Category 1 Award (units with less than 100 reservists) This year’s Sparks Award recipient is Sector Anchorage. Overseeing one of the largest areas of operation in the nation, Sector Anchorage is accountable for a vast and geographically diverse domain, including the Port of Valdez and North Slope areas, the Aleutian Island chain and Bering Sea regions and the geopolitically strategic Arctic region. With just 30 reservists, the unit showed an outstanding commitment to readiness over the past fiscal year. Several reservists took part in COVID-19 management operations, both at District 17 COVID-19 Area Command Center in Juneau, Alaska, and at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C., for the COVID-19 Crisis Action Team. Other reservists partnered with active duty forces to execute the unit’s annual Marine Safety Task Force, a visibility outreach and enforcement initiative in remote communities across Western Alaska and the Arctic. Three of the unit’s reserve yeomen volunteered to augment Arctic Shield MSTF. Sector Anchorage’s reservists were active afloat as well, with reservists from Station Valdez totaling more than 400 underway hours to maintain currency and support multiple missions including search and rescue and port security. Similarly, the unit’s Sector Enforcement reservists conducted 384 hours of law enforcement training and 46 operational boardings. “This level of support for not only their local active duty shipmates but also the larger Coast Guard, including CGI-IQ, LANT, PAC, and D17, demonstrates their strong devotion and selflessness for the betterment of the service and the Country,” said Rear Adm. Nathan A. Moore. Category 2 Award (units with more than 100 reservists) This year's Sparks Award was presented to Sector Long Island Sound. With 165 reservists— approximately one-third of its workforce—Sector LIS is responsible for executing Coast Guard operations across a 23,600 square-mile area and more than 450 miles of coastline. “Demonstrating highly effective leadership and management, their dedicated commitment to mobilization readiness provided instrumental in support to multiple national emergencies and contingencies,” wrote Rear Adm. Thomas G. Allan Jr., Director of Operations - U.S. Southern Command, who previously served as the First District commander. “Sector Long Island Sound’s Reserve personnel played a significant role in our nation’s homeland security efforts in support of southwest border operations, where they provided critical support in response to the arrival of Afghan refugees to the United States.” Reservists in the sector also contributed to the training and logistical maintenance of systems used by their active duty counterparts. Through modifications to electronic mapping files, Reserve members strengthened the sector’s geospatial software capabilities, increasing the sector’s ability to pinpoint fishing vessel locations and reducing USCG cutter operational planning time. “Sector Long Island Sound optimized peak Reserve proficiency and readiness as a result of embracing full integration of their Reserve Component through an exceptionally balanced reserve management program,” said Allan in his nomination. Reserve Outstanding Junior Officer Award Lt. j.g. Adam Schmid of Sector Southeastern New England is the 2021 recipient of the Reserve Outstanding Junior Officer Award. Described by Allan as a “self-assured and dynamic leader,” Schmid proved an invaluable asset to the Coast Guard last year. He mobilized twice during the fiscal year, first to support Hurricane Ida recovery operations in Houma, Louisiana, and in New Orleans, and later to Operation Allies Welcome at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. Schmid’s leadership qualities were on full display closer to home as well. While serving at the sector, Schmid spearheaded the rebuild of the Reserve Incident Management Program, creating a 24-month training plan that focused each billet toward Incident Command qualifications as well as billet competencies. A versatile supervisor, Schmid served as public information officer for the Department of Homeland Security at Camp Atterbury, where he led base-wide strategic communications in support of the safe and efficient resettlement of 7,200 Afghan refugees during Operation Allies Welcome. His efforts toward the planning and execution of media relations during OAW led to press coverage that totaled more than 5 million views, as well as documentary footage collected by National Geographic and Hulu. In his civilian life, Schmid served as a reserve police officer in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He also actively participates in local philanthropy initiatives, raising more than $25,000 for various organizations including the Mitochondrial Disease and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. “His keen leadership, along with personal and professional knowledge, places him among the highest performing junior officers in the Reserve,” said Capt. Clinton J. Prindle, commander of Sector Southeastern New England. Congratulations to all of the winners for their well-deserved honor. � Issue 3 • 2022 � RESERVIST 11
