Howard Supports Oil Cleanup Efforts in the Gulf

Seaman Howard maneuvers the Coast Guard Cutter Oak during oil cleanup operations off the coast of Alabama. (Coast Guard photos by Ensign Jason Radcliffe)

Seaman Kelly Howard, granddaughter of TBE employee Helga Howard, is doing her part to help clean up the “Deepwater Horizon” oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

 As a crew member aboard the US Coast Guard Cutter Oak, Seaman Howard has been involved in oil skimmer operation efforts a few miles south of Gulf Shores, Alabama. 

Ironically, Seaman Howard grew up in Mobile, where her parents still live, and noted that she enjoyed the beautiful beaches in the area her whole life.

“My aunt said she could see our ship working out here from her house near the beach,” noted Seaman Howard.  “…it feels great to be able to do something in the fight against the oil.”  

The 225-foot vessel that Seaman Howard is assigned to is homeported in Charleston, South Carolina, and is outfitted with oil skimming gear and advanced command, control, and communications equipment. The cutter is deployed to the Gulf region for an indefinite period of time performing cleanup operations as a part of the Deepwater Horizon response effort.  More information about the response effort can be found at www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com

Seaman Howard, who completed Coast Guard training last year at the US Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, New Jersey, has already been a part of other disaster response operations in the short time she has been a member of the Coast Guard. The Cutter Oak also responded to the Haiti earthquake, where she worked with a medical team of Navy doctors and ultimately received a medal as a result of her efforts.