Coast Guard Aux Eastern LI Members Complete Culinary Assistant Training at Coast Guard Station Shinnecock

HAMPTON BAYS, N.Y. — Six members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary's Eastern Long Island Division recently completed a full weekend of training to become Auxiliary Culinary Assistants, receiving both classroom instruction and hands-on experience at U.S. Coast Guard Station Shinnecock in Hampton Bays.

The training was conducted under the direction of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Culinary Assistant 1 (CA-1) and District Captain (DCAPT), Sector Long Island Sound South. The course included classroom instruction, instructional lessons and practical, hands-on training in the station's galley.

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The six Auxiliary members participating in the training were Thomas Ogno, Christopher Stewart, Paul Meszik, Andrew Tarantino, Frank Backus and Elizabeth Downs.

The Auxiliary members were joined during the training by U.S. Coast Guard Active Duty Culinary Specialists CS-1 Nick Antonaccio and CS-2 Peyton Tackett, who provided additional instruction and hands-on guidance based on their experience serving in the Coast Guard culinary field.

Auxiliary Culinary Assistants play an important supporting role within the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Coast Guard as a whole. In addition to providing culinary assistance during Auxiliary training and activities, qualified Culinary Assistants can serve as a force multiplier for Active Duty Coast Guard units when called upon.

Once fully qualified and signed off by Auxiliary culinary leadership, Culinary Assistants may provide support at Coast Guard stations, training centers and other units. Depending on their qualifications and operational needs, they may also be called upon to support cutter deployments. Their assistance can help fill temporary staffing needs when a Coast Guard Culinary Specialist is unavailable due to leave, illness, emergency or reassignment.

For the Eastern Long Island Division, the newly trained members will provide an additional resource to Coast Guard units throughout the area as they complete the qualification process and become available for assignment.

Station Shinnecock provided an ideal training location for the weekend. The station's galley has earned recognition for its high standards, having been named Coast Guard Galley of the Year in 2023.

The Culinary Assistant program is one of the many ways the Coast Guard Auxiliary supports the Coast Guard mission. Through specialized training and service, Auxiliary members can provide qualified assistance that allows Active Duty Coast Guard personnel to focus on their operational responsibilities while helping ensure the needs of Coast Guard crews are met. If you enjoy cooking and would like to support the Coast Guard, community members can join the Coast Guard Auxiliary and receive training in culinary assistance, as well as many other specialized fields of service.

The Eastern Long Island Division congratulates Ogno, Stewart, Meszik, Tarantino, Backus and Downs on completing the training and looks forward to their continued service in support of Coast Guard units throughout the region.