Photo of events during the Ombudsman of the Year celebration at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington March 27, 2012. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Kelley.

Rear Adm. Stephen P. Metruck, Fifth District Commander - “Ombudsmen provide important support for the families of Coast Guard men and women who are out there doing the job every day.” Rachel Conley, Base National Capital Region Ombudsman - “The 30th anniversary of the Coast Guard Ombudsmen program is right around the corner and I’ve really seen an evolution of the program and the support available over the past several years. The program has really evolved into something much different than what it used to be and Ombudsmen are now serving as official command representatives, and really a professional role providing resources and information and I’ve really enjoyed seeing the program evolve and change into providing really great service to Coast Guard families.” Anja Congemi, Fifth District Ombudsman - “The thing that led me to become an ombudsman, was that when I first became a spouse, I wasn’t able to find the resources that I needed to find at that time. And with the ombudsman program, I was able to get in touch with people that were in the same position as myself who were new to a specific area and able to find the resources that were available to them in that area.” Lori Carrington, Atlantic Area Regional Ombudsman Coordinator – “The reason the ombudsman program is important to the United States Coast Guard is because our spouses, our families, they don’t get that information, they transfer all over, they need the ombudsman program as that liason between our members and our families.” Rachel Conley – “What it means to be an ombudsman for me is the opportunity to really make a difference in the lives of Coast Guard members and their families. I really enjoy serving them and being available to provide resources and information whenever that’s needed.” Rear Adm. Stephen P. Metruck - “So, at the end, it’s great for the families and it’s great for the service as a whole. The dedication of these ombudsman, the hours that they put in, the hours they put into training, the hours that they put into supporting members is really, is really great and is a real benefit to them and the Coast Guard.”