NACON 2008 Coast Guard Awards

Awards

Commodore CONRADO is cited for meritorious service in the performance of duty as National Area Commodore – Pacific Area from November 2006 to August 2008. Demonstrating exceptional leadership and managerial skills, Commodore CONRADO inspired Pacific Area Auxiliarists to remarkable performance while advancing significant organizational initiatives across four Coast Guard districts, five Auxiliary regions, and 10 States. In the wake of a major decline in membership due to the multi-year implementation of background checks for all Auxiliarists that ended in 2006, her keen focus on recruiting and retention stemmed further losses and yielded a net Pacific Area membership increase of more than 10 percent. Exercising tireless commitment to programmatic advocacy and achievement, Commodore CONRADO guided regional Auxiliarists to deliver over 830,000 hours of operational and administrative support to Coast Guard missions and conduct more than 51,000 marine dealer visits and vessel safety checks. Her exceptional guidance and team spirit were instrumental to regional initiation and planning of the Auxiliary’s most comprehensive organizational re-alignment designed to improve and facilitate its support to Coast Guard units under the Sector construct. This entailed extremely close work with regional Coast Guard and Auxiliary leaders to address sweeping re-definition of several key Auxiliary leadership positions, detailed development of roles and responsibilities of Auxiliary Sector Coordinators, and review and preparation of appropriate Auxiliary unit consolidations. Employing utmost reliability and insight, she provided senior Auxiliary and Coast Guard leaders with frequent and comprehensive reports on myriad Auxiliary programs that considerably facilitated vital organizational decision-making. Commodore CONRADO’s dedication 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.

Commodore FERNANDEZ is cited for meritorious service in the performance of duty as National Area Commodore – Atlantic Area (East) from November 2006 to August 2008. Demonstrating exceptional leadership and managerial skills, Commodore FERNANDEZ inspired Atlantic Area (East) Auxiliarists to remarkable performance while advancing significant organizational initiatives across three Coast Guard districts, five Auxiliary regions, and 16 States. In the wake of a major decline in membership due to the multi-year implementation of background checks for all Auxiliarists that ended in 2006, his keen focus on recruiting and retention stemmed further losses and yielded a net Atlantic Area (East) membership increase of more than 19 percent. Exercising tireless commitment to programmatic advocacy and achievement, Commodore FERNANDEZ guided regional Auxiliarists to deliver over 2,100,000 hours of operational and administrative support to Coast Guard missions and conduct more than 136,000 marine dealer visits and vessel safety checks. His exceptional guidance and team spirit were instrumental to regional initiation and planning of the Auxiliary’s most comprehensive organizational re-alignment designed to improve and facilitate its support to Coast Guard units under the Sector construct. This entailed extremely close work with regional Coast Guard and Auxiliary leaders to address sweeping re-definition of several key Auxiliary leadership positions, detailed development of roles and responsibilities of Auxiliary Sector Coordinators, and review and preparation of appropriate Auxiliary unit consolidations. Employing utmost reliability and insight, he provided senior Auxiliary and Coast Guard leaders with frequent and comprehensive reports on myriad Auxiliary programs that considerably facilitated vital organizational decision-making. Commodore FERNANDEZ’ dedication 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.

Commodore VASS is cited for meritorious service in the performance of duty as National Area Commodore – Atlantic Area (West) from November 2006 to August 2008. Demonstrating exceptional leadership and managerial skills, Commodore VASS inspired Atlantic Area (West) Auxiliarists to remarkable performance while advancing significant organizational initiatives across two Coast Guard districts, six Auxiliary regions, and 24 States. In the wake of a major decline in membership due to the multi-year implementation of background checks for all Auxiliarists that ended in 2006, his keen focus on recruiting and retention stemmed further losses and yielded a net Atlantic Area (West) membership increase of more than eight percent. Exercising tireless commitment to programmatic advocacy and achievement, Commodore VASS guided regional Auxiliarists to deliver over 1,000,000 hours of operational and administrative support to Coast Guard missions and conduct more than 70,000 marine dealer visits and vessel safety checks. His exceptional guidance and team spirit were instrumental to regional initiation and planning of the Auxiliary’s most comprehensive organizational re-alignment designed to improve and facilitate its support to Coast Guard units under the Sector construct. This entailed extremely close work with regional Coast Guard and Auxiliary leaders to address sweeping re-definition of several key Auxiliary leadership positions, detailed development of roles and responsibilities of Auxiliary Sector Coordinators, and review and preparation of appropriate Auxiliary unit consolidations. Employing utmost reliability and insight, he provided senior Auxiliary and Coast Guard leaders with frequent and comprehensive reports on myriad Auxiliary programs that considerably facilitated vital organizational decision-making. Commodore VASS’ dedication 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.