Saturday, December 22, 2007

Merry Christmas Everyone!


Every year, the USCGC Shearwater is decorated for Christmas.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Classy Move

I would like to write about the Redskins going to the Meadowlands and hanging a W on the New York Football Giants but I won't.

Since the Redskins game was at 8:00 last night, I was able to watch the Cowboys game and root for whoever was playing them. In this case, the Philadelphia Eagles. A good time was had in the Brown Hound household as the Eagles embarrassed Tony Romo in front of his girlfriend, Jessica Simpson.

Really, the game was unremarkable until the final two minutes when Brian Westbrook did something that I've never seen before. The Eagles were up by four when Westbrook broke away with the ball and took off for the endzone. There was no one to stop him. He stopped on the one yard line and I thought that he was going to strut it in for a TD. Instead, he took a knee! He realized that there was too much time on the clock to give Dallas the ball back. So for the good of the team, he let his personal stats take a hit. That's teamwork!

Sunday, December 09, 2007

2008 Reserve JO Assignment Panel for ISC Portsmouth

SUBJ: 2008 RESERVE JUNIOR OFFICER ASSIGNMENT PANEL FOR ISC
PORTSMOUTH(PF) - INITIAL
A. RESERVE POLICY MANUAL
1. THIS MSG INITIATES THE 2008 SELECTED RESERVE JUNIOR OFFICER (RJO) ASSIGNMENT SEASON FOR UNITS AND MEMBERS SERVICED BY ISC PORTSMOUTH(PF). IAW REF A, THE 2008 RJO ASSIGNMENT PANEL WILL CONVENE MAY 8-9 2008.
2. THE FOLLOWING OUTLINES THE RJO ASSIGNMENT PROCESS ACTION ITEMS
AND THE TIME LINE FOR COMPLETION:
A. 04FEB08: IN ADDITION TO DIRECT ACCESS, ISC PORTSMOUTH(PF) WILL PUBLISH THE SHOPPING LIST VIA CGMSG AS NECESSARY TO ENSURE RJOS ARE PROVIDED WITH THE LATEST AND MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE.
B. 04APR08: COMMAND CONCERNS AND POSITION VALIDATION SUBMITTED TO ISC PORTSMOUTH(PF). GUIDANCE FOR SUBMISSION WILL BE TRANSMITTED VIA SEPCOR.
C. 07APR08: ASSIGNMENT PANEL MBRSHP CONFIRMED.
D. 18APR08: RJO SUBMISSIONS TO ISC PORTSMOUTH(PF). SEE RJO INFO SECTION FOR SUBMISSION DETAILS.
E. 25APR08: PRECEPTS AND READ AHEADS SUBMITTED TO PANEL MBRS.
F. 02MAY08: ASSIGNMENT DECONFLICTION COMPLETED BY ISC(PF)S.
G. 08-09MAY08: ASSIGNMENT PANEL CONVENES. LOCATION TBD.
H. 16MAY08: PANEL RESULTS PUBLISH VIA CGMSG.
I. 30MAY08: ORDERS ISSUED IN DIRECT ACCESS.
J. 13JUN08: MBR DEADLINE TO DECLINE ORDERS.
K. 01JUL08: TRANSFERS EFFECTED.
3. TO ENSURE EQUITABLE ASSIGNMENT OPPORTUNITIES, ISC PORTSMOUTH(PF) WILL SUSPEND THE OFF-SEASON ASSIGNMENT PROCESS AFTER 01MAR08. ALL OFFICERS REQUIRING A SELRES POSITION AFTER THIS DATE WILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPETE AT THE ASSIGNMENT PANEL.
4. UNITS REQUIREMENTS:
A. PROVIDE ISC PORTSMOUTH(PF) WITH NAME OF UNIT POC TO COORDINATE COMMAND CONCERNS AND POSITION VALIDATION VIA E-MAIL NLT 04FEB08.
B. ENSURE ALL ASSIGNED RJOS ARE PROVIDED A COPY OF THIS MSG.
C. ENDORSE RJOS E-RESUME.
5. RESERVE JUNIOR OFFICER REQUIREMENTS:
A. RJOS IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT AN E-RESUME IF:
(1) TOUR COMPLETE IN CY 2008.
(2) SELECTED FOR THE NEXT HIGHER PAYGRADE.
(3) ASSIGNED TO AN UNBUDGETED POSITION.
B. RJOS IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES MAY SUBMIT AN E-RESUME FOR PANEL CONSIDERATION:
(1) NOT TOUR COMPLETE. REQUIRES CMD ENDORSEMENT ON E-RESUME.
(2) RJOS ASSIGNED TO IRR. IRR MBRS WILL REQUIRE CGPC-RPM APPROVAL PRIOR TO ORDERS BEING ISSUED.
C. SUBMIT E-RESUME VIA DIRECT ACCESS. NO OFF-LINE RESUMES WILL BE ACCEPTED.
D. SUBMIT THREE MOST RECENT OERS AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION (I.E. LTR OF RECOMMENDATION, AWARDS, COURSE INFORMATION, ETC.) NOT CONTAINED IN DIRECT ACCESS. OERS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SHOULD BE MAILED OR SCANNED AND E-MAILED TO:
(1) REQUIREMENTS MANAGEMENT SECTION, COAST GUARD INTEGRATED SUPPORT COMMAND PORTSMOUTH(PF), 4000 COAST GUARD BLVD, PORTSMOUTH, VA, 23703
(2) D05-DG-PORTSMOUTH.PF.REQUIREMENTS(AT)USCG.MIL.
E. MBRS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THEIR DOCUMENTATION IS RCVD BY
ISC PORTSMOUTH(PF) NLT 18APR08.
F. RJOS DESIRING AN ASSIGNMENT TO AN INTELLIGENCE COMMAND (EX: MIFC-LANT, ICC) SHOULD SUBMIT THEIR PKGS ASAP TO ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL PROCESSING TIME.
G. ENSURE MBR INFO IN DIRECT ACCESS IS UP TO DATE PRIOR TO SUBMISSION OF PKG. TO UPDATE, USE THE FOLLOWING PATH IN DIRECT ACCESS: HOME-SELF SERVICE-EMPLOYEE-TASKS-E-MAIL ADDRESSES.
6. ISC PORTSMOUTH(PF) POC: LT JOHN CODD, 757-483-8647, JOHN.B.CODD(AT)USCG.MIL
7. CG-1313, INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

USCG LANTAREA Reserve Command Master Chief


I served with Master Chief Dikun (pronounced "deacon") at Port Security Unit 305. I am very pleased to see this.

R 042200Z DEC 07
FM COMLANTAREA COGARD PORTSMOUTH VA//A//
TO ALLCOGARD LANT
INFO COMCOGARD PERSCOM ARLINGTON VA//RPM//
COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
COMPACAREA COGARD ALAMEDA CA//PCMC//
BT
UNCLAS //N01306//
SUBJ: ATLANTIC AREA RESERVE COMMAND MASTER CHIEF ASSIGNMENT
1. I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE SELECTION OF MASTER CHIEF PETTY OFFICER WILLIAM J. DIKUN AS THE PROSPECTIVE ATLANTIC AREA RESERVE COMMAND MASTER CHIEF.
2. MASTER CHIEF DIKUN ENLISTED IN THE COAST GUARD RESERVES IN 1986. HE HAS SERVED WITH DISTINCTION AT VARIOUS STATIONS AND PORT SECURITY UNITS (PSU'S) THROUGHOUT ATLANTIC AREA. FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, MASTER CHIEF DIKUN HAS SERVED WITH DISTINCTION AS THE FIRST COAST GUARD DISTRICT RESERVE COMMAND MASTER CHIEF.
3. MASTER CHIEF DIKUN BRINGS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE TO ATLANTIC AREA. HE SERVED WITH PSU 303 IN SAUDI ARABIA DURING OPERATION DESERT STORM, WITH PSU 305 IN NEW YORK CITY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING SEPT 11TH AND LATER IN GUANTANAMO BAY CUBA IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, AND WITH THE REDEPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE AND INSPECTION DETACHMENT (RAID) TEAM IN IRAQ AND KUWAIT TO SUPPORT OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. IN A LESS EXOTIC LOCALE, HE WAS OOD AT A SMALL BOAT STATION OVERSEEING WEEKEND SMALL BOAT OPS. HE ALSO SERVED AS THE COAST GUARD LIAISON TO THE US AIR FORCE 421ST GROUND
COMBAT READINESS SQUADRON WHERE HE ADMINISTERED AND CONDUCTED ADVANCED PSU/NAVAL COASTAL WARFARE TRAINING OF CG PERSONNEL.
4. A STRONG PROPONENT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION, MASTER CHIEF DIKUN IS A GRADUATE OF THE USCG CHIEF PETTY OFFICER RESERVE COURSE, THE USAF SENIOR NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER ACADEMY, AND THE USN SENIOR ENLISTED ACADEMY. HE IS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THE USA SERGEANTS MAJOR ACADEMYNON-RESIDENT CLASS WITH AN ANTICIPATED GRADUATION IN SUMMER 2008. HE ALSO HOLDS A MASTER OF ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCE DEGREE, A BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE, AND SEVERAL ASSOCIATES OF ARTS DEGREES.
5. MASTER CHIEF DIKUN WILL RELIEVE RESERVE COMMAND MASTER CHIEF DENNIS KIRK ON 23 JAN 2008 AT THE ATLANTIC AREA OFFICES. I WISH MASTER CHIEF KIRK CONTINUED GREAT SUCCESS AS THE CMC OF THE NEWLY COMMISSIONED MARITIME FORCE PROTECTION UNIT KINGS BAY GA. I THANK HIM FOR HIS DEDICATED SERVICE TO ATLANTIC AREA OVER THE LAST FOUR
YEARS. HE HAS BEEN AN OUTSTANDING MEMBER OF THE ATLANTIC AREA TEAM AND I WILL MISS HIS WISE COUNSEL.
6. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.
7. VADM D. B. PETERMAN, COMMANDER ATLANTIC AREA, SENDS.
BT
NNNN

USS Arizona

The Wall Street Journal has an article on artifacts from the USS Arizona.
several tons of the Arizona, were removed from the ship during the construction of the memorial and transported to a spot across the channel from Ford Island, where they have been ever since, holding a silent and lonely vigil against time and the elements.

Read the rest here.