COVID-19 Operation Honeybee: Base Alameda’s Health Services clinic collaborated with Eleventh Coast Guard District to arrange and distribute the COVID-19 vaccine via HC-27 aircraft transport to the Coast Guard's Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team (PACTACLET), Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT) West, Sector San Diego, and Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf over a three-day period. The six-member clinic team vaccinated 264 members without losing any doses. Learn more.
Coast Guard Academy participates in 2021 NSA Cyber Exercise: On April 8-10, a team from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy virtually participated in the National Security Agency (NSA) 20th annual National Cyber Exercise (NCX), a cyber competition that tests offensive and defensive cybersecurity skills. More than 200 women and men participated from U.S. service academies and senior military colleges as well as civilian interns from NSA’s cyber-focused development programs. Cadets engaged with NSA personnel to execute and evaluate cyber mission strategies and complete cyber operation scenarios in real time. Learn more.
USCG Cutter Raymond Evans' crew repatriated 14 Cuban migrants to Cuba: On April 13, 2021, Coast Guard Sector Key West rescue crew arrived on scene approximately 35 miles northwest of Key West, Florida, to find the people showing signs of dehydration and being sunburnt after taking them off their boat due to safety of life at sea concerns. "The Florida Straits are unpredictable," said U.S. Coast Guard liaison officer Lt. Cmdr. Mario Gil, U.S. Embassy Havana. "It is not safe to take to the seas in makeshift vessels that aren't seaworthy.” Learn more.
USCG Cutter Shearwater decommissioned after 19 years of service: On April 15, 2021, the Coast Guard decommissioned Cutter Shearwater in a ceremony at Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, New Jersey, with Capt. Jonathan Theel, the commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay, presiding. “Shearwater is a special ship that has served Fifth Coast Guard District throughout the course of [its] history,” said Master Chief Petty Officer Tony Martinez, commanding officer of the Shearwater. During the cutter’s last year of service, the sunset crew of 12 enlisted crew members continued this legacy, conducting high-profile operations including the disentanglement of a leatherback turtle off of Cape May in August of 2020, and an 18-hour tow of a disabled fishing vessel 70 miles east of Cape Charles, Virginia. Learn more.