Photos by Joe Benton / U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
A helicopter crew based at the Coast Guard’s newest air station, at Point Mugu in southern Ventura County, wasted no time in establishing a working relationship with Auxiliarists from flotillas in Orange County as they rendezvoused off Los Angeles Harbor on November 21.
The joint training operation unfolded just one week after Air Station Ventura was commissioned by Rear Adm. Joseph Buzzella, commander of Coast Guard District 11, and Cmdr. Amanda Sardone, the new base’s commanding officer. It was the first new Coast Guard air station in nearly 25 years.
In the joint exercise, the Auxiliary coxswain was Commodore Michael “Boz” Bozarth from Flotilla 06-02 in Huntington Harbour, and the crew members were Rick Weiss and Joe Benton from Flotilla 06-03 (Orange Coast). They sortied aboard the Auxiliary operational vessel Noble Cat, and outside Los Angeles Harbor rendezvoused with a Ventura-based MH-60T Jayhawk medium-range rescue helicopter.
(The Jayhawk is one of three medium-range helicopters expected to be stationed at Air Station Ventura, the Coast Guard announced earlier.)
“The conditions were excellent for the exercise,” Benton reported. “Ten-mile visibility. Two- to four-foot swells with light winds. The water temperature was 58 degrees, necessitating wearing anti-exposure coveralls.”
“The Auxiliary’s portion of the mission was twofold,” he explained. “We provided a target for hovering exercises and maintained the perimeter while the helicopter worked with a rescue swimmer in the water.”
In a statement, the Coast Guard said the new Ventura air station serves a crucial role in protecting the maritime region from Orange to San Luis Obispo Counties, including the vital ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Its service area encompasses more than 350 nautical miles (402 statute miles) of coastline. Its missions include 24/7 emergency response; search and rescue; drug and migrant interdiction; law enforcement; and marine safety and environmental protection.
The permanent presence in Ventura County of the base’s 100 Coast Guard personnel provides enhanced security and quicker response times to emergencies, benefiting both the local community and maritime industries. Coast Guard District 11 now consists of five air stations in its area of responsibility: Humboldt Bay, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego and Ventura.
