Honor, Respect, Devotion to Duty
Coast Guard Station San Francisco
Photo Gallery
Hero Next Profile
Questions:
How long have you been in the Coast Guard?
I went to Cape May, New Jersey for Basic Training and graduated from the Direct Entry Petty Officer Program on October 1st, 2010 with DEPOT 0610. In addition, I graduated from Boatswain's Mate "A" School in May of 2012 with Class 09-12.
What do you do in the CG reserve?
As a boatswain-mate, there are so many opportunities to learn and train continually. Good leaders will keep you busy and engaged. And there are many great leaders in the Coast Guard who will keep you busy with training, watch standing, scrubbing boats and so much more.
Why did you join?
I love learning new things. I wanted to experience first-hand what it meant to be a leader and what better way than an institution that specializes in building up servant leaders. I wanted to serve and be a role model for my children. I’ve always had a passion for boats, even before I was a magician. I love being on and in the water. I was a lifeguard, swim, sailing, and windsurfing instructor. I still occasionally spearfish and SCUBA dive. Being a part of the Coast Guard Reserve is something I’ll never forget.
What do you like best about the reserves?
First and foremost, great leaders and shipmates who lead by example and took time out of their busy schedules to serve. Leaders like MK1 Carter, MK1 Ridad, PAC/Chief Eng, Master Chief Gargagliano and Master Chief Spencer all exemplified inspirational leadership and the Coast Guard core values.
Second,
I enjoy being able to try new things. At one time I considered lateraling to Public Affairs and my command graciously allowed me to experience drilling with the PA office. I learned a lot from the people in the PA office. In fact, I was surprised to find out that one of the photos I took while drilling with District 11’s PA office was used in both a Coast Guard wide mailing for Mutual Assistance and online! What resonated with many is this photo reflects the teamwork that’s involved in completing the various missions of the Coast Guard.
You can see the photo online here.
What is the most exciting experience you’ve had in the reserves?
You constantly get to learn. From learning firearms training and shooting flares to something more routine as P6 pump training, there was always a new skill that I never had the opportunity to learn before - many skills I wouldn’t have had the chance to learn anywhere else. I loved each moment, even cleanups! There’s much pride in knowing you’re serving your country and you’re a part of a rich tradition.
I thrive on variety. One of the highlights I’ll never forget was the Coast Guard’s Full Mission Bridge Training Simulator. This is a large cutter bridge mock-up complete with helm, radar, chart plotter, 360-degree graphics displays, and virtual binoculars. While driving a real cutter ship would’ve been awesome, this simulator made it really close to driving the real thing - an added bonus is that there’s no way I could’ve crashed this thing.
What's next?
Currently, I'm in IRR, some days I entertain the thought of re-enlisting to serve in food service, public affairs, and/or recruiting. I know it's all diverse, but those are all things I have an interest in. In the meantime, I've gone back to entertaining as a corporate magician. I might see someone in uniform, tag along for a recruiting event, I might take out my "Coast Guard" deck of playing cards and make a shipmate's day entertaining and speaking about military precision, with perfect cuts and perfect shuffles.
More about Dan...
From humble beginnings, Dan tackled his fears head-on. Knowing what he's accomplished you wouldn't believe Dan started off with a fear of water. Whether it was taking showers or swimming, Dan cried when water got into his eyes. Up until he was 7 or 8 years old Dan's mom, Esther would wash his hair while he was hunched over the bathroom sink basin. Every time his washing his hair several things would usually occur, Dan would complain soap would get into his eyes, fight with his mom, eventually he was breaking down crying. To make this more embarrassing, his younger brother did not complain or cry. It was mandatory that every high school graduate would need to pass a swim test to graduate in San Francisco so mom enrolled Dan into a swim class. Esther would pray for him every day that he would overcome his fear of water, and that he would be bold like Daniel in the Bible. Those swim classes would be the beginning of a journey that would change his life.
Sometimes you never know where life will lead you. Swimming was beneficial for him, he gained confidence from swimming. He also became a teaching aid at swim classes at Rossi the local swimming pool, and later for Mr. Low the swim instructor at Lowell High School. Swimming was something that would help him as he was teased and picked on in elementary and middle school. The long 2-hour practice sessions every day would not only build his character and resolve, it would transform him from a scrawny kid to muscular young man, more confident in himself. Thru this slow transformational process, he joined the swim team at Lowell, eventually placing four-time in junior varsity and twice in varsity swimming.
Upon reaching UC Riverside, Dan signed up for a lifeguarding course and a scuba diving course. After completion of the course, Monica, the lifeguarding instructor recommended him a job at Santa Monica, YMCA's Camp Big Bear. At Big Bear, Dan met Richie a balding short man who loved sailing and boats. Richie had an infectious love of boats that was contagious. He was a natural at teaching and quickly taught Dan Sunfishes and Hobbie Cats. Dan came in as a lifeguard and ended leaving Camp Big Bear as a small boat and sailing instructor. There was a thrill when he sailed the two-hulled boats with one hull riding out of the water.
The love of boats leads him to Gold Arrow Camp Sophomore and Junior years. That year he was hired as a sailing instructor. The first week he met an Australian fellow was the windsurfing instructor. By the time he left Gold Arrow Camp, he was a windsurfing instructor as well! Around that time Dan became friends with Steve, a pool shark at AACF. Steve was a fun loving guy who loved spearfishing and Steve taught him the basics of spearfishing. The next year Dan went back to Big Bear working three camps, two in Big Bear at both the Santa Monica YMCA camp and at a Presbyterian camp down the road. To finish off the season, we worked as a lifeguard at Campus By the Sea, and Inter-varsity Christian Camp.
At Campus by the Sea, Dan would scrub boats, lifeguard and in his spear time spearfishing. After coming back from Campus by the Sea he believed his calling was to be an ocean lifeguard at Campus by the Sea. Dan told his mom that dream one evening. Emotionally, Esther cried. She forbid him to become a lifeguard, as there was no money in lifeguarding as he could not raise a family with that salary. Little did he know, the fear of water would become a love of water. And that would also give him a career as a reservist in the Coast Guard. Let's talk about your next event and how storytelling can change your team.
