MILWAUKEE — Media are invited to a Coast Guard awards ceremony scheduled to be held Wednesday to recognize local Michigan first responders and citizens who rescued 30 swimmers during separate rip current incidents in Holland and South Haven, Mich., in August 2011.

During the ceremony, Capt. Matthew Sibley, commander of Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan, will present the following awards:

• a Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medal to Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Mark Rose, officer-in-charge of Station Holland;
• a Coast Guard Meritorious Public Service Award to Mark Quist and John Schloff;
• a Coast Guard Public Service Commendation to Sgt. Keith Koeman (retired), Ottawa County Sheriff's Department;
• a Coast Guard Public Service Commendation to Keith Jenkins, formerly an officer on the South Haven Police Department;
• a Coast Guard Certificate of Appreciation to the South Haven Area Emergency Services Team

On Aug. 3, 2011, Rose rescued more than a dozen swimmers caught in a violent rip current off Holland State Park Beach. Rose used life rings and climbed onto the nearby jetty to pull swimmers back into safety. Quist and Schloff were on their personal water craft together when they noticed the swimmers in distress off the beach. They spotted a teenage girl struggling to stay afloat and immediately went into action. Quist entered the water with his life jacket and swam the victim to safety.

Koeman, working alongside Rose on the beach, also rescued six victims who were caught in the violent rip currents. After the initial rescues, he took the initiative to close down the beach to avoid further threat to swimmer safety.

Local authorities from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Ottawa County Marine Patrol and many members of the public were also on scene and worked together to rescue 28 people from the water.  Click here to read more about the Aug. 3, 2011 rescues at Holland State Park Beach.

On Aug. 24, 2011, Jenkins and the South Haven Area Emergency Services team rescued two swimmers who were caught in a rip current of the South Haven Pier Head. Jenkins noticed the two swimmers and quickly threw a life ring to them. The emergency team then arrived and pulled the swimmers to safety.

Media planning to attend the ceremony should RSVP to Lt. j.g Brian Dykens, Sector Lake Michigan public affairs officer at 414-405-6436.

CLEVELAND – A U.S. Coast Guard boatcrew from Station Belle Isle in Detroit rescued a boater whose vessel was disabled and adrift in the Detroit River near Rockwood, Mich., Monday afternoon.

The boater used the 20-foot boat’s VHF-FM marine radio to declare “Mayday” at 4:18 p.m.

Rescue 21, Coast Guard Sector Detroit’s advanced search and rescue communications system, immediately picked up the man’s distress call and provided search and rescue controllers with a search area to direct response crews. Learn more about Rescue 21 HERE.

Boatcrews from Station Belle Isle and Station Toledo, Ohio, launched aboard a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium and a 41-foot Utility Boat, and an aircrew from Air Station Detroit launched aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter.

The aircrew spotted a vessel flying an American flag upside down, an indicator of distress, and vectored the RB-M boatcrew to the vessel’s location.

Once on scene, the boatcrew placed the disabled vessel in tow and towed it to Humbug Marina in Rockwood.  

All mariners are encouraged to invest in a VHF-FM marine-band radio as their primary means of communication on the water. VHF-FM marine-band radios are far more reliable than cells phones in the marine environment. VHF-FM Channel 16, the international hailing and distress channel, is monitored by the Coast Guard and state marine patrols around the clock. In addition, distress calls broadcast over VHF-FM Channel 16 will be heard by all mariners in the vicinity. Urgent safety information and weather reports for boaters are also broadcast over marine band radio channels.

The boater’s name is not being released. There is no imagery associated with this rescue.

CLEVELAND – A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Station Traverse City, Mich., medically evacuated an ailing 57-year-old man from aboard a Canadian-flagged bulk carrier in Lake Superior Monday evening.

The man's name and hometown are not being released. There is no Coast Guard imagery associated with this case.

The crew of the motor vessel Algoma Olympic contacted emergency responders at Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Trenton, Ontario, reporting one of the crewmen, a Canadian citizen, was suffering from blackouts and hallucinations, among other symptoms. Due to the vessel’s location, about 20 miles west of Whitefish Point in Whitefish, Mich., the emergency responders contacted U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue controllers at Sector Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

After conferring with an on-call flight surgeon, it was determined the man needed to be evacuated. SAR controllers directed the launch of an aircrew aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Traverse City.

The aircrew arrived on scene at 2:21 p.m. and hoisted the man into the helicopter.

He was transported to Sault Ste. Marie Municipal Airport, where a waiting ambulance crew took him to War Memorial Hospital in Sault Ste Marie.

The Algoma Olympic is a 730-foot ore carrier and was en route to Quebec.

U.S. Coast Guard emergency responders on the Great Lakes routinely work with Canadian emergency responders during search and rescue cases due to the close proximity of the international border.

CHICAGO — A tactical Coast Guard boatcrew, aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small, patrols Lake Michigan near the city of Chicago during the 2012 NATO Summit, May 21, 2012. Coast Guard boatcrews enforced security zones 24-hours per day during the event. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class George Degener.

CHICAGO —€ An aircrew aboard a Coast Guard MH-65C Dolphin helicopter, from Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City, Mich., patrols the skies over Chicago during the 2012 NATO Summit, May 21, 2012. The Coast Guard and partner agencies enforced a temporary flight restriction around Chicago and conducted security patrols during the event. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class George Degener.

CHICAGO —€“ The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock, a 225-foot buoy tender homeported in Port Huron, Mich., patrols Lake Michigan near the city of Chicago during the 2012 NATO Summit, May 21, 2012. The Hollyhock'€™s crew placed buoys around the city marking different security zones, conducted maritime awareness and enforced security zones. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class George Degener.

CHICAGO — The U.S. Coast Guard, acting as lead federal agency for maritime security during the 2012 NATO summit, is conducting security patrols in the waterways surrounding the city of Chicago from May 18 to 22 to protect summit participants and the residents of Chicago.

CLICK HERE to read more about the Coast Guard and partner agencies security efforts during the 2012 NATO Summit.

Security plans for the summit have been developed by a partnership of local, state and federal law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Other involved partner agencies include: Bureau of Diplomatic Security; U.S. Department of Homeland Security; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Northern Command; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Attorney's Office-Northern District of Illinois; Federal Aviation Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Federal Emergency Management Agency; Illinois National Guard; Illinois State Police; Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communication; Chicago Police Department; Chicago Fire Department.

For more information, contact Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan at 414-747-7182.

TOLEDO, Ohio — The Coast Guard stopped an illegal charter boat operation Saturday evening after a vessel captain unlawfully took six paying passengers fishing on Lake Erie near Marblehead, Ohio.

A boarding team from Coast Guard Station Marblehead stopped the illegal fishing trip Saturday evening upon the vessel’s return from an all-day voyage on Lake Erie.

The operator of the charter vessel had a Coast Guard-issued captain’s license, but it was suspended in March 2012 due to a driving-under-the-influence citation.

In addition to operating on a suspended license, the Coast Guard discovered the captain had multiple safety, documentation and pollution prevention violations. As a result, he could face a longer suspension period or revocation of his license.

The operation of a charter vessel without the required vessel documents and operator license is a violation of federal law, and if caught, the captain could be subject to criminal or civil liability. The regulations are in place to help ensure the safety of passengers. Illegal charter boats are typically recreational vessels and are generally operated by a person without the required Coast Guard-issued captain’s license.

Coast Guard-issued captain’s licenses demonstrate that the captain of a commercial vessel has met minimum proficiency requirements in navigation and seamanship rules. A paying passenger cannot be assured of the captain’s competency when the captain does not possess a valid captain’s license. The Coast Guard advises the public to ask the boat’s captain to show them his or her original Coast Guard license.

If the boat is carrying more than six passengers, it is required to be inspected by the Coast Guard, and the Certificate of Inspection should be displayed in an area accessible to passengers. The Certificate of Inspection shows a vessel has met the minimum Coast Guard safety standards in regard to fire-extinguishing systems, manning, vessel de-watering capabilities, and life saving and navigation equipment requirements. It also sets the maximum number of passengers the vessel can carry.

If the public wants to verify a captain’s license or the inspected status of a vessel carrying more than six passengers, or to report an illegal charter operation, they can call Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Toledo at 419-418-6050.

For more information contact Marine Safety Unit Toledo Public Affairs Officer Lt. j.g. Cory Hoffman at 419-418-6023.

CHICAGO —€“ Petty Officer 2nd Class Nicholas Heinen, a maritime enforcement specialist and canine handler stationed at Maritime Safety and Security Team New York, assist his partner Camilla into a 25-foot Response Boat-Small during the 2012 NATO Summit, May 20, 2012. Coast Guard canine handlers performed sweeps of commercial vessels transiting the Chicago River during the 2012 NATO Summit. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. j.g. Brian Dykens.

CHICAGO — Coast Guard boatcrews, aboard 25-foot Response Boats-Small, enforce a security zone on the Chicago River around the Sheraton Hotel, May 20, 2012. The Coast Guard is the lead maritime security agency during the 2012 NATO Summit. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class George Degener.

CHICAGO — Marine Officer Mark Walsh, of the Chicago Police Department Marine Unit, discusses tactics, techniques and procedures with Petty Officer 2nd Class Dale Veverka, coxswain of a Coast Guard 25-foot Response Boat-Small, during a security patrol on the Chicago River during the 2012 NATO Summit, May 20, 2012. The Coast Guard is working with partner agencies to protect the citizens and infrastructure of Chicago during the 2012 NATO Summit. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class George Degener.

CHICAGO —€“ Coast Guard and Chicago Police Department Marine Unit personnel conduct a security patrol on the Chicago River during the 2012 NATO Summit, May 20, 2012. The Coast Guard is working with partner agencies to protect the citizens and infrastructure of Chicago during the 2012 NATO Summit. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class George Degener.

CHICAGO — The U.S. Coast Guard, acting as lead federal agency for maritime security during the 2012 NATO summit, is conducting security patrols in the waterways surrounding the city of Chicago from May 18 to 22 to protect summit participants and the residents of Chicago.

CLICK HERE to read more about the Coast Guard and partner agencies security efforts during the 2012 NATO Summit.

Security plans for the summit have been developed by a partnership of local, state and federal law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Other involved partner agencies include: Bureau of Diplomatic Security; U.S. Department of Homeland Security; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Northern Command; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Attorney's Office-Northern District of Illinois; Federal Aviation Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Federal Emergency Management Agency; Illinois National Guard; Illinois State Police; Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communication; Chicago Police Department; Chicago Fire Department.

For more information, contact Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan at 414-747-7182.

CLEVELAND — A Coast Guard boatcrew from Station Buffalo, N.Y., rescued a boater Sunday afternoon after the man’s vessel began taking on water in the Niagara River near North Tonawanda, N.Y.

The boater, whose name is not being released, called 911 emergency dispatchers when he noticed his boat was flooding. The emergency dispatchers passed the boater’s information to Coast Guard Sector Buffalo at 12:13 p.m., and watchstanders there directed a boatcrew to launch from Station Buffalo.

The boatcrew, aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small, arrived on scene in the Niagara River near Niawanda Park in North Tonawanda, N.Y., shortly after and saw that the vessel’s de-watering pumps were keeping up with the flooding, and the man was not injured.

The mariner stated he forgot to put the boat’s plug in before getting underway, which caused the flooding.

The Coast Guard boatcrew towed the man’s vessel to Isle View Park in Tonawanda.

The Coast Guard recommends mariners ensure all the equipment on their vessels works properly before getting underway.

Additionally, the Coast Guard recommends boaters use a VHF-FM marine radio as a primary means of communication while underway since radios are more reliable than cell phones in a marine environment. When a mayday is sent out via VHF-FM radio it is a broadcast, not just a one-to-one communication as when made via phone. When mariners ask for help on a marine radio, any nearby boaters can hear the distress call and offer immediate assistance. Channel 16 is the international distress frequency and should be used for emergencies only.

CHICAGO ­— Boatcrews from the Coast Guard and Chicago Police Marine Unit investigate a report of an open manhole under a bridge in downtown Chicago, May 18, 2012. The Coast Guard is partnering with other law enforcement agencies to patrol the Chicago River and areas of Lake Michigan in preparation for the 2012 NATO Summit. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Alan Haraf.

CHICAGO — Boatcrews from the Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team, based in Chesapeake, Va., transits through the Chicago Lock as part of an exercise preparing for the 2012 NATO Summit, May 18, 2012. The Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT) is a highly specialized resource with advanced counterterrorism skills and tactics. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class George Degener.

CHICAGO — Coast Guard boatcrews conduct early-morning security patrols outside of the entrance to the Chicago River, May 19, 2012. Coast Guard personnel are patrolling Chicago-area waterways 24 hours per day during the 2012 NATO Summit. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. j.g. Brian Dykens.

CHICAGO — Coast Guard and Chicago Police Marine unit boatcrews conduct security patrols on the Chicago River near the Wabash Avenue Bridge, May 19, 2012. The Coast Guard is acting as the lead federal agency for maritime security during the 2012 NATO Summit. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. j.g. Brian Dykens.

CHICAGO — A Coast Guard boatcrew, aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small, patrols the Chicago River during the 2012 NATO Summit, May 19, 2012. Coast Guard personnel are conducting security patrols in the waterways surrounding the city of Chicago from May 18 to 22. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. j.g. Brian Dykens.

CHICAGO — The U.S. Coast Guard, acting as lead federal agency for maritime security during the 2012 NATO summit, is conducting security patrols in the waterways surrounding the city of Chicago from May 18 to 22 to protect summit participants and the residents of Chicago.

Security plans for the summit have been developed by a partnership of local, state and federal law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Other involved partner agencies include: Bureau of Diplomatic Security; U.S. Department of Homeland Security; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Northern Command; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Attorney's Office-Northern District of Illinois; Federal Aviation Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Federal Emergency Management Agency; Illinois National Guard; Illinois State Police; Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communication; Chicago Police Department; Chicago Fire Department.

For more information, contact Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan at 414-747-7182.

Click on the below thumbnail images to obtain high-resolution versions.

CLEVELAND — Coast Guardsmen assigned to Cleveland-area units pose in front of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum May 18, 2012 before participating in a local Coast Guard "Run to Remember" event in Cleveland. This is the second year Coast Guardsmen have participated in a walk/run to honor the Coast Guard men and women who have been killed in the line of duty, but the first time an event has been held in Cleveland. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Kyle Niemi

CLEVELAND — Coast Guardsmen assigned to Cleveland-area units begin a one-mile walk/run in Cleveland to participate in the Coast Guard's second annual "Run to Remember" May 18, 2012. About 50 Coast Guard members, including some who traveled from as far away as Buffalo, N.Y., participated in the Cleveland event, which honors the Coast Guard men and women who have been killed in the line of duty. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Kyle Niemi

CLEVELAND — Coast Guardsmen cross the finish line of a one-mile walk/run in Cleveland as they participated in the local event in support of the Coast Guard's second annual "Run to Remember" May 18, 2012. Many of the participants wore Run to Remember t-shirts, which raised money for the Coast Guard Foundation's Fallen Heroes Scholarship Fund, which supports the higher education needs of the family members of Coast Guard killed in the line of duty.  The t-shirts contain the names of 48 Coast Guardsmen who have died while serving in the past 20 years. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Kyle Niemi

 Click the below thumbnail images to obtain high-resolution versions.

DETROIT — Cmdr. Joseph Deer stands beside Rear Adm. Michael Parks and Cmdr. Michael Platt during Coast Guard Air Station Detroit's change-of-command ceremony May 17, 2012. During the ceremony, Deer relieved Platt of command of the air station. U.S. Air Force photo by John Swanson

DETROIT — Cmdr. Michael Platt walks back to the hangar after his last helicopter flight as commanding officer of Coast Guard Air Station Detroit on May 14, 2012. Platt is being reassigned to be the special assistant to the commandant at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Mark Dukti

MT. CLEMENS, Mich. — Cmdr. Michael Platt transferred command of Coast Guard Air Station Detroit to Cmdr. Joseph Deer in a change-of-command ceremony on May 17, 2012, at the air station, located on Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

Platt will transfer to Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C., where he will be assigned as special assistant to the commandant.

Deer is assuming command as commanding officer of Air Station Detroit and is reporting from Air Station Kodiak, Alaska, where he was the operations officer and executive officer.

The change of command is a time-honored tradition and deeply rooted in Coast Guard and Naval history. The event signifies a total transfer of responsibility, authority and accountability for the command. The ceremony is witnessed by all members so that they all know exactly when the transfer of leadership takes place.

For further media inquiries, please contact the Air Station Detroit public affairs officer at 586-239-6702.

MARBLEHEAD, Ohio — In this video screen-capture, Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Tim Whalen, a boarding officer at Coast Guard Station Marblehead, Ohio, displays different types of life jackets during a recreational boating safety public service announcement, taped May 14, 2012. The Coast Guard is releasing the PSA, available to view or download by clicking the above screen-capture or by clicking here, to the media and public to ensure that recreational boaters know what safety equipment is required by law and subject to verification during a Coast Guard safety inspection on the water. PSA is public domain, and free for you to re-post or broadcast, but please credit as "U.S. Coast Guard Video"

CLEVELAND — The U.S. Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary in the 9th District are reminding boaters to “Wear it!” during National Safe Boating Week, May 19-25, 2012 and throughout the upcoming boating season.

National Safe Boating Week is observed during the week leading up to Memorial Day Weekend, the traditional start of the boating season.

It is observed annually to remind boaters of the importance of wearing a life jacket at all times while underway.

“A U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket is a boater’s most important piece of personal safety equipment,” said Frank Jennings Jr., recreational boating and water safety program manager for the 9th Coast Guard District, based in Cleveland. 

“Wearing a life jacket can mean the difference between life and death when boating.  A lot of boaters are alive today because they chose to wear their life jacket whenever they got underway,” Jennings said.

With the exception of some specialized watercraft, life jackets are required, by law, to be carried on all recreational vessels.  They come in a variety of types, sizes and designs.  They should be chosen based on the age and size of the intended wearer and the type of boating activity for which they will be used.  State laws mandating child life jacket wear vary.  Absent a state law, federal law mandates life jacket wear for all children under age 13, when aboard recreational vessels, underway.

In addition to wearing a life jacket, National Safe Boating Week serves to remind boaters of the importance of education and ensuring one’s vessel is “ship-shape.”  The Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadrons have a long history of educating boaters, both in the classroom and at the dock, with a free vessel safety check.

Reminding boaters why wearing a life jacket and taking advantage of a VSC is so important is reinforced by the 2011 boating safety statistics just released by Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C.  Despite a 37 percent overall reduction of water-related deaths on the Great Lakes between 2010 and 2011, boating fatalities increased to 44, up from 20 in 2010.

“Convincing boaters to voluntarily wear life jackets and adopt safe boating practices is an ongoing challenge,” said Rear Adm. Mike Parks, commander of the 9th Coast Guard District.

“I’m a life-long boater and understand the risks one faces on the water because I’ve spent much of my career at sea.  The Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary are committed to educating boaters on ways they can increase their margin of safety when on the water with family and friends,” Parks said.

"Your Great Lakes Coast Guard is committed to ensuring that those who choose to recreate on the lakes remain safe and secure,” said Parks.

"We also ask that you do your part — take personal responsibility for your own safety and the safety of others and always maintain vigilence on America's waterways.  Report anything suspicious to the Coast Guard or law enforcement.  If you see something, say something."

Click the below image for a high-resolution version.

DETROIT — Petty Officer 1st Class Bethannie Kittrell is presented a Coast Guard Commendation Medal from Rear Adm. Michael Parks, 9th Coast Guard District commander, May 18, 2012, after she was selected earlier this year as the 9th District's 2011 Enlisted Person of the Year. Kittrell, a native of Columbus, Ohio, is cited for outstanding achievement while assigned to Coast Guard Station Belle Isle, in Detroit. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Scott McGrew

CLEVELAND — Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Bethannie Kittrell, a native of Columbus, Ohio, was recognized during a formal ceremony Friday for being named the 2011 9th Coast Guard District Enlisted Person of the Year, announced earlier this year.

Kittrell was recognized at her unit, Coast Guard Station Belle Isle, in Detroit, by Rear Adm. Mike Parks, 9th Coast Guard District commander.

“Petty Officer Kittrell is very deserving of this award,” said Capt. John Bingaman, the 9th District’s chief of staff. “She signifies everything that is good about the Coast Guard and is a great example for her shipmates”

Kittrell, a native of Columbus, Ohio, was named 9th District EPOY in part for demonstrating superb leadership and adaptability while acting as Station Belle Isle’s executive petty officer, a position normally reserved for a chief petty officer.

The crew of Station Belle Isle conducts search and rescue, ice rescue, law enforcement and homeland security missions throughout the Detroit River and around metropolitan Detroit. Built in 1942, Station Belle Isle has been in operation as a light station since 1881 and falls under the operational control of Coast Guard Sector Detroit.

Acting as operations petty officer, Kittrell worked proactively with Canadian, federal, state and local agencies to strengthen partnerships and enhance the law enforcement presence along our shared border with Canada and throughout the critical infrastructure around Detroit. Outside of her duties as a Coast Guardsman, Kittrell actively volunteers in the community as a children’s t-ball coach.

“Receiving this award is a big honor for me, and I really appreciate just being nominated for something like this,” said Kittrell. “Even though I may be the one receiving the award, it wouldn’t be possible without my shipmates at Station Belle Isle — we are all part of the same team.”

Stretching from northern New York state to northern Minnesota, the 9th Coast Guard District encompasses the five Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway, and parts of the surrounding states, including 6,700 miles of shoreline and 1,500 miles of shared international border with Canada. Out of about 1,700 members in the district who are in the eligible enlisted rates — petty officer third class, petty officer second class, and petty officer first class — 17 were selected as candidates for these awards.

Media interested in speaking to the 9th District EPOY should contact the 9th District External Affairs Office at 216-902-6020.

Click the below image for a high-resolution version.

DETROIT — Petty Officer 1st Class Bethannie Kittrell is presented a Coast Guard Commendation Medal from Rear Adm. Michael Parks, 9th Coast Guard District commander, May 18, 2012, after she was selected earlier this year as the 9th District's 2011 Enlisted Person of the Year. Kittrell, a native of Columbus, Ohio, is cited for outstanding achievement while assigned to Coast Guard Station Belle Isle, in Detroit. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Scott McGrew

CLEVELAND — Petty Officer 1st Class Bethannie Kittrell, a boatswain’s mate stationed at Coast Guard Station Belle Isle, in Detroit, was recognized during a formal ceremony Friday for being named the 2011 9th Coast Guard District Enlisted Person of the Year, announced earlier this year.

Kittrell was recognized at her unit by Rear Adm. Mike Parks, 9th Coast Guard District commander.

“Petty Officer Kittrell is very deserving of this award,” said Capt. John Bingaman, the 9th District’s chief of staff. “She signifies everything that is good about the Coast Guard and is a great example for her shipmates”

Kittrell, a native of Columbus, Ohio, was named 9th District EPOY in part for demonstrating superb leadership and adaptability while acting as Station Belle Isle’s executive petty officer, a position normally reserved for a chief petty officer.

The crew of Station Belle Isle conducts search and rescue, ice rescue, law enforcement and homeland security missions throughout the Detroit River and around metropolitan Detroit. Built in 1942, Station Belle Isle has been in operation as a light station since 1881 and falls under the operational control of Coast Guard Sector Detroit.

Acting as operations petty officer, Kittrell worked proactively with Canadian, federal, state and local agencies to strengthen partnerships and enhance the law enforcement presence along our shared border with Canada and throughout the critical infrastructure around Detroit. Outside of her duties as a Coast Guardsman, Kittrell actively volunteers in the community as a children’s t-ball coach.

“Receiving this award is a big honor for me, and I really appreciate just being nominated for something like this,” said Kittrell. “Even though I may be the one receiving the award, it wouldn’t be possible without my shipmates at Station Belle Isle — we are all part of the same team.”

Stretching from northern New York state to northern Minnesota, the 9th Coast Guard District encompasses the five Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway, and parts of the surrounding states, including 6,700 miles of shoreline and 1,500 miles of shared international border with Canada. Out of about 1,700 members in the district who are in the eligible enlisted rates — petty officer third class, petty officer second class, and petty officer first class — 17 were selected as candidates for these awards.

Media interested in speaking to the 9th District EPOY should contact the 9th District External Affairs Office at 216-902-6020.

CHICAGO — Coast Guard boat crews aboard 25-foot Response Boats-Small from units throughout the Great Lakes transit through the Chicago River Controlling Lock toward the Maritime Security Incident Command Post during the 2012 NATO summit, May 17, 2012. The Coast Guard is conducting security patrols around the city of Chicago and surrounding waterways during the event. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Al Haraf.

CHICAGO — 25-foot Response Boats-Small from Coast Guard units throughout the Great Lake sit moored near the Navy Pier before the 2012 NATO summit, May 17, 2012. Coast Guard boat crews will be performing ports, waterways and coastal security missions during the event. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class George Degener.

CHICAGO — Coast Guard Response Boats-Small from units throughout the Great Lakes and the Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock, homeported in Port Huron, Mich., sit moored near Navy Pier before the 2012 NATO summit, May 17, 2012. The Coast Guard is the lead maritime security agency providing support for the event. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class George Degener.

CHICAGO — The U.S. Coast Guard, acting as lead federal agency for maritime security during the 2012 NATO summit, will be conducting security patrols in the waterways surrounding the city of Chicago form May 18 to 22 to protect summit participants and the residents of Chicago.

Security plans for the summit have been developed by a partnership of local, state and federal law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Other involved partner agencies include: Bureau of Diplomatic Security; U.S. Department of Homeland Security; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Northern Command; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Attorney's Office-Northern District of Illinois; Federal Aviation Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Federal Emergency Management Agency; Illinois National Guard; Illinois State Police; Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communication; Chicago Police Department; Chicago Fire Department.

For more information, contact the NATO Summit Joint Information Center at 312-469-1440.