Page 41 - USCG Chief Petty Officer Logbook

The CPOA and its chapters have continually stepped up to serve the Coast Guard community in trying times throughout history. In June of 2018, the CPOA in partnership with the Coast Guard Foundation,
helped to distribute $830k in disaster relief grants. CPOA was awarded the Distinguished Public Service Award in recognition of its unwavering dedication and support of Coast Guard members and families during the unprecedented hurricane season in 2017. Additionally in 2019, for the first time in our Nation’s history a lapse in government appropriations resulted in 42,000 Coast Guard members missing their regularly scheduled paycheck. Organizations that support military members and families such as the Coast Guard Foundation, American Legion, USAA, Coast Guard Mutual Assistance, and the CPOA stepped up and immediately provided support and donations to help offset the impending financial burden suffered by our Coast Guard families.
“In Respect for those that have gone before us and as a guide for those who follow.”
The words of the Chief Petty Officers Association motto. Respecting our history as a Chief Petty Officer will help unite and inspire people. I believe Chiefs who have no patience for history are missing a vital truth: understanding of the past is one of the most powerful tools we have for shaping the future. Chiefs who possess this knowledge, can instill a sense of identity and purpose and suggest the goals that will resonate. Most would agree, a Chief should inspire collective efforts and devise smart strategies to achieve the mission. History can also provide a productive explanatory tool for making a case for change, and motivating people to overcome challenges. Lastly, history puts adversity into context. Chiefs can use this knowledge to inform others that we have seen worse and to inspire them to believe they will survive once more. The Coast Guard Chief is the force to achieving the mission.
~ BMCS Jon Ostrowski, National President Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association
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