Seaman Kyle Aquipel left a job at a landscaping company to join the Coast Guard and reported to Station Jonesport in Maine this past summer. “I wanted to do more meaningful work,” he said. “I joined because I didn’t want to just mow lawns.”
Yet, until recently, he and other new members assigned to Jonesport, would have been responsible not only for maintaining the facility’s lawn, but several old buildings that required a lot of work, as well. And all this before they could start training for the job they’d signed up to do.
Now District 1 is piloting a program to change that. Op Bench Strength seeks to improve operational readiness and build trust with the workforce by contracting with civilian station keepers to help maintain facilities and buildings so crews can focus on training, maintaining, and operating boats on the water.
How Op Bench Strength works
Under the Op Bench Strength pilot, Station Jonesport now has a civilian station keeper. James Dietrich is responsible for landscaping and facilities maintenance and repairs. His work frees up Aquipel and the rest of the crew to do what they signed up for: get underway to watch over Maine’s rocky coastline and the thousands of lobstermen that trust the Coast Guard to respond if they need help.
Station keepers perform a variety of duties. At Station Merrimack River and Station Gloucester, Station Keeper Mike Anderson has repaired docks, organized maintenance systems, repaired heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment, and rescreened windows. In addition to these improvements, others at the station say he has enhanced readiness and morale by becoming a true part of the crew. According to Station Merrimack River’s Officer in Charge Master Chief Carlos Hessler, “Mr. Anderson is a vital part of our mission success. His efforts have not only improved the quality of life here at the unit but have also brought a positive and uplifting presence to the team.”
Shore infrastructure is a challenge across the Coast Guard, but it is a particular risk in New England, where many buildings are decades or even centuries old. Leaders understand that old buildings are extra work for crews. But even more critically, the leaky windows, unreliable heat or air conditioning, and dilapidated showers erode trust, notes Rear Adm. Michael Platt.
“As the District Commander, my top two risks are trust with the workforce and shore infrastructure,” Platt said. “When I’m asking crews to perform dangerous missions from facilities long overdue for replacement, and at the same time I ask them to take time away from training to do work on those buildings, I know that creates doubt. It makes people wonder if they can trust leaders to support them. Op Bench Strength helps me address both risks by improving our shore infrastructure and rebuilding trust with our crews.”
Op Bench Strength started in 2024 through District 1 coordination with Base Boston. A contract used fallout funds to hire four civilian station keepers that were shared across six stations in Sector Northern New England and Sector Boston.
Master Chief Adam Lewis, the officer in charge at Station Jonesport, immediately saw benefits. “I love my station keeper,” Lewis said. “He did great work and really became part of our crew here. He mentored the younger people and shared his experiences living in Downeast Maine. He also helped new people understand and feel more welcome in this remote community. And with all the facilities maintenance he handled, it’s not a coincidence that in his year with us, our underway boat hours went up 23% compared to the year before.”
In 2025, the Op Bench Strength pilot is expanding to 10 Stations across all five sectors in District 1. Senior leaders are watching the pilot closely as the Service works to address a shore infrastructure backlog while adapting to an improving, but still ongoing, personnel shortage.
“Every mission begins and ends at a shore facility, and we need to think differently about how we sustain these facilities where our people live and work,” said Rear Adm. Amy Grable, Assistant Commandant for Engineering and Logistics. “Strategic contracting like Op Bench Strength fills a critical gap and is one way we can enable the field to preserve our aging facilities.”
Even as Op Bench Strength shows early success, any expanded adoption of contracted civilian maintenance keepers at stations or other units would take significant time and resources to implement through future Coast Guard budgets.
Rear Adm. Platt recognizes the challenge. “There are hurdles that would need to be overcome, and change is never easy,” he said. “But as we build a stronger service culture focused on the sense of purpose that comes from performing our Coast Guard missions - and a culture where people trust their facilities and assets – station keepers are making the experience of Coast Guard service better for our crews.”
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