Photo By Sgt. Ryan Twist | After crossing the finish line first, Michael Molina gets a drink of water from the...... read more read more
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GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Two hundred and twenty-five years ago, 10 vessels were authorized to be built by Congress to enforce tariff and trade laws. On Aug. 4, 1790, the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, now the U.S. Coast Guard, which is the smallest of the five Armed Forces, was created to protect the public and the environment.
To honor and celebrate the Coast Guard’s birthday, Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay, Maritime Security Detachment/Port Security Unit 308 kicked off festivities Aug. 1, by hosting a 5K run at Cooper Field. The celebration continued throughout the week with birthday cake Aug. 4, at both the Camp America Galley and Gold Hill Galley.
“It’s a tradition to celebrate our roots of where we came from and where we are going,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Nicholas Ladner, a tactical crewman and engineer with MARSECDET/PSU 308.
The Coast Guard’s job is to protect any maritime region as required, to support national security or U.S. economic interests along the coast, on international waters or in the nation’s waterways.
“Today’s Coast Guard is a combination of the legacy Revenue Cutter Service, the Lighthouse Service, the Steamboat Inspection Service, the Bureau of Navigation, and the Lifesaving Service,” said Cmdr. Ronzelle Green, MARSECDET/PSU 308. “These organizations were distinct, but had similar federal authorities.”
Green said the Coast Guard has been protecting the U.S. coastline and navigable waterways, deploying overseas in support of Department of Defense missions, enforcing maritime and federal laws, providing security and environmental stewardship and saving lives.
“To this day the Coast Guard has a vast array of duties and responsibilities that the service has worked to perfect,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Lind, a waterside security lead petty officer with MARSECDET/PSU 308. “Without the Coast Guard, our maritime borders would be less secure, more drugs would enter our country and numerous lives would be lost at sea.”
Petty Officer 3rd Class Kenneth Wallace, with the MARSECDET/PSU 308, is proud of the Coast Guard’s strong heritage.
“I’m proud to say, I’m in the Coast Guard. It took a lot of hard work to get where I’m at and I love my job,” Wallace said.
When Wallace is at home, he normally celebrates the Coast Guard’s birthday with his unit.
“We’ve celebrated by taking a day off work (to) go canoeing in a river,” said Wallace. “We stopped at a sandbar, grilled chicken and burgers, and continued down the river. It was fun. We were able to bring (our) family and friends along.”
This is the first time he has celebrated the birthday in a deployed environment. Ladner enjoyed the birthday celebration.
“We get so complacent in our day-to-day routines,” said Ladner. “It’s nice to have something different and exciting to break it up.”
After all, this is an important day.
“This year commemorates two and a quarter centuries of our existence,” said Green. “From our birth in the Department of Transportation to our current home in the Department of Homeland Security, the Coast Guard continues to provide unique capabilities to support U.S. interest at home and abroad. Continue to follow our guiding principles of service to nation, duty to people, and commitment to excellence.”
Happy Birthday Coast Guard!
| Date Taken: | 08.07.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 02.29.2016 17:44 |
| Story ID: | 190514 |
| Location: | GUANTANAMO BAY, CU |
| Web Views: | 51 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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