October, 2014
As part of the Canadian Honours System, the Canadian Coast Guard Exemplary Service Medal recognizes individuals who, in the course of their duties, provide service in difficult or critical situations; who are often involved in potentially dangerous activities; and who also have a record of such high standard as to merit this prestigious Medal.
The medal is a circular silver medal suspended from a five striped ribbon bearing the Canadian Coast Guard crest on the obverse and Her Majesty’s Crown and Cipher on the reverse. It is presented by or on behalf of the Governor General at a formal ceremony.
Exemplary Service Medal Recipients:
Donald Goudey
Mr. Goudey began his career with the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) in 1988 as a Storekeeper onboard the CCGS Montmorency. From then until 2008 while working in the former Maritimes region, he has worked onboard numerous CCG vessels including the CCGS Mary Hitchens, CCGS Alert, CCGS Tupper, CCGS Sir William Alexander, CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent and CCGS Terry Fox. Throughout his CCG career, Mr. Goudey has participated in numerous noteworthy activities including a major overhaul of the inventory system onboard the CCGS Tupper and over the years, has completed multiple Arctic voyages. As a former Rescue Specialist, Mr. Goudey has participated in a multiple SAR cases, most notably a Cormorant Helicopter crash which occurred in July of 2006 where the bodies of 3 DND Airmen were recovered. In 2007, Mr. Goudey obtained his 1st Class Logistics Certification and since then has worked as a Logistics Officer onboard the CCGS Terry Fox. During his many Arctic journeys, he has had extensive involvement with logistical preparation, the CCG’s annual Arctic SeaLift program and he has also supported the DND Northern Watch Project in the high Arctic. Throughout his career, Mr. Goudey has continually displayed his willingness to share the knowledge that he has acquired and he has played a key role in providing regional Logistics Officer training to up and coming Logistics Officers and Clerk/Storekeepers in the region.
David J. Griffiths
Mr. Griffiths has served aboard a number of Coast Guard vessels in the region as Bridge Watchman and was one of the original Rescue Specialists when the program commenced in 1992. He has participated in numerous SAR missions; including, the well documented SAR Marika, one of the longest SAR missions in Coast Guard history. As Regional Rescue Specialist Coordinator, Mr. Griffiths provided medical evacuation services from shore-based Fast Rescue Craft and participated in numerous SAR missions ranging from MEDEV ACs to assisting civilian authorities with the Cougar Helicopter recovery effort. When he commenced his new duties as Rescue Specialist Coordinator in May 2000, the program had less than a dozen Rescue Specialists to fulfill the Fleet requirement of five (5) times that amount. Working collaboratively with his colleagues and shipboard personnel, the program now has over one hundred (100) certified Rescue Specialists. He has also been actively involved in the development and delivery of enhanced marine first-aid courses. Mr. Griffiths is regularly requested to provide services well beyond the normal scope of his duties and responsibilities. His experience in the pre-hospital care of the sick and injured has been called upon by numerous individuals and agencies over the years. He has worked with Dr. Giesbrecht from the University of Manitoba, assisting in the creation of a cold-water safety video in Alaska. As well, he has represented the Coast Guard at International conferences including SAR Shephard in the UK and the World Congress on Drownings in the Netherlands. He is a regular presenter at the Canadian Coast Guard College to SAR course attendees and a visiting instructor at the Marine Maritime Academy where he co-instructs the IMO Marine Medical Care Course.
Terence Clyde Harvey
Mr. Harvey has served Canadian Coast Guard, Environmental Response for thirty-two (32) years. During this time he has promoted Coast Guard in a positive manner while serving the public’s interest in protecting Canada’s Marine Environment. Mr. Harvey was one of three Coast Guard personnel who volunteered to be part of the Coast Guard Canadian Contingent to enter the Persian Gulf during wartime. The intent was to prevent desalinization plants in the Persian Gulf from being contaminated with crude oil. He also volunteered to lead a project which contributed greatly to a reduction in the number of oil seabirds from illegal ship dumping along the South West Coast of Newfoundland from passing commercial vessel traffic. He responded to the call for civil aid and was an integral part of the response to the Gander Air Crash in 1985 and the Swiss Air crash in 1998. He was the Operational Lead for the Small Craft multi-agency contingent that was empowered to patrol and recover air crash debris from this tragic occurrence. Mr. Harvey’s innovative approach has improved the agencies way of doing business. He created a first response trailer to support the initial pollutant incident response to vessels in danger of sinking and polluting the surrounding waters. He also created Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) for incident response. His work has helped provide a foundation for today’s ER pollution incident response.
Kevin Lawless
Kevin Lawless began with CCG in 1984 as a coxswain with the Inshore Rescue Boat Program. The following year he joined the CCG fleet as a deckhand aboard the old CCGS Grenfell. In addition to his regular duties, Kevin became one of the first Rescue Specialists for Fleet in 1992 and has served as an Instructor for Small Vessel Operator Training and Rigid Hull Inflatable Operator Training (RHIOT). As a Rescue Specialist, he participated in a number of medical evacuations; including, the rescue of a seriously injured Russian crewmember in 2003 off the coast of Newfoundland. The quick response of those involved led to the crewman achieving a complete recovery. In addition to his duties ashore in Maritime Services, Kevin has also contributed to the National Workgroup on Training helping to ensure best practices and the sharing of expertise throughout the organization. Kevin was also a First Aid Instructor for many years providing training to employees. He is currently in the position of acting Crewing Officer in the Marine Superintendent’s office in St. John’s and is well respected by seagoing personnel and shore-based colleagues. Kevin’s current position requires working with a high number of seagoing personnel; he demonstrates the ability to manage multiple demands and deals with difficult situations in a very constructive way. He is able to balance the interests of both employees and the department. In his off duty time he has contributed to his community as a minor hockey coach.
Earl W. Pryor
Earl Pryor has been employed with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans since 1985 where he started his career on the Bay Class, Fisheries Patrol Boats. In November 1986, he joined the Leonard J. Cowley and commenced a career on the Grand Banks. In 1994, he was a member of the Armed Boarding team that was involved in the arrest of the fishing vessel Christina Logos on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. In his twenty-eight (28) years of service on the Grand Banks he has responded to many Search and Rescue cases. In January 1996, Earl was onboard the CCGS Leonard J. Cowley riding out a viscous winter storm on the Grand Banks when a distress call came in from the M/V Amphion. The vessel was listing badly in heavy seas and the crew was preparing to abandon. The Cowley responded and rescued the twenty-three (23) sailors without incident. Earl was also a member of the three-man FRC team that made five (5) trips to the stricken vessel to extract the crew. Earl was aboard the CCGS Leonard J. Cowley when she was tasked to recover a trawl from a foreign fishing vessel that had been let go on the Grand Banks. Once the Cowley dragged and hooked the trawl on the ocean floor, Earl’s involvement was to ensure that the trawl was recovered in a safe manner. He is also a member of the Armed Boarding Team, 50 caliber team, a Rescue Specialist and the co-chair of the shipboard Health and Safety committee. His involvement and persistence as an OSH Committee member resulted in the CCGS Leonard J. Cowley receiving two new lifeboats.
Paul M. Veber
Paul Veber’s career began with the Canadian Coast Guard in 1987. During the fall of 1988, he served onboard the Martha L. Black in the Arctic and completed a humanitarian relief trip to Jamaica due to the effects of Hurricane Gilbert. He served two (2) years onboard the CCGS John Cabot carrying out numerous cable repairs and cable laying operations on the Atlantic seaboard, including an underwater cable repair off Jamaica in 1992 due to an underwater quake. In 1995, he was onboard the CCGS Sir Wilfred Grenfell and took part in the Turbot War off the coast of Newfoundland. He also took part in the sea trials of the warp cutter and was on watch during the cutting of the warps of the Spanish Trawler M/V Pescamero Uno. During the summer of 1997, Paul served onboard the CCGS Groswater Bay as Commanding Officer which escorted the Matthew Replica around the province for the summer as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations. Throughout his ten (10) years as an Operations Officer, Paul’s work ethic and dedication clearly showed that he was capable of more senior positions, and as a result, he acted as Superintendent of the Regional Operations Centre on a regular basis. In March 2008 he obtained the position of Superintendent, Technical Management Services. Paul is now the Superintendent of Ice Operations.
Christopher Hurbert Whelan
Mr. Whelan joined the Canadian Coast Guard in 1984. Since that time, he has been involved in many high profile incidents; such as: the recovery of wreckage from the Air India disaster and Swiss Air tragedy; the sinking of the M/V Flare; and he provided support to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police during the aboriginal fishing dispute near Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. At the time of the Swiss Air disaster, Chris was on secondment from his regular position as Commanding Officer of the CCGC W. Jackman to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as Master of their Patrol Vessel Simmonds. During the recovery effort, Chris worked closely with the RCMP Lead Investigator and the Diving Supervisor to support site security and other related RCMP mandated matters. He carried out these duties flawlessly 24/7 for an excess of three months. He regularly responded to Fleet coordination requirements, one of which was providing support to DND and the RCMP with regard to the arrest of the drug smuggling fishing vessel Donegal. Chris is presently a Small Vessel Officer in the Marine Superintendent office and he is responsible for Search and Rescue Sections, Conservation and Protection and science vessels.
Barry T. Witherall
Mr. Witherall started his career with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in January 1989 as seaman onboard the CCGS Cape Roger. During this time, he participated in high profile incidents involving search and rescue, foreign fishing violations and scientific research. One such foreign fishing violation was the arrest of the fishing vessel Goulette from St. Pierre, Miquelon over the protest of Canada’s fishing boundaries and zones. He was also a part of the armed boarding team on the CCGS Cape Roger for the arrest of the high profile case of the Spanish Vessel “Estai”. He participated in escorting the vessel to St. John’s where they were met by the media regarding the news release known as “The Turbot Wars”. In 1995, he was assigned as a Navigation Officer and often acted as Chief Officer on the CCGS Teleost, CCGS Wilfred Templeman and CCGS Sir Wilfred Grenfell. In 2007, he successfully obtained the position of Operations Officer where he performs in an exceptional manner. He relied on his experience, training and dedication to coordinate Coast Guard’s support to routine operations and emergencies. At that time, he encountered one of the worst ice seasons which resulted in the rescue of one hundred (100) long liners in severe ice conditions. In addition, he was involved with the successful tracking and arrest of the drug vessel Donegal. As part of the Fleet Emergency Team, he was an integral part of the support operation. He provided advice, guidance and support during the search and recovery of the helicopters and crew.
Exemplary Service First Bar Recipients:
The Bar is awarded subsequent to receiving the Exemplary Service Medal for each additional ten-year period of service where five years of the of the 10 year period were served with the Coast Guard in the performance of duties involving potential risk.
Merrill G. Durnford
Mr. Durnford began his seagoing career with DFO in 1966 as a deckhand with the Bedford Institute of Oceanography. By the time he joined the Canadian Coast Guard he was a very experienced deckhand. He served on the CSS Baffin, CSS Hudson and several Coast Guard ships as a Watch keeping Officer. During his career he completed several trips to the Arctic. As well he gained extensive experience in the buoy tending program. Merrill also acted as Chief Officer during his career. Due to his extensive experience he would support officer cadets during their training. He was involved in the Ocean Ranger disaster as well as many other search and rescue missions. Merrill Durnford is now retired from the CCG.
Randell Hayes
Mr. Hayes was part of the first crew to join and commission the CCGS Sir John Franklin (formally christened as the CCGS Franklin) in March 1979. Randy has been a Rescue Specialist for eighteen (18) years as well as a First Aid Instructor. During his career he has been involved in numerous SAR incidents. He improved relations between Coast Guard, in particular CCGS Henry Larsen, with the local RCMP Detachment. Mr. Hayes arranged a formal affair for the RCMP Superintendent and members of the Local RCMP onboard the CCGS Henry Larsen and presented the detachment with a portrait of the vessel. As an Officer in the Naval Cadet Program, he was involved with Public Relations work which helped improve the Coast Guard standings with the Department of National Defense. Randy was part of the Northern Awareness and Boating Safety Initiative in the Arctic in 2003; when the vessel engaged the communities he attended schools and presented information about Boating Safety. He received a Canadian Annual Boating Safety Award (CASBA) on behalf of the CCGS Henry Larsen in 2005. In 2010, he was part of the organizing committee for the Coast Guard visit of Governor General Michaëlle Jean on CCGS George R. Pearkes. After leaving CCGS George R. Pearkes he was reassigned to the Arctic onboard CCGS Terry Fox. He recently completed a high profile United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) mission to the North Pole. To date Randy has completed twenty-two (22) Arctic Patrols and one (1) North Pole mission.
Andrew C. McNeil
Captain McNeill graduated from the Coast Guard College in 1980. He held command on most of our major ships including the CCGS John Cabot, CCGS J. E. Bernier and CCGS Louis S. St. Laurent. As Commanding Officer, he provided a positive leadership style, especially during difficult transition periods; in particular, the decommissioning of the CCGS Sir Humphrey Gilbert. He was a positive force in the transfer of the CCGS Louis S. St. Laurent to the former Newfoundland and Labrador Region and worked closely with staff and shore management to smooth the transition and ensure an effective functioning crew. His search and rescue operations included: the rescue of forty-six (46) Haitian refugees found adrift in the Florida Strait in 1981; the rescue of all crew members from the sinking Fishing Vessel Sea Shuttle in 1990; the completion of fifty (50) SAR tasks during the seal hunt in 1999; and survey and salvage operations while sailing on the CCGS John Cabot during the Air India incident off the coast of Ireland. He was Commanding Officer on the CCGS Louis S. St. Laurent for CCG on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and that included joint missions with the United States Coast Guard in the Arctic from 2006 to 2012. Captain McNeil finished his Coast Guard career as Commanding Officer of the CCGS Louis S. St. Laurent.
Perry A. Stares
Captain Stares’ graduated from the Canadian Coast Guard College in 1978. In 1996, he accepted an assignment to the Commanding Officer Ashore position under the Director of Operational Services to assist fleet management during a period of reorganization. Later, in 1998, he was the Leader of Regional Fleet Reconfiguration Project that was formed to address outstanding HR issues that were a result of the national fleet merger. In 1999, while Commanding Officer of the CCGS Leonard J. Cowley, the vesselsuccessfully passed an external audit by Lloyd’s Register and became the first government vessel in North America to receive a Safety Management Certificate. In 2001, the CCGS Leonard J. Cowley was conducting a routine NAFO inspection on the Sackville Spur that suddenly evolved into a serious SAR case. A helicopter evacuation of an injured crewman was recommended but was prevented by extensive fog banks. In the end, the Spanish fishing vessel Codeside, with Rescue Specialists from the Cowley on board, had to make the entire transit to St. John’s with her injured crewman who later made a full recovery. In 2001, the sailing vessel Peningo was involved in a collision with a large whale just south of the Tail of the Grand Banks. On board were six American citizens attempting to make a transatlantic crossing. The CCGS Leonard J. Cowley rendered assistance to the stricken vessel and safely towed the vessel to St. John’s harbor. In addition, in 2006, while Commanding Officer of the CCGS Sir Wilfred Grenfell, the vessel became the first NL Region ship to have a Ship Security Plan approved by the DG Fleet and an Interim Security Certificate issued. Captain Stares retired as Commanding Officer of the CCGS Terry Fox.
Michael W. Tuck
Mr. Tuck joined the Coast Guard in 1976 as an officer cadet and has since held positions as an Engineering Officer and Chief Engineer. He was a member of the Regional Development Committee and participated in the pilot project to introduce the Predictive Update Maintenance Program (PUMP). He was highly involved in implementing a computerized maintenance management system aboard vessels in the region which resulted in safer, more effective and cost efficient maintenance. While serving on the CCGS Sir Wilfred Grenfell, Mr. Tuck was the team leader in the recovery of approximately 16,000 litres of fuel from a grounded long liner. He has been involved in numerous Search & Rescue cases such as leadership role in extinguishing a wharf fire in St. Barbe, which prevented the possible spread of the fire to nearby petroleum products storage facilities, and extinguishing a fire on a fishing trawler under conversion at Long Harbour, NL using the ship’s firefighting system. He retired from the CCG as the Chief Engineer of the CCGS Henry Larsen. Recently, he returned working on Chief Engineering staffing processes and VLE Processes.
News release: Canadian Coast Guard Employees Awarded for Exemplary Service
Follow us on Twitter!
