AFRAS Chairman Dana Goward gives opening remarks at the 2017 Capitol Hill Maritime Search and Rescue awards ceremony at the Rayburn House Office Bldg. in Washington DC, Sep. 26. All photos courtesy U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Patrick Kelley.
U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, congressional sponsor of the event, makes opening remarks as U.S. Rep. John Garamendi looks on. Hunter is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Marine Transportation, of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Garamendi is the Ranking Democrat on the subcommittee Hunter chairs.
Adm. Paul Zukunft, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, makes opening remarks.
Tania Tsardidou, representing the motor vessel Orfeas’ management company, accepts the Amver Special Award on behalf of the captain and crew for their rescue of four sailors 1100 miles off Puerto Rico. Tsardidou is flanked, from left, by Zukunft, Haris Lalacos, Ambassador of Greece to the U.S., Hunter, Goward, Garamendi and AFRAS President Charles “Skip” Bowen. Read about the rescue: https://goo.gl/bNNm3A
Capt. Hugo Ammeriaan, of the Royal Netherlands Navy, Naval Attache in Washington DC, makes remarks after accepting the Amver Special Award on behalf of the captain and crew of the motor vessel Eastern Confidence. Read about the rescue: https://goo.gl/bNNm3A
Ben Strong, Chief of the Amver Martime Relations Staff, shakes hands with Goward while accepting the Amver Award on behalf of the captain and crew of the ship EM Coral. Read about the rescue: https://goo.gl/qhXy1R
“This year hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria have brought the perils of the sea to many on land, and cruise ships have gone to the aid of those in distress. Even before the storms struck, the cruise lines reached out to the Federal government in preparation for response after the storms.” AFRAS Director and Vice President Gary Thomas uses the event History and Heritage Moment to detail cruise lines’ long history of maritime search and rescue and humanitarian aid missions.
Matt Lewis, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Vice President of Global Security, shakes hands with Goward as he accepts the Cruise Ship Humanitarian Assistance Award on behalf of the cruise line’s “Norwegian Spirit” captain and crew. Read about the rescue: https://goo.gl/LhfyZd
Jennifer Love, Senior Vice President, Safety, Security, Environment, Medical/Public Health and Situation Management for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., shakes hands with Adm. Zukunft as Goward looks on. Love accepted the Cruise Ship Humanitarian Assistance Award on behalf of the cruise line’s “Brilliance of the Seas” captain and crew. Read about the rescue: https://goo.gl/LhfyZd
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliarist Brian Rollins, center, mingles during the event reception. Rollins and a fellow Auxiliarist earned the Chairman’s Award this year, presented earlier in the summer at the Auxiliary National Convention. Read about the rescue: https://goo.gl/eXnPid
U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer First Class Jacob Hylkema, winner of the Vice Admiral Thomas Sargent III Gold Medal, makes remarks after accepting his award. Read about his rescue: https://goo.gl/trf1G4
U.S. Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard congratulates Hylkema on his achievement. Roybal-Allard is the Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Homeland Security, of the House Committee on Appropriations.
Rep. Roybal-Allard chats with Fran DeNinno, wife of Adm. Zukunft.
