Soaring With Eagles.

Posted by Jonathan James

Today at the Division Change of Watch Todd Mains was presented with the Eagle Award by MSU Commander, Captain LeBlanc . Here is what Captain LaBlanc had to say about Todd at the Division Change of Watch this afternoon.

"It is with great pleasure that I make the Eagle Award presentation today for the person that has best exhibited the core values of the U.S. Coast Guard and the C.G. Auxiliary, and whose performance as a Division 7 Auxiliarist has stood out as beyond the call of duty for the year 2010. Mr. Todd mains."
The Captain also went on to say, "During his (Todd's) first two years, he acquired qualifications as a Vessel Examiner, Boat Crew, and Coxswain. In July of 2006 he began working in the Sector Portland Command Center as a Communications Controller and served continuously in that capacity until July 2010. He was selected as the Auxiliarist of the Week in February of 2008. In the spring of 2008, he was selected as the Assistant Auxiliary Sector Coordinator, and in 2009 selected and promoted to be the Auxiliary Sector Coordinator. As Auxiliary Sector Coordinator, he had many responsibilities and duties. The formal description of that position as written by CG Headquarters is an Auxiliary Sector Coordinator is the District Commodore's direct representative to the Sector Commander in order to facilitate auxiliary support to support Coast Guard missions, and provide continuity across the tenures of Sector Commanders and District Commodores. That is a nice way of saying that you will solve all Auxiliary issues that come to your attention in order to keep the Sector Commander and the Auxiliary District Commodore extremely happy. Todd served in that high stress position until December 31, 2010, just one week ago. Also during the 2009/2010 time period, Todd managed all Auxiliary Surface Operations including those from Divisions 6, 8, and 11. He helped in the development of the Patrol Order Request and supervision of Auxiliary Facilities outside the Station Portland AOR."

The Captain also high lighted some of Todd's most recent accomplishments by saying "He assisted with the Opening Day Safety Zone patrol, served on the Citizen's Advisory Committee to Multnomah County Marine Patrol. worked as AUXCOM and in the Emergency Command Post for Rose Festival Operations in 2010, assisted Station Portland with Coxswain Qualification Training, assisted the Coast Guard Academy with interviews of potential cadets, aboard his facility- escorted Christmas Ships on the Willamette River, working as a mentor for new members in Flotilla 76. But most impressively to me is that Todd volunteered and deployed to Biloxi, MS in July of 2010 in support of Coast Guard's Operation Deepwater Horizon, which was our response to the massive oil rig blowout and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. While there he supervised Vessels of Opportunity to survey and recover oil. He also developed techniques to modify equipment that was designed to recover oil from the surface in order for it to discover oil under the water's surface.

To conclude the Captain's remarks he made some quick bullet points.

• Todd has received 31 Auxiliary Awards.
  
• Has performed over 9000 RECORDED hours of public service since joining in 2004.
• Over 2500 hours this year alone.
  
• This past Wednesday, I started a new tradition for our monthly all hands formations at MSU Portland - that new tradition being the acknowledgment of two Auxiliarists from Division 7, sort of a 5 minute vignette similar to the TV show "This is Your Life" to give the Active Duty personnel a snapshot of the caliber of personnel that we have working alongside us as Auiliarists. Todd had the pleasure (or displeasure) of being one of the first two test subjects that we called up front and center to be subjected to my imitation of Ralph Edwards.
  
• Todd is a graduate of the University of Oregon and probably has some good money on Monday's National College Football Championship game. Go Ducks.
  
• And Todd was named by his peers as "Most likely to spend his entire retirement savings on boat repairs."

I would like to say Bravo Zulu to Todd and congratulations on your award.