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HONOLULU – Petty Officer 1st Class Charles B. Palmer was recognized as the 2014 active-duty enlisted person of the year for the 14th Coast Guard District during a ceremony at Coast Guard Base Honolulu, Friday.
As the executive petty officer of Coast Guard Cutter Ahi, Palmer guided the crew through 25 multi-mission patrols, 74 law enforcement boardings, 15 search and rescue cases, multiple cruise ship escorts and law enforcement operations and stood more than 1,000 hours of underway watch.
Palmer, who was also the recipient of the 2014 Navy League Sailor of the Year Award, served as an instructor for Sector Honolulu’s officer-in-charge review board and as the Vice-President of the Hawaiian Islands Enlisted Association.
In addition to his regular Coast Guard duties, Palmer provided seamanship training during a week-long Sea Scout cruise and volunteered as guest presenter at the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math exposition at Coast Guard Base Honolulu. He is also actively pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration.
The EPOY Program is designed to recognize exemplary men and women from the active and reserve enlisted work force who are top performers and reflect the Coast Guard’s core values of “Honor, Respect and Devotion to Duty.”
Considered the “best and brightest” from the field, EPOY recipients are selected by a panel of senior enlisted members and evaluated against a set of established criteria that includes performance, work ethics, military bearing, standards of conduct and a strong community service commitment.
The regional winners are eligible for national honors along with their peers from other Coast Guard regions across the nation. The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, Steven W. Cantrell, will recognize the national winners in an award ceremony later this spring.
For more information, contact the 14th Coast Guard District public affairs office at (808) 535-3230.