San Diego MK meritoriously advanced Petty Officer 1st Class Mike Dalager, a mainstay of Sector San Diego for more than 15 years, was meritoriously advanced Feb. 17, by Pacific Area Commander Vice Adm. Michael McAllister. Dalager is well known across the Coast Guard for countless performances singing the national anthem at major league sporting events, including two World Series games. Though he’s been a long- term member of Aids to Navigation Team San Diego, he began active duty orders at the Sector in 2020 to fill a gap at the facilities engineering shop maintaining the Sector and its associated historic properties. “He’s one of those people who tries to make it a better place than he found it,” said Cmdr. Brian Simonson, senior reserve officer for Sector San Diego. “If we have a complex job or a leadership task, we definitely go to him to get the job done.” That week, he’d been told he’d be honored by an admiral for his work at an all hands, but was surprised when McAllister gave him the news. “I can’t think of a better member of the Coast Guard, particularly the Coast Guard Reserve, who has exemplified what we strive for in the Coast Guard, our core values, than MK2, soon to be MK1, Dalager,” said McAllister. “So, if you’ll permit me, let’s make you a first class petty officer.” All smiles, Dalager was pinned with his new collar devices to the tune of thunderous applause from his Sector shipmates. After being meritoriously advanced, Petty Officer 1st Class Mike Dalager is pinned with new collar devices by his supervisor, Chief Petty Officer Jared Dickerson, and Sector San Diego's command master chief, Master Chief Petty Officer Greg Via. Photo provided by Senior Chief Petty Officer Shane Stidman. “Sounds like from the applause that we picked the right person to do this,” McAllister joked afterward, presenting him with a coin as well. He then handed the microphone to Dalager, but Dalager deflected the kudos, giving shout outs and credit to his Sector shipmates. “This is a great place to work,” said Dalager, who said he loved representing the Coast Guard at sports events and performances. “Mike has a consistent track record of hard work and selfless service to the Coast Guard’s missions,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Shane Stidman, the Sector’s reserve command master chief. “He’s always represented the Coast Guard in a good light.” � Reserve chief goes ultra Chief Petty Officer Richard Dodge of Port Security Unit 311 completed the High Desert Ultra 50k Dec. 5, 2021, in Ridgecrest, California, which is located off the 395 en route to Mammoth. This is the chief’s fifth time completing the High Desert Ultra, and he’s seen everything from snow covered trails to times when the temperatures were in the upper 70s with plenty of sunshine. “This race has been going on since the mid-1980s, and it’s so awesome to run with some of the old timers who’ve been out here since day one and hear their stories and misadventures,” said Dodge. He started doing ultras about 10 years ago, and knew that he found the right activity with the right group of people. Ultra-marathons offered race courses with awesome views, big elevation gains and losses, fewer injuries, and aid stations chock-full of snacks. He said he had to shake the fear of walking, because most ultras have sections that will be too steep to run. “Sometimes all you can do is walk and just put one foot in front of the other,” he said. “There’s a saying in ultra- running that you need to be the fastest person at going slow.” With races opening again post-pandemic, Chief has his sights set on a 50-miler in Arizona called Old Pueblo. BZ! � 26 RESERVIST � Issue 1 • 2022