H O N O R , R E S P E C T, D E VO T I O N T O D U T Y :
Auxiliarist Jeffrey Pielet
Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Sondra-Kay Kneen
“Love what you’re doing. Show pride in your work
and how you handle yourself. Always remember that
others are watching and listening so lead by example.
Even down to the simplest detail, someone will be
watching, someone will be listening.” – Coast Guard
Auxiliarist Jeffrey Pielet, commander of Coast Guard
Auxiliary Flotilla 12-04 in Marina Del Rey, California.
USCG Photo
Pielet joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary April 22, 1977,
with his father, as a father-son activity.
“It was a very different Coast Guard Auxiliary then,”
said Pielet. “We weren’t as involved with the active
duty side as we are today.”
Since 1977, Pielet has witnessed the Auxiliary evolve
and become an even more vital part of the active
duty Coast Guard. Pielet has participated in different
activities ranging from routine patrols on the water to
creating a training and recertification program that
assisted Coast Guard air stations Los Angeles, San
Diego and Sacramento with hoist training and drop
training.
Pielet was also a coxswain during 9/11. He was
assigned to command an operation patrol in the Port
of Los Angeles-Long Beach. Pielet and his boatcrew
patrolled the Los Angeles waters that day and for
several months afterward while the country braced
for another possible attack.
“I still reflect to this day how our training, knowledge
and experience kicked in,” said Pielet. “I took command
and made the assignments just as I had practiced so
many times on a patrol. It was a tension-filled night
and on the outside, I lead as a leader should do, cool
and focused, but honestly, inside it was the scariest
night of my life! Still, we had a job to the do and the
Coast Guard was depending on us to do it.”
Though times have changed since joining nearly 40
years ago, Pielet’s spirit of leadership still continues
to bring success to the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
As flotilla commander, Pielet’s enthusiasm and
leadership was instrumental in revamping a number
of flotilla programs to attract and maintain members.
He refocused the flotillas public education efforts,
OR express
Auxiliarist Jeffrey Pielet, commander of Coast Guard Auxiliary
Flotilla 12-04, Marina Del Rey, California.
encouraged the flotilla to undertake shorter seminar
classes, and led the flotilla in teaching courses that
could be taught in a single day rather than over the
course of several weeks. This process increased
enrollment in the public education classes. Pielet also
recruited nine new members by introducing them
to the many programs the Auxiliary offers. He also
promoted participation by coordinating a number of
social events such as flotilla dinner meetings, summer
BBQ’s, and a winter holiday party.
In an effort to bring back inactive Auxiliary members,
Pielet changed the meeting format to focus on
member training by partnering with local flotillas to
hold joint training sessions. This introduced an added
energy by having more members and improved
meeting attendance. He also gave those members
who were unable to attend the option to attend via
internet webinars.
Pielet was requested in 2009 by the former
commanding officer of then Air Station Los Angeles
to develop a hoist program due to his previous
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