LOS ANGELES - U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Safety Security Team Los Angeles-Long Beach was awarded the 2015 Coast Guard Unit Sports Team of the Year Award in January 2016.
Members of MSST LA-LB distinguished themselves in several competitions throughout 2015 in the sports of running and cycling.
Two of the most notable events throughout the year that the MSST LA-LB members participated in, were the Mojave Death Race and the annual Bataan Memorial Death March.
The Mojave Death Race is a grueling 278 mile, 24-hour relay race winding through the Mojave Desert that consisted of a total of 24 legs encompassing running, mountain biking and road cycling; including temperatures well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The unit finished third in the first responders division and fifteenth in overall categories.
The annual Bataan Memorial Death March consists of a 26.2 mile race in full uniform at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. This race is held in honor of Bataan Death March survivors. MSST LA-LB members respectfully brought home a fifteenth and sixteenth place finish in the Military Light category.
Throughout 2015, MSST LA-LB members also gave back to the community through a number of physical outreach projects, including Heal the Bay, the Cabrillo Beach clean-up program and the Coasties in the Community Program. The units command created monthly volunteer events for members wanting to contribute to other community programs in the local area as well.
Chief Petty Officer Adam Kidd, a member of the MSST LA-LB unit, also received special notification for his personal involvement and representation in local obstacle courses and marathons.
“My favorite part was the teamwork and pride our team displayed in representing the Coast Guard and pushing each other in all the events we participated in over the year,” said Kidd.