ALCOAST 392/08
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ: 2007 ASSOCIATION FOR RESCUE AT SEA (AFRAS) AWARD RECIPIENTS
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 021506Z MAY 08/ALCOAST 213/08
1. AS PER REF (A), THIS MESSAGE ANNOUNCES THE RECIPIENTS OF THE
2007 AFRAS GOLD AND SILVER MEDALS. THE GOLD MEDAL IS AWARDED
ANNUALLY TO A COAST GUARD ENLISTED MEMBER WHO HAS UNIQUELY
DEMONSTRATED SELFLESS COURAGE AND HEROISM DURING A RESCUE OF LIFE
AT SEA. THE SILVER MEDAL IS AWARDED ANNUALLY TO A COAST GUARD
AUXILIARIST FOR EXTRAORDINARY BRAVERY DURING A RESCUE AT SEA.
2. GOLD MEDAL. THE GOLD MEDAL IS AWARDED TO AST1 WILLARD L. MILAM,
COAST GUARD AIR STATION KODIAK, ALASKA. AST1 MILAM EARNED THE GOLD
MEDAL FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM ON 10 FEB 07 WHILE SERVING AS
RESCUE SWIMMER ABOARD COAST GUARD HELO CGNR 6525, DURING THE RESCUE
OF FOUR FISHERMEN FROM F/V ILLUSION, NEAR UNALASKA ISLAND. ON A
PITCH-BLACK MORNING, CGNR 6525 LAUNCHED IN NEAR-ZERO VISIBILITY TO
LOCATE THE SOURCE OF A DISTRESS SIGNAL APPROXIMATELY 50NM SOUTHWEST
OF MAKUSHIN BAY. AFTER SPOTTING THE LIFE RAFT FROM F/V ILLUSION
WHICH SANK AN HOUR EARLIER, AST1 MILAM COURAGEOUSLY DEPLOYED INTO
15-FOOT SWELLS, OFTEN LOSING SIGHT OF THE RAFT, AS HE SWAM TO THE
SURVIVORS. CLIMBING ABOARD THE TOSSING RAFT, HE DISCOVERED ALL
SURVIVORS WERE SOAKED IN UNPROTECTED CLOTHING AND MILDLY
HYPOTHERMIC. AFTER RECEIVING SURVIVAL GARMENTS FROM CGNR 6525 AND
DESPITE 40-DEGREE WATER INTRUSION INTO HIS SUIT, AST1 MILAM WAS
ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY HOIST ALL FOUR SURVIVORS ONBOARD THE HELO.
AST1 MILAM DEMONSTRATED DECISIVE ACTIONS AND VALOR THAT WAS
INSTRUMENTAL IN THE RESCUE OF THE STRICKEN FISHERMEN.
3. SILVER MEDAL. THE SILVER MEDAL IS AWARDED TO DISTRICT SEVENTEEN
AUXILIARISTS SHANE A. TAYLOR, RICHARD H. LIEBE AND RAYMOND R.
MILLER, AND CANADIAN COAST GUARD AUXILIARIST MICHAEL CUPIT, WHO
EARNED THE SILVER MEDAL ON 25 APR 07 WHILE SERVING AS COXSWAIN AND
CREW OF CG275594. WHILE UNDERWAY FOR TRAINING, THE CREW OVERHEARD A
DISTRESS CALL FROM THE 39-FOOT CHARTER VESSEL HALIBUT ENDEAVOR
STATING THEY WERE RAPIDLY TAKING ON WATER, HAD 13 PEOPLE ON BOARD
AND WERE MAKING WAY TOWARDS THE NEAREST LANDFALL, SELDOVIA, ALASKA.
CG275594 RESPONDED AND ARRIVED ON SCENE IN 20 MINUTES. AFTER
TRANSFERRING 11 PASSENGERS TO CG275594, THE HALIBUT ENDEAVOR HEELED
TO PORT, FORCING THE BOAT CAPTAIN AND DECK HAND TO CRAWL ONTO THE
BOW. CG275594 QUICKLY REPOSITIONED AND SAFELY REMOVED BOTH BEFORE
THE VESSEL SANK. THE CREW OF CG275594 DEMONSTRATED OUTSTANDING
SKILL AND DECISION MAKING IN THE HEROIC RESCUE OF 13 LIVES FROM THE
SINKING HALIBUT ENDEAVOR.
4. THE OTHER AFRAS AWARD NOMINEES, ALL OF WHOM DEMONSTRATED
EXCEPTIONAL COURAGE, HAVE FURTHER ENHANCED THE COAST GUARD
REPUTATION AS THE LIFE SAVERS AND GUARDIANS OF THE SEA. THESE
OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS INCLUDE:
 A. AST2 MICHAEL C. ACKERMANN - AIR STATION ELIZABETH CITY, NORTH
CAROLINA
 B. AST3 ROBERT D. EMLEY - COAST GUARD GROUP ASTORIA, OREGON
 C. AST2 SHAWN LESKO - AIR STATION HUMBOLDT BAY, CALIFORNIA
 D. AST2 LAWRENCE D. NETTLES - AIR STATION LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
 E. AMT1 WILLIAM P. SOLTESZ AMD AMT3 RYAN L. HARPER - AIR STATION
BORINQUEN, PUERTO RICO
 F. AUXILIARIST MICHAEL A. DOYLE - EIGHTH DISTRICT, COASTAL REGION
(FLOTILLA 15)
 G. AUXILIARIST JOHN MANTON - FIRST DISTRICT, SOUTHERN REGION
(FLOTILLA 18-02)
 H. AUXILIARIST LEANNE SWEENEY - ELEVENTH DISTRICT, NORTHERN REGION
(FLOTILLA 35)
5. AWARD RECIPIENTS WILL BE RECOGNIZED AT A RECEPTION ON CAPITOL
HILL, 25 SEP 08 (TONOS WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE OF SEARCH AND
RESCUE).
6. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL AFRAS AWARD RECIPIENTS AND NOMINEES ON A
JOB WELL DONE.
7. RDML J. R. CASTILLO, DIRECTOR OF RESPONSE POLICY, SENDS.
8. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.