Greetings Reservist readers! My name is Heather Scheer, and I’m currently the Assistant Editor to the magazine. Ms. Devlin is on Active Duty for Operational Support (ADOS) providing assistance to units and families navigating the processes around the death of a service member in Decedent Affairs. This past June, I was selected for an ADOS position to augment a social media and strategic communications position within CG-R55, allowing me this opportunity with the magazine. As a boatswain’s mate, not many people would have connected me with public affairs and social media. While my rating has forward-facing public interactions, people generally assume we lack the finesse to editorially wow the masses…. It’s okay, we have a sense of humor too! That’s what is so amazing about the Coast Guard Reserve: it allows the opportunity for us to leverage our civilian skill sets to maximize the efficiency of our component. I have a strong background in non-profit outreach and social media. Combined with my educational background in Leadership and Organizational Change, I was incredibly excited for the opportunity to work in Strategic Communications (STRATCOM) with the Reserve. I was also looking forward to learning the “whys” and “hows” of Coast Guard Reserve policy as members from small boat communities don’t often have the opportunity to work at Headquarters. STRATCOM is multifaceted. We take messaging from Headquarters and push it out to the fleet, but we also siphon what we learn from the deckplate and route it back. Clean routes of communication are sometimes what reservists need most, and it is our goal to facilitate those connections. We’re currently engaging with an online platform of reservists for the purpose of support and collaboration on the challenges and triumphs of our members. Right now, the Coast Guard finds itself in a personnel deficit with the Reserve shouldering a great deal of responsibility and commitment to mission readiness for not only our component, but the active-duty as well. As the Reserve helps to bridge these gaps, we are looking at new ways to leverage the expertise of our members. From leveraging civilian skill sets, to finding ways to improve systems and processes to make it easy for reservists to drill and respond, reservists are leaving an indelible impact on the Service and we want to share your stories and celebrate your contributions. Take for example Lt. Cmdr. Pamela Tirado. An attorney, Tirado is highly educated, motivated and resourceful. She’s currently with Coast Guard Legal and activated to the Accountability and Transparency Review Team, ensuring a judicial eye is maintained through the process. We also went to college together 15 years ago…. small Service, smaller Reserve! I came onboard to CG-R55 with Petty Officer 1st Class Scott Turner. Originally a yeoman, Turner recently lateralled to a public affairs specialist. His professional experience as a videographer, along with his education and training, allowed him to seamlessly transfer into another rate. He is now creating a docuseries for the component. I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting Chief Kevin Grant, Reserve Training Petty Officer at Station Point Judith. Grant runs the Warwick, R.I. police department’s boat program, cross-decking best practices to ensure efficient and effective training of search and rescue (SAR) components on Narragansett Bay- making the Coast Guard more efficient in SAR response. Reservists offer a fresh perspective and best practices from civilian industries by leveraging their professional skills. I’m proud to see the component evolve and be recognized as the force multiplier we already know it is. Chief Heather Scheer Assistant Editor Volume LXX . Issue 3 • 2023 reserve.uscg.mil/magazine [email protected] MAGAZINE Anastasia Devlin Editor Chief Heather Scheer Assistant Editor Chris S. Rose Creative Director COMMAND Adm. Linda L. Fagan Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Miriam Lafferty Assistant Commandant for Reserve Capt. Susana Lee Chief, Office of Reserve Policy and Requirements Integration Cmdr. Katy Coombs Chief, Reserve Policy and Strategic Communications Division Lt. Cmdr. Samantha M. Block Chief, Reserve Strategic Communications CONTACT INFORMATION [email protected] Commandant (CG-R55) Attn: Editor, Reservist 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., SE (Stop-7721) Washington, DC 20593-7721 http://reserve.uscg.mil Facebook: @uscoastguardreserve Instagram: @uscg_reserve Twitter: @uscgreserve #uscgr RESERVIST (COMDTPUB 1001.29) is published by the Assistant Commandant for Reserve, U.S. Coast Guard. It is intended for information only and is not authority for official action. Views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Department of Homeland Security or Coast Guard. The editor reserves the right to select and edit all materials for publication. We continue to strive for perfection, yet unattained. Reservist Magazine From the Assistant Editor This month's cover is an homage to the Reservist 1992. The first full-color cover of the magazine.