All hands on deck of the CGC NORTHLAND

Vice Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr. and his wife Linda joined the CGC NORTHLAND on deck for an all hands meeting. They attended especially to pay tribute the work of Mrs. Nichole McLeod. She is the 2009 recipient of the Coast Guard Ombudsman of the Year Award and a top 10 finalist for the 2009 Military Spouse of the Year Award.

Mrs. Linda Papp addressed the ship’s company in praising the work of Mrs. McLeod and the Ombudsman program. “It is important to know that there is someone back on shore assisting the crew’s families while the cutters are at sea. There is a lot of work that normally goes unrecognized. I am glad today we get the chance to recognize the work of Mrs. McLeod”

The Vice Admiral has an additional fondness for the NORTHLAND. He was the NORTHLAND’s temporary Commanding Officer back in 1995. The CGC FORWARD was in the background of the all hands meeting today. Vice Admiral Papp was the CGC FORWARD’s CO from 1993 to 1995. It is hard to find a cutter in the Coast Guard that the Vice Admiral has not commanded, crewed, or worked in some capacity. Luckily with the Coast Guard’s Deep water program, there will be some new cutters for him to visit that he has never been on.