7 minute read
GATHER Veterans-Warriors-Heroes Jan/Feb 2022 Magazine
Coast Guard Station
By Amanda Renkiewicz
Advertisement
Air Station Traverse City’s Commander Christopher Wright
Commander Christopher Wright’s favorite quote from the iconic MLK Jr. sets the stage for his background: a life of service, helping others, and family. He has been happily married to his beautiful wife, Jamie, for 15 years, and they have an energetic 5-year old girl and an 8-week-old baby boy. They keep busy by going biking, hiking, and exploring new areas. “Having just moved from San Diego, we look forward to experiencing our first northern Michigan winter. We thoroughly enjoyed the summer, and the fall season has been amazing thus far. My daughter is especially looking forward to playing in the snow and skiing on the many slopes near Traverse City,” he says.
As the newly appointed Commander of our local Coast Guard Station, Commander Wright looks back at his career and his most memorable experiences on the waters.
When did you first become interested in the Coast Guard? While I was in High School, I had a science teacher who had been in the Coast Guard. He told me all the amazing things he was able to do while on Active Duty and urged me to join the Coast Guard Academy to earn a degree and enter the Service as an officer.
What is your military background? I transferred to Air Station Traverse City from Sector San Diego, CA, serving as the Response Chief and Air Operations Officer. In this capacity, I oversaw all Coast Guard aviation and surface assets involved in search and rescue, law enforcement, and environmental protection operations for the greater San Diego area as well as the inland navigable waters of Arizona, Utah, and Nevada.
Prior to this tour in San Diego, I was an Aviation Safety Program Manager within the Safety Program Management Division at Coast Guard Headquarters (CG- 1131). I provided safety oversight and advocacy for all aviation assets, systems, and missions while serving as the aviation-specific service center manager for fleet commands and flight safety officers. During my last year in this assignment, I served as the Safety Program Management Division Chief. I managed the post mishap analysis process for all significant Coast Guard accidents and oversaw Coast Guard-wide safety policy, risk management, assurance, and promotional activities.
As a Coast Guard Helicopter Flight Examiner, Instructor Pilot, and Aircraft Commander, I have accumulated over 3,200 flight hours in the MH-60 flying homeland security, law enforcement, fisheries, and search and rescue operations on the East and West coasts. Operational assignments include Air Station Cape Cod, MA, where I served as the senior Flight Safety Officer, and Air Station Clearwater, FL, where I supported migrant interdiction and counter-drug operations throughout the Caribbean. My initial assignment was as a Deck Watch Officer aboard the USCGC KUKUI, homeported in Honolulu, HI.
I am a 2001 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, where I earned a Bachelors in Marine and Environmental Science, and am a graduate of the U.S. Naval Flight Training School in Pensacola, Florida, where I earned my naval aviator “wings of gold” in 2005. I hold a Master in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Master of Science in Quality Systems Management from the National Graduate School. I also hold Federal Aviation Administration Airline Transport Pilot and Commercial Pilot licenses. I have obtained qualifications in Advanced Search and Rescue, Airborne Use of Force, Basic Fast Rope, and Shipboard Deck Landing operations.
How far is the reach of your Coast Guard team? The air station services all the areas surrounding Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, and the northwestern portions of Lake Huron. We support agency assistance requests that may require us to conduct inland Search and Rescue cases within Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan. We will also help Air Station Detroit prosecute cases within eastern Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario if needed.
How many Coast Guard members are active on any given day? At any time, we can have up to 120 members on base each day and will have 13 members stay on base for a 24-hour duty cycle. This team includes a 4-person aircrew and the support staff needed to service the standby Search and Rescue aircraft and ensure essential base support functions are completed throughout the duty period.
Tell us about some of the vehicles used by the Coast Guard. Air Station Traverse City is home to three MH-60T helicopters. The MH- 60T is an all-weather aircraft with both anti-icing and deicing capability. For Search and Rescue cases, we carry a pilot, co-pilot, flight mechanic/hoist operator, and rescue swimmer/EMT, and our typical airspeed range during a case is between 120-140 knots. With perfect weather conditions, no wind, and a maximum fuel load, we can fly up to 300 nautical miles, remain on scene for approximately 30 minutes, and then travel another 300 nautical miles back to the point of departure.
What is the wildest rescue you've participated in? One of my most difficult rescues occurred while stationed at Air Station Cape Cod, MA. During a severe winter storm, we were tasked with conducting a medical evacuation of a fisherman who had been severely injured while working aboard a trawler. Despite the high sea state and near hurricane-force winds, we were able to deliver a Rescue Swimmer to the vessel's bow and subsequently executed a rescue litter recovery of the fisherman. The winds were so intense that we put our EMT kit and other items into the litter to keep the device from sailing toward the tail end of our aircraft. Ultimately, the fisherman was safely delivered to a local trauma hospital and survived his injuries.
What is the strangest situation you’ve experienced as a Coast Guard pilot? One of my most interesting Search and Rescue cases involved searching for a missing NASA scientist. The individual had gone hiking in a National Wildlife Refuge located next to the Kennedy Space Station Shuttle Landing Facility. Since we were flying near the area, we were asked to search the entire forest looking for the missing scientist. The member apparently had left work and never returned home from his hike. Although we did not find the member, executing a low altitude search adjacent to a NASA facility and landing on the same runway used by space shuttles made for a unique experience.
Are you glad we don’t have sharks? Yes, it is nice not to deal with sharks in the Great Lakes! It is also nice not to be concerned about stepping on stingrays, as I have encountered these fish several times while enjoying the beaches along the San Diego coastline.
What advice do you have for those who enjoy our waters? Ensure you have an operable VHF radio and flares on board and enough Coast Guard-approved life jackets for all your occupants. Also, take advantage of the Coast Guard Auxiliary’s free vessel safety inspection program. Finally, ensure you let a loved one, friend, or other reliable person know your float plan and update them if your plans or timelines change.
“The Traverse City community loves and supports the Coast Guard,” Commander Wright concludes. “It is this support that ensures our Service’s members are mission ready and well cared for throughout their tour!”
