U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda L. Fagan delivers remarks.AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.) delivers remarks and opens the search and rescue awards ceremony.Captain Nikolaos Lazakis, Greek Naval Attaché, accepted the Amver Award on behalf of the captain and crew of the motor vessel Aristofaniz.Admiral Fagan, the Honorable Anna Toliou, Greek Embassy Economic and Commercial Office, Captain Nikolaos Lazakis, Greek Naval Attaché, Beverly Howard, Amver Program Analyst, and AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.) during the presentation for the Amver Award to the captain and crew of the motor vessel Aristofaniz.AFRAS Vice President and Chief Information Officer Wayne Spivak.U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan, Captain Nicholas Pagonis, Vice President Marine Operations, Royal Caribbean Group, Captain Phillip Lellau, Chief Safety Officer of Mein Schiff 1, Captain Omar Caruana, Master of Mein Schiff 1, AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.), Captain Sebastian Naneder, Director of Marine Operations and Fleet Captain, Royal Caribbean Group, and Lieutenant Colonel Bjoern Jansen, German Assistant Air Attaché, during the presentation of the Cruise Ship Humanitarian Assistance Award to the captain and crew of the cruise ship Mein Schiff 1.Captain Omar Caruana, Master of Mein Schiff 1, delivers remarks after accepting the Cruise Ship Humanitarian Assistance Award.Admiral Fagan, Boatswain’s Mate First Class Anthony Abbatte, of U.S. Coast Guard Station Grand Isle, La., Boatswain’s Mate First Class Lacey Miller, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Glen Harris, Chief Warrant Officer (Boatswain) Ian Thompson, Cutter Glen Harris, Geoffrey Green, of Bollinger Shipyards, and AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.) during the presentation of the Special Award for the joint Coast Guard/civilian SeaCor Power rescues.AFRAS Director Commodore Robert Shafer, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.Admiral Fagan, Commander Brad Winans, U.S. Coast Guard Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliarists Commodore Gus Formato, Robert E. Bohm and William F. Jacobs Jr., and AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.) during the presentation of the AFRAS Silver Medal.Admiral Fagan, Commander Brad Winans, U.S. Coast Guard Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliarists Commodore Gus Formato, Robert E. Bohm and William F. Jacobs Jr., and AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.)Admiral Fagan, Commander Brad Winans, U.S. Coast Guard Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliarists Commodore Gus Formato, Robert E. Bohm and William F. Jacobs Jr., and AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.)Admiral Fagan, U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Survival Technician First Class Adam Via, Nolan Via, Jennifer Via, Captain Re and Vice Admiral Kevin E. Lunday, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Commander, during the presentation of the Vice Admiral Thomas R. Sargent III Gold Medal.The Vias’ son, Nolan, poses with his dad's Gold Medal.The Vias’ son, Nolan, poses with his dad's Gold Medal.Admiral Fagan and Petty Officer Via.Petty Officer Via delivers remarks after receiving his Vice Admiral Thomas Sargent III Gold Medal.Capitol Hill Gold Medal Ceremony sponsors, from left, Harkcon CEO Kevin Harkins, Captain Charley Diaz (USCG ret.), of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Hamid Salim, of Lockheed Martin, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda L. Fagan, AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.), AFRAS Director Commander Ken Prime (USCG ret.), also of Lockheed Martin, Jennifer Williams, Vice President, Maritime Policy, Cruise Lines International Association, Patrick Host, of Insitu, and Phil Crigler, of Austal USA.
A U.S. Coast Guard aviation rescue swimmer, three U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliarists, the captains and crews of a tanker and a cruise ship and the captains and crews from a joint civilian/U.S. Coast Guard rescue were the honorees at the annual AFRAS Capitol Hill Gold Medal Ceremony, held Nov. 16 in the Capitol Visitors Center in Washington D.C.
These maritime search and rescue heroes accounted for more than 160 lives saved at sea in 2021. The Gold Medal Ceremony was sponsored by the Honorable Dan Sullivan, U.S. Senator for Alaska, and included a reception, remarks from U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda L. Fagan, a History and Heritage Moment about the medical professionals who work behind the scenes of rescues, remarks from AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.) and ceremonial honors for our Amver, Cruise Ship Humanitarian, Special, Silver Medal and Vice Admiral Thomas Sargent III Gold Medal award winners.
The event was made possible through the generous contributions of our corporate sponsors, many of whom had representatives in attendance, along with senior maritime officials from the United States, Germany and Greece.
Reception Photos
U.S Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Kyle Courtney, Executive Petty Officer of Station Fire Island, N.Y., and Auxiliarists William F. Jacobs Jr. and Robert E. BohmFrom left, Jennifer Williams, of Cruise Lines International Association, Captain Nicholas Pagonis, Vice President Marine Operations, Royal Caribbean Group, Captain Phillip Lellau, Chief Safety Officer of Mein Schiff 1, Captain Sebastian Naneder, Director of Marine Operations and Fleet Captain, Royal Caribbean Group, Captain Omar Caruana, Master of Mein Schiff 1, and Lieutenant Colonel Bjoern Jansen, German Assistant Air Attaché.From left, U.S. Coast Guard members Boatswain’s Mate First Class Anthony Abbatte, of Station Grand Isle, La., Boatswain’s Mate First Class Lacey Miller, Cutter Glen Harris, Chief Warrant Officer (Boatswain) Ian Thompson, Cutter Glen Harris.U.S. Coast Guard members Command Master Chief Jeremy P. DeMello, Atlantic Area, and Petty Officer Miller.U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda L. Fagan and AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.).Admiral Fagan and Captain Re were classmates at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.Admiral Fagan and AFRAS Director Commander Ken Prime (USCG ret.).Admiral Fagan and AFRAS Director Commander Ken Prime (USCG ret.).Rear Admiral Megan Dean, U.S. Coast Guard Director of Governmental and Public Affairs.Lieutenant Colonel Bjoern Jansen, German Assistant Air Attaché.Ceremony sponsors, from left, Captain Charley Diaz (USCG ret.), of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Kevin Harkins, CEO of Harkcon, Paula Harkins, of Harkcon, and AFRAS Director Commander Don Jaccard (USCG ret.).A young guest with a challenge coin from Admiral Fagan.Captain Nikolaos Lazakis, Greek Naval Attaché, the Honorable Anna Toliou, Greek Embassy Economic and Commercial Office, and Anne Kifer, AFRAS Secretary and Gold Medal Ceremony coordinator.U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Carola List, Assistant Commandant for Engineering and Logistics, and U.S. Coast Guard Captain Adam Kerr.Gold sponsors Hamid Salim and Mark Creasey, of Lockheed Martin.AFRAS Director Commander Ken Prime (USCG ret.), left, and Gold sponsor Kevin McGowan, of Lockheed Martin.U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Commander Vice Admiral Kevin E. Lunday and Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.).AFRAS Secretary and Gold Medal Ceremony Coordinator Anne Kifer, sponsor Shelton Metcalf, of Waterman, and Ryan Roslonek, Director of Partner Giving, U.S. Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association.Richard Button, U.S. Coast Guard Office of Search and Rescue, and sponsors Pam Harman, Senior Director, and Chris Austin, of Peraton.AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.) takes a photo of Admiral Fagan and sponsor Patrick Host, of Insitu.AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.) and sponsor Biz Peabody, of Shield AI.AFRAS Treasurer Anne Skelton and AFRAS Director Emeritus Dave Chomeau, also Director Emeritus of the Gold sponsor Tatman Foundation.AFRAS Treasurer Anne Skelton and AFRAS Director Emeritus Dave Chomeau, also Director Emeritus of the Gold sponsor Tatman Foundation.AFRAS Treasurer Anne Skelton and AFRAS Director Emeritus Dave Chomeau, also Director Emeritus of the Gold sponsor Tatman Foundation.Senior Director of Coast Guard Affairs for Airbus Helicopters Inc. and USCG Rescue Swimmer #191 Ron Tremain, left, and AFRAS Director Commander Ken Prime (USCG ret.). Tremain was also elected to the AFRAS Board of Directors during a meeting before the Gold Medal Ceremony.From left, Captain Brian Erickson, U.S. Coast Guard Chief Data Officer, Vice Admiral Thomas Sargent III Gold Medal winner Aviation Survival Technician First Class Adam Via and Jennifer Via.Beverly Howard, Amver Program Analyst, and Chief Warrant Officer 4 Brandon Brewer (USCG ret.), AFRAS Vice President for Public Information.
Awards Ceremony Photos
U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda L. Fagan delivers remarks.AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.) delivers remarks and opens the search and rescue awards ceremony.Captain Nikolaos Lazakis, Greek Naval Attaché, accepted the Amver Award on behalf of the captain and crew of the motor vessel Aristofaniz.Admiral Fagan, the Honorable Anna Toliou, Greek Embassy Economic and Commercial Office, Captain Nikolaos Lazakis, Greek Naval Attaché, Beverly Howard, Amver Program Analyst, and AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.) during the presentation for the Amver Award to the captain and crew of the motor vessel Aristofaniz.AFRAS Vice President and Chief Information Officer Wayne Spivak.U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan, Captain Nicholas Pagonis, Vice President Marine Operations, Royal Caribbean Group, Captain Phillip Lellau, Chief Safety Officer of Mein Schiff 1, Captain Omar Caruana, Master of Mein Schiff 1, AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.), Captain Sebastian Naneder, Director of Marine Operations and Fleet Captain, Royal Caribbean Group, and Lieutenant Colonel Bjoern Jansen, German Assistant Air Attaché, during the presentation of the Cruise Ship Humanitarian Assistance Award to the captain and crew of the cruise ship Mein Schiff 1.Captain Omar Caruana, Master of Mein Schiff 1, delivers remarks after accepting the Cruise Ship Humanitarian Assistance Award.Admiral Fagan, Boatswain’s Mate First Class Anthony Abbatte, of U.S. Coast Guard Station Grand Isle, La., Boatswain’s Mate First Class Lacey Miller, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Glen Harris, Chief Warrant Officer (Boatswain) Ian Thompson, Cutter Glen Harris, Geoffrey Green, of Bollinger Shipyards, and AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.) during the presentation of the Special Award for the joint Coast Guard/civilian SeaCor Power rescues.AFRAS Director Commodore Robert Shafer, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.Admiral Fagan, Commander Brad Winans, U.S. Coast Guard Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliarists Commodore Gus Formato, Robert E. Bohm and William F. Jacobs Jr., and AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.) during the presentation of the AFRAS Silver Medal.Admiral Fagan, Commander Brad Winans, U.S. Coast Guard Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliarists Commodore Gus Formato, Robert E. Bohm and William F. Jacobs Jr., and AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.)Admiral Fagan, Commander Brad Winans, U.S. Coast Guard Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliarists Commodore Gus Formato, Robert E. Bohm and William F. Jacobs Jr., and AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.)Admiral Fagan, U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Survival Technician First Class Adam Via, Nolan Via, Jennifer Via, Captain Re and Vice Admiral Kevin E. Lunday, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Commander, during the presentation of the Vice Admiral Thomas R. Sargent III Gold Medal.The Vias’ son, Nolan, poses with his dad’s Gold Medal.The Vias’ son, Nolan, poses with his dad’s Gold Medal.Admiral Fagan and Petty Officer Via.Petty Officer Via delivers remarks after receiving his Vice Admiral Thomas Sargent III Gold Medal.Capitol Hill Gold Medal Ceremony sponsors, from left, Harkcon CEO Kevin Harkins, Captain Charley Diaz (USCG ret.), of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Hamid Salim, of Lockheed Martin, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda L. Fagan, AFRAS President Captain Joe Re (USCG ret.), AFRAS Director Commander Ken Prime (USCG ret.), also of Lockheed Martin, Jennifer Williams, Vice President, Maritime Policy, Cruise Lines International Association, Patrick Host, of Insitu, and Phil Crigler, of Austal USA.
