YA JASON!!!!!

After a year and 1/2 Jason finally received his awards from the Dec. 2007 storm in Astoria. If you remember it was quite a storm. Ivan and I were lucky enough to be there and I took some pictures. There was also a reporter from a local paper there taking pictures and notes. If we make the paper I will make post it on here. I copied the letters to make them easier to read. I am so proud of Jason and glad that he finally got recognition for all his hard work. Jason recieved the Coast Guard Achievment Medal (he was the only service member involved in the storm to recieve this medal! two points on the service wide WOOHOO!) and the Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation.

CITATION TO ACCOMPANY THE AWARD OF
THE COAST GUARD ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL
TO
JASON C. BILLINGS
DAMAGE CONTROLMAN SECOND CLASS
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
Petty Officer BILLINGS’ is cited for superior performance of duty while assigned to Group Astoria’s Housing Department and responding to damage from the Advent Storm which ravaged the coast of Oregon during the month of December 2007. In the temporary absence of the maintenance supervisor, Petty Officer BILLINGS quickly accounted for all members of the department when the Thirteenth district ordered to an area wide recall. During the peak of dangerous hurricane force winds, he responded to numerous maintenance calls to Group Astoria and serviced both the Group’s and the remote Fort Stevens’ emergency generators. During the storm, Petty Officer BILLINGS directed the housing staff to go door to door checking on the health and wellbeing of all residents, rendering immediate assistance to many families. When it was reported that a family was in critical need of electrical power to run their child’s breathing machine, he immediately delivered a portable generator, providing emergency power for a period of five days until commercial power was restored. During the days in which commercial pwer was out, he directed the housing staff to rotate portable generators among all housing units, providing backup power to run refrigerators, greatly mitigating residents’ food loss. Petty Officer Billings compiled the initial list of housing unit storm damage which was sent to CEU Oakland and ISC Seattle justifying the release of $25K for emergency repairs to Group Astoria housing. When members from the USCGC ALERT arrived, he directed 16 members into working parties to assist with picking up debris and the removal of downed trees which covered roads, children’s playgrounds, and common areas in housing. Petty Officer BILLINGS’ diligence, perseverance, and devoted to duty are most heartily commended and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard.

His new medal!

The Commandant of the Coast Guard takes pleasure in
Presenting the Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation to: CG GROUP ASTORIA ENGINEERING STORM RECOVERY TEAM
For service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
“For meritorious service from December 2007 to January 2008 while serving on Group Astoria’s Engineering Storm Recovery Team planned and executed a myriad of repair and recovery operations. The December 2007 Storm ravaged the Pacific Northwest and Group Astoria, leaving many facilities, housing and utilities disabled for many days. On very little notice, team members quickly identified and prioritized emergency recovery operations and were able to respond not only to Group/Air Station emergencies, but to all three of the Motor Life Boat Stations and the Tongue Point Facility. Their many man-hours were of critical importance to restoring mission capabilities to all units within the Group Astoria area of responsibility. Their efforts allowed duty and deployed personnel the peace of mind that their families were in the best of hands. Engineering Storm Recovery Team personnel cleared fallen trees, mended leaking roofs, installed emergency generators, and dewatered flooded streets. As a result of their efforts, Group Astoria was able to resume normal work routine despite having commercial power out for five days. The dedication, pride, and professionalism displayed by the members of the Group Astoria Engineering Storm Recovery Team reflect credit upon themselves, Group Astoria, and the United States Coast Guard.”
For the Commandant,
P Troedsson
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard
Commander, Group Astoria

Here are the pictures I took. Sorry they aren't the best quality. It's the best I could do on a swaying boat and Ivan on my hip trying to steal the camera from me:)

New laptop

Well we finally invested in a new laptop. Let me tell you a laptop and a toddler are a dangerous combination! Let's just say laptop-0/ Ivan-winner. I'm waiting for Jason to load all our pictures onto the new laptop to finish updating the Christmas pictures. Other then that it's been pretty quiet around here. Jason's boat has been gone almost every Mon-Fri of the last two months. We really miss him when he's gone. Ivan is getting so big and starting to talk alot more. He's still small for his age but he's getting there. As for me I've become very involved in researching my genealogy. I joined ancestry.com and have found so much information. Ivan and I are just trying to stay busy so we don't get cabin fever. The other good news is we are coming home (WA) for a visit in September. I can't wait!! I've been really home sick lately and a trip home to see family and friends is just what I need.