MR. JOSEPH L. BARCELO

Mr. BARCELO is cited for outstanding achievement while serving as Department Chief, Vessel Examination from 1 January 2003 to 30 June 2004. Mr. BARCELO exercised remarkable skill and judgment in management of the Auxiliary’s Vessel Safety Check and Marine Dealer Partner Visitor programs. With unflagging commitment, he institutionalized the annual Vessel Safety Check Mega Weeks promotion by raising it to an extremely high level of visibility among the Auxiliary, U.S. Power Squadron, and recreational boating enthusiasts nationwide. Concurrently, Mr. BARCELO expertly guided the wholesale re-engineering of the Marine Dealer Partner Visitor program. With sharp vision and focused leadership, he re-structured the program, attracted a broader range of industry partners, and established major new venues for the widespread dissemination of maritime domain awareness messages to the public. Mr. BARCELO’s insightful creation of a centralized repository for Vessel Examiners across the nation to submit program change proposals and share their best practices significantly helped revise the Vessel Examiner training manual. An ideal and innovative emissary, he engaged the American Canoe Association in a unique partnership initiative designed to promote boating safety among canoeists and kayakers, recreational boating safety groups that routinely experience the highest numbers of fatalities each year. Mr. BARCELO’s dedication, judgment, and devotion to duty are most heartily commended and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.

ACM Award