More on Coach Alex Simonka

Establishment of Coast Guard Personnel Service Center

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard announced Friday that it has scheduled a ribbon cutting ceremony for March 16 at 9:30 a.m. at the Rural Electric Cooperative Conference Facility, 43091 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Va., to mark the establishment of the Coast Guard Personnel Service Center.

For the first time in the Coast Guard’s history, all personnel and human resources support will be unified into a single business line allowing for a human resource system that is flexible and responsive to rapidly changing personnel requirements. Scheduled attendees include: Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen and Coast Guard Chief of Staff Vice Adm. Clifford Pearson.

The Coast Guard Personnel Service Center will be comprised of more than 1,685 active duty and 165 reserve members, 573 civilian employees and more than 1,800 non-appropriated fun employees stationed from Guam to Puerto Rico. The Coast Guard Personnel Service Center will be composed of four divisions in Arlington, Va. and 17 subordinate personnel commands including: the Pay and Personnel Center in Topeka, Kan., the Health Safety and Work-Life Support Activity Command in Norfolk, Va., the Community Services Command in Chesapeake, Va., the Coast Guard Recruiting Command in Arlington, Va. and 13 Personnel Service and Support units across the United States.

The ribbon cutting marks the stand up of the last of five Coast Guard logistics and service centers to be established in support of the commandant’s modernization efforts: The Aviation Logistics Center, the Surface Forces Logistics Center, the C4IT Service Center and the Shore Infrastructure Logistics Center preceded the Personnel Service Center.

Navy’s New Sex Offender Policy – Implications for all Services

Former Navy Secretary Donald Winter says registered sex offenders are prohibited from living in base housing and barred from Navy Department facilities, according to an October memo from the Navy secretary.   As of this writing, Navy has not established the policy that would implement this change.

The Marine Corps already has begun screening its base housing residents for registered sex offenders, who will then be forced to move out as part of a massive service-wide crackdown.

On Oct. 7, Winter issued a far-reaching policy prohibiting convicted sex offenders from accessing Navy and Marine Corps installations, living in military or private-public venture housing, and enlisting or being commissioned into the Navy or Marine Corps.

“To the maximum extent permitted by law or otherwise waived by competent authority, sex offenders are to be identified and prohibited from access to (Navy Department) facilities,” Winter wrote in a memo to Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead and Commandant Gen. James Conway.

This policy if fully enacted may have affects on Coast Guard, Army and Air Force personnel.  All branches of the Military share access to many medical facilities.  Depending on implementation, sex offenders could become ineligible for treatment at large medical centers in Bethesda, MD; Portsmouth, VA; San Diego, CA and other smaller clinics.  Also possibly affected are retirees who are registered sex offenders.

Coast Guard Academy Coach Alex Simonka Found Dead On Campus

Alex Simonka - Head Coach - 16th Season

TheDay.com is reporting that Alex Simonka, the head coach of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy women’s basketball team, was found dead in his car on campus early Saturday evening.

Simonka’s body was found at about 5:30 p.m., and the death was still being investigated by the Coast Guard Investigative Service and the New London Police Department late Saturday night, according to Petty Officer Ryan Doss, assistant public affairs officer. New London police Capt. William Dittman referred all inquiries to the Coast Guard.

Alex entered his 16th season as head coach. He led the Bears to a school record 25 wins and the ECAC New England tournament championships last season. He led the Bears to their first ever postseason berth in 2001-2002. He was the all-time winningest coach in program history.

Simonka, a 1999 CGA Hall of Fame inductee, was a three-sport star during his days as a cadet (Class of ‘79). He played football, basketball and baseball. He still owns the record for three touchdown receptions in a game and led the CGA basketball team to its first NCAA Tournament, when the Bears went 21-3 in 1978-79. He also owns a baseball record as he did not strike out once in 106 at-bats his junior season.

Simonka retired from the Coast Guard in the summer of 1999 and now serves as the Business Manager for the Athletics Division.

“We are deeply saddened at the loss of a mentor, coach, and friend,” said Rear Adm. J. Scott Burhoe, superintendent of the academy, in a statement. “Our deepest sympathy and prayers go out to his family, friends, and our entire academy community.”