Mayport reservist surprised with meritorious second crow Story by Anastasia Devlin, Reservist Petty Officer 2nd Class Meghan Petersen, a reservist at Coast Guard Station Mayport, has rarely been found at Station Mayport. In 2019, she volunteered to go to El Paso, Texas to support operations at the Southwest border. In 2020, she took orders through the parental leave program to fill in for a Station Buffalo crewman. Two years ago, she was at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, facilitating a COVID-19 testing program for cadets. In late 2022, she was down in the Florida Keys, assisting with Operation Vigilant Sentry. In January, she volunteered to take orders as a recruiting office assistant in Idaho. When she’s not on orders, she’s training at Station Mayport, where she’s already a fully-qualified crewman on the 29-foot and 45-foot response boats. Her supervisor, Chief Petty Officer Stephen Bamberski, recognized that Petersen’s work was well beyond that of a third class petty officer, and he recommended a meritorious advancement. “The commands couldn’t say enough about her,” said Bamberski, Station Mayport’s senior enlisted reserve advisor. “She is always volunteering to help. She likes being able to take on active duty and support the Coast Guard’s missions. If we put out a request for support, she’s always the first person to respond.” Petersen’s earned three humanitarian service medals, and she embodies the same spirit of volunteerism in her civilian career, where she works in administration for Delta Airlines and represents the company at Habitat for Humanity. In a memo to the Seventh Coast Guard District, Capt. Janet Espino-Young, commander of Sector Jacksonville, Florida, recommended the meritorious advancement, noting Petersen’s work “has earned her the reputation of being a consummate professional, a servant leader, and a dependable shipmate.” Her advancement was carried out Jan. 5 in a ceremony presided over by Rear Adm. Brendan McPherson, commander of the Seventh District. . . Issue 1 • 2023 . ReseRvist 27 CELEBRATING CELEBRATING 70 70 YEARS OF THE RESERVIST YEARS OF THE RESERVIST
