Presented by:

CWO Douglas Leavell at
Spring Conference 2008

Date presented:

March 15, 2008

Citation (in part)

"Following the terrorist attacks of September 11^th, 2001, Auxiliarist WILHITE volunteered to assist the Coast Guard Liaison Officer at USTRANSCOM in meeting the significant challenges in securing U.S. ports and supporting the Department of Defense (DoD) with mobilization and the deployment of forces. Auxiliarist WILHITE’s persistence and flexibility in obtaining the necessary security clearance and unrestricted space access at USTRANSCOM despite a plethora of obstacles, showed his creativity and dedication to duty. Once onboard, he brought exceptional value to USTRANSCOM’s Legislative Affairs Branch by tracking port security legislation that would lead to passage of the Maritime Transportation Security Act.  His detailed work in this area helped prepare USTRANSCOM for impact of this far-reaching piece of legislation on the ports, which included a comprehensive briefing on the new law to USTRANSCOM’s interagency representatives and liaison officers.  Recognizing the Coast Guard’s unique role as both an armed force and an interagency partner, Auxiliarist WILHITE became an integral player in the establishment of USTRANSCOM’s new Joint Interagency Coordinating Group, designed to support the unique demands of the Global War on Terror.  As the Group’s recording secretary, he ensured that meeting minutes were maintained for command reference, a web presence was brought online, and field trips to U.S. Northern Command and a Joint Logistics exercise in Seattle was arranged.  He also coordinated a symposium designed to improve the visibility of interagency coordination initiatives within DoD.  Working at least one day a week sustained over a 5-year period, Auxiliarist WILHITE was the visible Coast Guard presence within USTRANSCOM and was instrumental in helping make USTRANSCOM more conversant in interagency operations."