by panels consisting of 31 Active Duty and Retired Permanent
Cuttermen from the ranks of E7 to O6 who collectively amassed
280 years of sea time. The sheer volume of praiseworthy nominees,
as well as the high quality of the award submissions continued to
impress. Thank you to all commands for submitting and reviewing
nominations.
9. POC: LT Riley Sansone (Riley.S.Sansone@uscg.mil).
10. RADM Todd C. Wiemers, Assistant Commandant for Capability
(CG-7), sends.
11. Internet release is authorized.