NACON 2008 Coast Guard Awards

Awards

Ms. Baumann is cited for meritorious service in the performance of duty as Chief, International Affairs Directorate Support Division and Chief, Interpreter Corps Qualification Division from September 2004 to August 2008. Exercising superb initiative and commitment, Ms. BAUMANN facilitated recruitment of over 330 members into the Auxiliary Interpreter Corps, resulting in the provision of 46 foreign languages, most of which were mission critical to the Coast Guard. She arranged the issuance and renewal of Auxiliary Interpreter program identification cards to capture the credentials and linguistic competencies of each interpreter and facilitate their ability to support deployments for Coast Guard and U.S. Navy mission support. Applying remarkable technical skills, she constantly monitored and upgraded the Auxiliary Interpreter database, and implemented new testing and qualification standards to improve the high-quality service provided by Auxiliary interpreters. In September 2004, following major devastation in Grenada caused by the passage of Hurricane Ivan, Ms. BAUMANN took exemplary humanitarian action to assist the Auxiliary’s counterparts on that Caribbean island nation. She rapidly marshaled emergency medical and relief supplies gathered by Auxiliary units in Puerto Rico and coordinated their timely delivery to members and families of the Grenada Coast Guard and its Auxiliary. Ms. BAUMANN’s keen ability to plan and manage complex events was instrumental to the successful execution of the 2006 Caribbean Search-and-Rescue Conference in which more than 70 representatives of 27 nations participated. Her adroit handling of all logistical and administrative aspects of this event earned high praise from the Auxiliary’s Caribbean search and rescue partners and set the foundation for progressive development through ensuing conferences. Ms. BAUMANN’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.

Mr. BAUMANN is cited for meritorious service in the performance of duty as Deputy Director, International Affairs from September 2004 to September 2006 and as Deputy Director, Interpreter Support from September 2004 to August 2008. Exercising exceptional vision and exemplary leadership skills, Mr. BAUMANN guided the Auxiliary Interpreter Corps to remarkable success in support of Coast Guard missions despite daunting challenges. His superlative organizational and technical skills permeated his comprehensive program action plan that shepherded the Auxiliary Interpreter Corps to overcome substantial losses it experienced due to establishment of Auxiliary background checks in 2004. By 2008, Mr. BAUMANN had led the Auxiliary Interpreter Corps to deliver increasingly more missions, gain an astounding 50 percent increase in membership, and provide a diverse range of 46 foreign languages most of which were mission critical to the Coast Guard. His unwavering commitment to service and unparalleled spirit of cooperation resulted in the unprecedented deployment of nine Auxiliary interpreters on a U.S. Navy ship in support of its 2008 African Partnership Station, the resounding success of which set solid expectations for future joint service missions. Mr. BAUMANN’s keen ability to plan and manage complex events was instrumental to the successful execution of the 2005 Search-and-Rescue Subject Matter Expert Exchange in the Dominican Republic and the 2006 Caribbean Search-and-Rescue Conference in which more than 70 representatives of 27 nations participated. A consummate international emissary, his personal efforts to brief, host, and mentor international counterparts across the globe were instrumental to the elevation of the Coast Guard Auxiliary as the world’s premier maritime volunteer search-and-rescue organization. Mr. BAUMANN’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.