ALCOAST 479/24 - DEC 2024 WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT - 2024 HOPLEY YEATON CUTTER EXCELLENCE AND SUPERIOR CUTTERMAN AWARDS

R 201833Z DEC 24 MID120001656362U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 479/24
SSIC 1650
SUBJ: WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT - 2024 HOPLEY YEATON CUTTER EXCELLENCE
AND SUPERIOR CUTTERMAN AWARDS
1. I am honored to announce and congratulate the recipients of the
2024 Hopley Yeaton Cutter Excellence and Superior Cutterman Awards.
The winners were selected from amongst a highly competitive pool of
nominees. The winners of the 2024 Hopley Yeaton Awards are:
    a. Cutter Excellence Award:
       (1) Large Cutter: USCGC POLAR STAR (WAGB 10)
       (2) Medium Cutter: USCGC ALEX HALEY (WMEC 39)
       (3) Small Cutter: USCGC GLEN HARRIS (WPC 1144)
    b. Superior Cutterman Award:
       (1) Officer: CWO4 Sean Woodworth - USCGC BERTHOLF (WMSL 750)
       (2) Enlisted: BMCS John Lowell - USCGC PETREL (WPB 87350)
2. Hopley Yeaton Cutter Excellence Award (Large) - USCGC POLAR STAR
(WAGB 10):
    a. POLAR STAR's crew worked tirelessly to complete quality
assurance for over $7 million in drydock work items and overcome a
60-day dry dock delay to ensure the cutter was ready to sail for
Operation Deep Freeze 2024. With only three weeks in homeport, the
crew restored the engineering plant and departed on time for the
annual Deep Freeze deployment. POLAR STAR navigated over 27,000
nautical miles and displayed immense grit by establishing a
navigable channel through 38 nautical miles of multi-year fasted
ice over 12' thick in the toughest ice conditions experienced since
the 1980s. Demonstrating exemplary teamwork, POLAR STAR completed
an at-sea refueling in the ice channel and two close quarters ship
escorts, ensuring the safe delivery of 80 million pounds of cargo
and nine million gallons of fuel to Antarctic stations. The ice
conditions tested the abilities of the legacy asset, yet the crew
continually met each challenge and demonstrated the highest
technical acumen, resolving more than 70 equipment casualties while
operating below the Antarctic Circle. POLAR STAR bolstered
partnerships with key Antarctic Nations and reaffirmed long-standing
relationships; embarking New Zealand shipriders, participating in
media engagements in Sydney and Hobart, and hosting a reception for
the 7th Fleet and Japan Coast Guard in Yokosuka, Japan.
    b. Honorable Mentions for the Large Cutter Award:
       (1) USCGC MUNRO (WMSL 755)
       (2) USCGC STONE (WMSL 758)
3. Hopley Yeaton Cutter Excellence Award (Medium) - USCGC ALEX HALEY
(WMEC 39):
    a. ALEX HALEY embodied superior Bering Sea cutter excellence.
They conducted 60% of the Bering Sea boardings and 100% of Aleutian
Island boardings. Of those boardings, the crew executed two rare
D17 vessel terminations for unsafe conditions and conducted the
first foreign tramper boarding in several years. Recalled from
Dutch Harbor in late December, ALEX HALEY facilitated the successful
tow of a disabled fishing vessel for 32-hours in gale force winds
and periodic blizzard conditions, saving eight lives and preventing
an environmental disaster along the Aleutian Islands. This rescue
earned formal recognition from the International Maritime
Organization (IMO). Bolstering strategic priorities, ALEX HALEY
provided subject matter expertise to U.S. Naval vessels operating
for their first time in the Bering Sea. Demonstrating proactive
engineering prowess, they saved over $200,000 in contractor costs
with inhouse technical repairs, fabricated parts to prevent a
Safe-to-Sail casualty, and contributed documentation to replace
legacy equipment with modern technology. Devoted to others,
ALEX HALEY supported the crew and the community with their 900+
attendance at "Haunted Haley", earned recognition with the D17
Ombudsman of the Year, and earned the Large Afloat Dining
Facility of the Year.
    b. Honorable Mentions for the Medium Cutter Award:
       (1) USCGC ALERT/CONFIDENCE (WMEC 630)
       (2) USCGC HARRIET LANE (WMEC 903)
4. Hopley Yeaton Cutter Excellence Award (Small) - USCGC GLEN HARRIS
(WPC 1144):
    a. Demonstrating commitment to regional stability and maritime
security in a high-tempo environment, HARRIS patrolled for 2,956
operational hours. HARRIS marked a historic return to Kuwait after
13 years, leading a pivotal tri-lateral exercise with Iraq and
Kuwait, strengthening regional security and cooperation. Expertly
completing a wide range of operations, the cutter seized 3,700
kilograms of illicit drugs, thwarted violent extremist
organizations, and provided layered defense to coalition assets in
the Strait of Hormuz, safeguarding $1.5 billion in daily commerce.
In response to heightened defensive postures, a Forward Operating
Base (FOB) in Duqm, Oman was established, which shifted HARRIS
850 miles away from depot-level shoreside support. HARRIS was the
first cutter deployed to the FOB and last cutter to leave,
operating far from homeport for several months. HARRIS redefined
FRC adaptability by continuing to operate alongside major Naval
assets with limited access to engineering assistance, consumables,
personnel transfers, and medical care. HARRIS proved FOBs were a
viable concept for supporting forward deployed CG assets, alongside
Department of Defense, to counter regional threats.
    b. Honorable Mentions for the Small Cutter Award:
       (1) USCGC PAUL CLARK (WPC 1106)
       (2) USCGC CLARENCE SUTPHIN JR (WPC 1147)
5. Hopley Yeaton Superior Cutterman Award (Officer) -
CWO4 Sean Woodworth - USCGC BERTHOLF (WMSL 750):
    a. As Main Propulsion Assistant (MPA), CWO Woodworth successfully
managed a complex $20 million dry dock contract and a $9 million
engine overhaul. He expertly deconflicted this repair and
maintenance period, ensuring operational timelines and contracting
requirements were met. Notably, BERTHOLF only experienced one
unscheduled maintenance day during this period. Onboard BERTHOLF,
he made significant strides in rewriting shipboard engineering watch
qualification standards, resulting in a 40% decrease in
qualification timelines. His proactive engineering proficiency
enabled the repair of several mission limiting casualties and
development of novel engineering practices in the WMSL fleet.
Despite the demanding workload of a WMSL MPA, CWO Woodworth was an
active member of the Northern California Chief Warrant Officer's
Association, volunteering and participating in public outreach to
improve recruiting and retention in the Coast Guard.
    b. Honorable Mentions for the Superior Cutterman Award (Officer):
       (1) LTJG Conor Rowan - USCGC WAESCHE (WMSL 751)
       (2) CWO2 John Chambers - USCGC VIGOROUS (WMEC 627)
6. Hopley Yeaton Superior Cutterman Award (Enlisted) -
BMCS John Lowell - USCGC PETREL (WPB 87350):
    a. As Officer in Charge of PETREL, BMCS Lowell expertly led
a dedicated 12-person crew in a dynamic and challenging area of
responsibility along the Southwest Maritime Border. Attaining
operational excellence during 1,827 underway hours, PETREL executed
24 interdictions, resulting in the apprehension of 199 smugglers
and migrants. Sharing his expertise, he developed and shared
tactics and procedures with local and visiting units and
collaborated with intelligence teams to refine operations products
and improve mission outcomes, leading to dozens of successful
interdictions. Actively mentoring junior personnel and the
Commanding Officers/OICs of the adjacent cutters in San Diego, he
fostered a supportive environment for all Coast Guardsmen.
Furthermore, as Vice President of the San Diego Chief Petty
Officer's Association (CPOA), BMCS Lowell contributed over 500 hours
of volunteer service, overseeing fundraising efforts exceeding
$30,000. Most notably, BMCS Lowell actively engaged in community
service when he partnered with Team Rubicon to clean and restore
damaged homes in underserved areas of the community after the
devastating floods in Southern California.
    b. Honorable Mentions for the Superior Cutterman Award
(Enlisted):
       (1) BMC Alexander Davis - USCGC MUNRO (WMSL 755)
       (2) MKC Joshua Coaker - USCGC TIGER SHARK (WPB 87359)
7. The winners will be recognized at the 2025 Surface Navy
Association (SNA) National Symposium, which will be held in
Washington, DC from 14-16 January, 2025.
8. Bravo Zulu and many congratulations to this year's Hopley Yeaton
Award recipients and nominees. This year's nominees were selected
by panels consisting of 26 Active Duty and Retired Cuttermen from
the ranks of E7 to O6 who collectively amassed over 200 years of
sea time. The volume of praiseworthy nominees, as well as the high
quality of the award submissions continues to impress. Thank you to
all Commands for submitting and reviewing nominations!
9. POC: LT Riley Sansone (Riley.S.Sansone@uscg.mil).
10. RADM Shannon N. Gilreath, Assistant Commandant for Capability
(CG-7), sends.
11. Internet release is authorized.