Fires. Hurricanes. Floods. Not to mention, the enduring COVID-19 pandemic. Our Coast Guard workforce and their families are continuing to endure numerous life-changing hurdles. That’s why, during this Wellness Wednesday, guests from our leadership will speak about resources and offer advice that can help mitigate these experiences.
Join Command Master Chief Rob Bushey, deputy Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard (MCPOCG-D) and retired Rear Adm. Cari Thomas, chief executive officer of Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA) on September 23 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT for this discussion.
“We know that this is a difficult time for everyone,” said Thomas. “To the maximum extent, we know that sometimes people don’t get the word about all of the resources available to Coast Guard men, women, and their families.
“I am going to speak on just one of the many resources—Coast Guard Mutual Assistance—and Master Chief Bushey will talk of others,” said Thomas.
Bushey added, “As Coast Guard men and women, we have a duty to be ready for our shipmates, our service and the nation. It’s critical now more than ever to take care of ourselves and build resilience—physically, mentally emotionally, spiritually and financially.”
Financial resiliency is actually CGMA’s mission and has been since the charity’s inception nearly 100 years ago. “We provided $12 million dollars in assistance last year,” said Thomas. “This year so far, we provided $2.7 million dollars for almost 4800 Coast Guard families in need of educational supplies, child care, lost wages and other needs because of COVID-19 alone.
“If you stacked all the tablets and computers that CGMA has purchased for Coast Guard families on top of each other, it would be higher than the Statue of Liberty,” added Thomas.
“We as leaders must continue to be a solid foundation for our people,” summarized Bushey. “We must ensure we are setting the example in ALL aspects. It’s up to each of us to lead by example and focus on making sure we are strong and resilient as individuals and as a team.”
To receive CGMA support or, as Thomas put it, “to pay it forward” through donating, please visit www.cgmahq.org.
Please click this link to attend Wellness Wednesday from your Coast Guard computer, personal computer or mobile device. Even if you do not have a CVR.mil account, you can still watch the stream via the link above. If you wish to maintain anonymity, log out of your normal (USCG/DOD) CVR account and join as a guest. You may also call (571) 388-3904; Conference ID 453 387 852#. If you have questions or suggestions, you may e-mail us at wellnesswednesday@uscg.mil.
If you would like to see previous Wellness Wednesday recordings, they are available on the CG-11 CG Portal webpage.