Hero of Hudson River Crash-Landing Got Start in Air Force

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 2009 – The pilot who crash-landed a crippled airliner in New York’s Hudson River this afternoon, saving 155 lives on board, is an Air Force Academy graduate who received his pilot training in the Air Force.

Chelsey B. “Sully” Sullenberger steered US Airways Flight 1549 toward the river when both engines failed less than five minutes after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport. All 150 passengers and five crew members survived the incident.

Sullenberger is an Air Force Academy graduate who served in the Air Force from 1973 to 1980, according to his resume posted on the homepage of his company, Safety Reliability Methods, Inc.

He was an U.S. Air Force F-4 Phantom II fighter pilot who served as a flight leader and training officer in Europe and the Pacific. He was also the Blue Force mission commander during Red Flag exercises at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.

President George W. Bush and New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg were among the first to publicly laud Sullenberger for quick thinking and heroism that averted a catastrophe.

Bloomberg noted during an early evening news conference that Sullenberger did not leave the aircraft as it floated in the river until he had confirmed that every passenger had been safely evacuated.

“It would appear the pilot did a masterful job of landing in the river and making sure everybody got out,” Bloomberg said. “I had a long conversation with the pilot. He walked the plane twice and made sure that everybody was out.”

Bush, in a statement released by the White House, said his adminstration is coordinating with state and local officials to respond to the incident as it monitors the situation.

“Laura and I are inspired by the skill and heroism of the flight crew as well as the dedication and selflessness of the emergency responders and volunteers who rescued passengers from the icy waters of the Hudson,” he said. “We send our thoughts and prayers to all involved in the accident.”

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Update of Coast Guards Equal Opportunity Manual In Second Year of Review

by T. Burgess

The Coast Guard Office of Civil Rights recently underwent a Functional Review at the direction of the the Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard. That review was conducted by Booz Allen Hamilton and has been covered extensively in on this site in the past. According to Terri A. Dickerson, the current Director of Civil Rights, the report should be released early this year.

I contacted Tony Soliz, in the Coast Guard Office of Governmental and Public Affairs for an update the on the release of the report as well as to get an update the rewrite of the Commandant’s Equal Opportunity Manual. In January 2008 Dickerson detailed two GS-15s on her staff from their primary duties to rewrite the EO Manual. In May 2008, the two GS-15s Ms. Calvert and Ms. Gonzalez were returned to they’re primary duties and later in August they delivered the final draft to Captain Bart Kolb the Deputy Director.

This month marks one year since Coast Guard started the review and rewrite of the manual. I again contacted Soliz for comment and an update on this project. Soliz did not respond, but stated in another e-mail that Coast Guard would not verify, validate or refute the content of this blog. ALCOAST 458/08 not only authorizes Coast Guard employees to provide information and respond to Blogs, but seems to encourage it as well.

Soliz works in the very office that drafted ALCOAST 458/08. We remain open to Soliz contacting us with an update on this important rewrite of the EO Manual, and believe such dialogue would be supportive of ALCOAST 458/08, the Commandant’s publicly stated policy, thoughts on social media and transparency.

IAW REF A, AREAS, DISTRICTS, SECTORS, AND SUBORDINATE UNITS ARE AUTHORIZED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND RESPOND TO INTERNET DISCUSSION ON MATTERS THAT ARE IN THEIR LANE AS OUTLINED IN REF B TO ENSURE THE VIRTUAL PUBLIC RECORD HAS ACCURATE AND PROPERLY CHARACTERIZED INFORMATION. UNITS ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO PROACTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO ONLINE CONTENT TO FURTHER PUBLIC INFORMATION, DISCUSSION, AND UNDERSTANDING OF COAST GUARD ROLES, MISSIONS, AND ISSUES. AREA AND DISTRICT PUBLIC AFFAIRS STAFFS WILL FACILITATE AND SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS. UNIT COLLATERAL DUTY PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICERS MAY ALSO ENGAGE IN THIS REALM AS RESOURCES ALLOW. COMDT (CG-0922) WILL PROVIDE OR COORDINATE THE SAME FACILITATION AND SUPPORT FOR COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS AND HEADQUARTERS UNITS.

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Elected Officials ask Rear Admiral Gable for Investigation of Patriot incident

Rear Admiral Dale G. Gabe, Commander First Coast Guard District

Dear Rear Admiral Gable,

We are writing to seek your assistance with an urgent request regarding the recent tragic loss of the Gloucester fishing vessel Patriot. In the wake of this incident, which claimed the lives of experienced fishermen Matteo Russo and Giovanni Orlando, thorough answers to many questions are necessary.

We are award that the Coast Guard has initiated an investigation into this incident, and that the First District and Sector Boston personnel are continuing to examine available information regarding all of the factors involved in the loss of the Patriot. We urge you to maintain and intensify this effort, and to expedite it as much as possible.

Yet we firmly believe that the information surrounding the loss must be significantly expanded to include the position, condition and all other pertinent facts available from examination of the Patriot in its present position. We thus request, in the strongest possible terms, that the Coast Guard undertake an underwater investigation of the vessel as soon as possible, utilizing either professional divers and/or submersible vehicles.

We are aware that this request is extraordinary, but yet this incident is as well. Thorough answers, to the extent possible must be developed to the haunting questions that remain.

Among those questions are how a sound vessel, with an experienced crew could so suddenly be lost in the sea and weather state that existed on Jan. 1 and 2. Understanding what led to the loss of the Patriot and Matteo Russo and Giovanni Orlando is critical, and conducting a subsurface investigation will yield answers that are vital for investigators, other Coast Guard personnel, the families of those who have been lost, those who must return to sea as fishermen, and the public.

Accordingly, please initiate such an investigation as soon as it may be undertaken. Thank you for your consideration of this request, and please do not hesitate to contact us if we may be of any further assistance, or to discuss this matter further.

Sincerely

State Sen. Bruce Tarr

State Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante

Mayor Carolyn Kirk

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