68 Proceedings | Vol. 83, No. 1 professionals helped ensure that families, media, and the public received timely, accurate, and trusted updates. Involvement in significant events is not unusual, and the Auxiliary public affairs team is passionate and ready to lend its support. I took leave from my city job to serve as the Joint Information Center Manager dur- ing the critical first three weeks of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse response. I spent my birthday support- ing national messaging during the Reagan airport avia- tion incident on the Potomac River. I also contributed to communications planning for both the Presidential Inauguration and the State of the Union address. In each of these moments, Auxiliary public affairs members helped ensure the Coast Guard’s voice remained visible, credible, and trusted. Beyond crises, Auxiliary PA specialists support year- round efforts—creating national campaigns, manag- ing social media strategies, writing feature stories, and building public trust through accurate, engaging mes- saging. It’s not just background work. It’s operational communication, and it’s vital to the service. The Language Bridge The Coast Guard Auxiliary Interpreter Corps is a unique capability that strengthens the service’s ability to navi- gate language barriers during complex marine casualty investigations. With proficiency in 57 foreign languages, these volunteers provide critical support where clear communication can make the difference between an incomplete investigation and actionable safety insights. In 2015, when the U.S.-flagged cargo vessel SS El Faro tragically sank in Hurricane Joaquin, five Polish nation- als were among the lives lost. During the Marine Board of Investigation, investigators sought to interview a Polish crewmember who had previously served aboard El Faro but was not on the accident voyage. The Coast Guard reached out to the Auxiliary, and Auxiliarist Ewa Benavides stepped forward. She provided precise, unbi- ased Polish translation throughout the sensitive, techni- cal inquiry, ensuring every question and response was fully understood by all parties involved. That same year, Auxiliary interpreters Morley and Rebecca Mason supported the investigation into the grounding of the commercial fishing vessel Sea Hawk 68. With 20 Indonesian crew members and Taiwanese leadership, the case demanded skilled linguistic and cul- tural navigation. Having lived in Indonesia as missionar- ies, the Masons brought not only language fluency but essential cultural awareness, helping investigators piece together the sequence of events that led to the vessel’s pre-dawn grounding. Their contributions informed both Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board reports, enhanc- ing strategies to prevent similar maritime accidents in the future. Through the Interpreter Corps, the Auxiliary ensures that language is never a barrier to safety, accountability, or mission success.2 Strengthening Readiness from the Clinic Auxiliary National Commodore Mary Kirkwood knows the Coast Guard’s mission of readiness starts well before anyone steps aboard a cutter. After a 40-year career in critical care and nursing management, she continues to serve, not on the water, but in the clinic. Twice a week for the last three years, she has vol- unteered as a Registered Nurse at the Coast Guard’s Training Center Petaluma Medical Clinic. She focuses on referrals for specialty services like cardiology, OB/ GYN, sleep medicine, and radiology. “This is very important support for the mission of readiness,” Kirkwood says. “Our Coast Guard troops must be able to perform to the highest caliber to meet the needs our nation asks of them.” The Petaluma clinic is just one example. Across the country, qualified Auxiliarists serve as medical force multipliers at Coast Guard training centers and clinics. Under the Coast Guard Auxiliary Medical Support program, these volunteers include physicians, dentists, nurses, physician assistants, and pharmacists who serve within Coast Guard facilities under the direction of local clinic leadership. Whether supporting specialty referrals, managing documentation, or providing direct patient care, they ensure that Coast Guard members receive the care they need without delay. Their support increases access, reduces adminis- trative burden, and boosts the Coast Guard’s ability to deliver timely care. It is quiet work often unseen outside clinic walls, but it embodies the same commitment that defines the entirety of the Auxiliary. Providing Spiritual Support Across the Service The spiritual care and support Auxiliary Chaplain Support members bring to the Coast Guard is an essen- tial, but often overlooked, form of augmentation. As an Auxiliary chaplain, Sue Carter fills a critical gap when active-duty chaplains are not available. She participates in ceremonies, provides shipboard ministry, and offers pastoral care to Coast Guard members across ranks. “Acting as an Auxiliary chaplain in the Coast Guard offers myriad ways to be a force multiplier,” Carter says. “The range is almost limitless.” From blessing retirements to sailing aboard the Barque Eagle, Carter’s service demonstrates the flexibility and reach of the Auxiliary Chaplain Support program. Her work reminds us that readiness is not just about equipment and drills. It is also about morale, spiritual well-being, and human connection.
