R 201714Z JUL 09 

ALCOAST 413/09
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ:  2008 USCG AUXILIARIST OF THE YEAR
1.  I AM VERY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE SELECTION OF MS.
MARILYNN R. LEONARD OF FLOTILLA 42 IN THE THIRTEENTH DISTRICT
AS THE 2008 AUXILIARIST OF THE YEAR.
2. MS. LEONARD ENROLLED IN THE AUXILIARY IN JUNE 2006 AND
IMMEDIATELY BECAME AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT DEMONSTRATING
TREMENDOUS ENTHUSIASM AND DEVOTION TO DUTY. SHE COMPLETED
AN EXTREMELY CHALLENGING BATTERY OF AUXILIARY
QUALIFICATIONS INCLUDING VESSEL EXAMINER, RBS PROGRAM
VISITOR, INSTRUCTOR, AND TWO PUBLIC AFFAIRS SCHOOLS IN HER
FIRST YEAR AS AN AUXILIARIST. MOREOVER, IN THE SHORT TIME SINCE
HER ENROLLMENT MS. LEONARD HAS DEDICATED OVER 5,400 HOURS
OF SERVICE ACROSS SEVERAL AUXILIARY MISSION AREAS.
3. MS. LEONARD HAS PROVIDED EXTENSIVE DIRECT SUPPORT OF COAST
GUARD OPERATIONS, STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND MARITIME DOMAIN
AWARENESS PROGRAMS. SHE HAS WORKED ON A WIDE VARIETY OF
AREA PHOTO MAPPING PROJECTS USED BY MANY FEDERAL AND STATE
AGENCIES, AND SHE HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF LEADERSHIP
COUNCILS FOR BOTH THE DISTRICT AND AIR STATION PORT ANGELES.
MS. LEONARD NOW FOCUSES MUCH OF HER VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY AS
THE ASSISTANT PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER FOR AIR STATION PORT
ANGELES, PROVIDING FULL TIME PA SUPPORT FOR THE UNIT. SHE ALSO
SERVES AS MANAGER OF THE CITIZENS ACTION NETWORK (CAN) TEAM
FOR THE STRAITS OF JUAN DE FUCA, A UNIQUE ORGANIZATION THAT
PROVIDES THE COAST GUARD WITH INVALUABLE MARITIME DOMAIN
AWARENESS BY CLOSELY MONITORING  REGIONAL COASTS AND
WATERWAYS.
4. DISPLAYING OUTSTANDING INITIATIVE COMBINED WITH
REMARKABLE COMMITMENT TO RECRUITMENT AND DIVERSITY, MS.
LEONARD SPEARHEADED ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AUXILIARY FLOTILLA
DETACHMENT IN FORKS, WA. AS DETACHMENT LEADER, SHE CREATED
A COMPREHENSIVE UNIT TRAINING PROGRAM AND PERSONALLY
RECRUITED SEVEN NEW MEMBERS INCLUDING KEY REGIONAL NATIVE
AMERICAN TRIBAL LEADERS.
5. I APPLAUD MS. LEONARD FOR HER EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE AND
SPIRIT OF SERVICE.  SHE WILL BE RECOGNIZED DURING CEREMONIES
AT THE AUXILIARY NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN CHICAGO, IL ON 29 AUG
09.
6. THE FOLLOWING AUXILIARISTS WERE FINALISTS FOR SELECTION
AND ARE CONGRATULATED FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE
AND ACHIEVEMENT:
  A.  MR. DANIEL J. GARCIA, FLOTILLA 21, D9 - EASTERN REGION
  B.  MR. ELEAZAR ESCORIHUELA, FLOTILLA 74, D7
7. RADM BRIAN M. SALERNO, ACTING DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR
OPERATIONS, SENDS.
8. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.